Hot Weather Makes For Dangerous Hiking At Grand Canyon

By Stina Sieg
Published: Monday, June 19, 2017 - 8:28am
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Arizonans are bracing for extremely hot weather. According to the National Weather Service, the highs in Phoenix were above 110 over the weekend and could possibly reach 121 by Tuesday.

Heat warnings are in effect across the state. At Grand Canyon National Park, officials recommend not to hike below the rim. Spokesperson Emily Davis said over the weekend, in parts of the canyon, it was expected to reach 116 degrees.

“That’s a shade temperature. Out on the trail, the temperature’s going to feel much hotter than that,” she said. “In the direct sunlight, we’re talking about 130 Fahrenheit is what it will feel like, and that’s just not something that our bodies are used to, especially if we’re coming from places that aren’t quite as hot as Arizona.”

For people who still choose to hike, Davis said park rangers will focus on checking in with them before and during their trek. In the past decade, there have been at least 14 heat-related deaths in the park.