A 67-year-old Texan planning to spend a night at Phantom Ranch on the floor of Grand Canyon National Park collapsed and died while hiking down the steep, exposed South Kaibab Trail.
A park release said the unidentified man collapsed on the trail below Cedar Ridge just before noon on Tuesday.
"Bystanders immediately initiated CPR while National Park Service (NPS) medical personnel and volunteers responded on foot," the release said. "All attempts to resuscitate the individual were unsuccessful."
According to reports, the hiker had turned around at Skeleton Point, roughly 3 miles down the 7.5-mile-long trail, and was making his way back up when he collapsed.
Phantom Ranch is a historic oasis nestled at the bottom of Grand Canyon. It can only be reached on foot, by mule, or by rafting the Colorado River. It features a handful of cabins and dormitories for travelers.
In the summer, temperatures on exposed parts of the South Kaibab Trail can exceed 120°F (49°C) in the shade, creating extremely hazardous conditions for hikers. In addition to the heat, pre-existing medical conditions can compound physical stress, making summer hiking particularly risky, especially during the peak heat hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., park staff said.
Park rangers strongly advise against hiking in the inner canyon during those hours and urge all visitors to take extreme caution when planning hikes during the summer months. Before heading down trail, hikers are encouraged to review the park’s Key Hiking Messages webpage for current trail and weather conditions.
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