A Texas man died while hiking in the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service said Wednesday, as the agency warned of temperatures reaching over 110 degrees.
Park rangers were alerted to an unresponsive hiker on the popular South Kaibab Trail at 11:50 a.m. on Tuesday, park officials said in a news release. Bystanders gave CPR until park staff arrived. Medical personnel attempted to resuscitate the hiker, but he died.
The 67-year-old man, who was not identified, was attempting to reach the Colorado River for an overnight stay at Phantom Ranch, a popular camping site, park officials said. The hiker appeared to have turned back from the hike, the NPS said.
Park officials did not identify a cause of death, but warned of high temperatures in the canyon. The NPS and Coconino County Medical Examiner are investigating the incident.
The NPS recommends avoiding hiking the Grand Canyon’s inner trails between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when temperatures are at their peak. Temperatures in the inner canyon can reach over 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade, creating “extremely hazardous conditions for hikers,” the NPS said.
Temperatures at Phantom Ranch are expected to reach highs near 113 degrees on Thursday, and near 114 degrees on Friday and Saturday. All three days will be sunny and hot, according to weather forecasts. Temperatures at Phantom Ranch can be nearly 30 degrees hotter than those outside the canyon, the NPS said.
About 10 people die at the Grand Canyon every year, CBS affiliate KPHO reported. This is the second death at the park that the park service has reported this year. In May, a 74-year-old man died while attempting to hike from the canyon’s South Rim to the North Rim, an approximately 24-mile distance.
