Grand Canyon Heat Kills 3 Elderly Hikers as Inner-Trail Temperatures Top 109F
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jun 20
Grand Canyon Heat Kills 3 Elderly Hikers as Inner-Trail Temperatures Top 109F
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jun 20
Summary
Three elderly hikers were found dead in two separate Grand Canyon incidents on June 12 and June 16, with park officials saying both cases appear heat-related.
Temperatures in the Inner Canyon can exceed 109F in the shade at midday, and responders reached the South Kaibab and North Kaibab trails to find the hikers already dead.
A 72-year-old man died on the South Kaibab Trail, while a 67-year-old man and 68-year-old woman were found on the North Kaibab Trail; all three were taken to the Coconino County Medical Examiner.
The deaths add to a string of recent heat emergencies in the canyon, where park officials have also reported a teen fatality and warned hikers to avoid inner-trail travel from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.