Grand Canyon Hiker Dies Amid Extreme Heat

A 67-year-old hiker from Texas died in the Grand Canyon on Tuesday with the Southwest baking under record-breaking heat. Park officials said the man from Alvarado was found unresponsive on the South Kaibab Trail below Cedar Ridge around 11:50am. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. His identity has not been released, and the incident remains under investigation, per NBC News. The National Park Service has cautioned visitors about extreme temperatures, noting that exposed trail sections can top 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade during the summer. Officials urge hikers to avoid venturing out between 10am and 4pm, when the risk is highest.

The deceased hiker reportedly turned back at Skeleton Point while attempting to reach Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon but failed to make it out. The death comes amid broader extreme heat alerts across the Southwest, with more than 7 million people under excessive heat warnings. The National Weather Service predicts highs at Phantom Ranch will reach 110 degrees on Thursday and 113 degrees on Friday. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport set a record high of 117 degrees on Wednesday, while Denver also tied a temperature record at 100 degrees, per NBC. Red flag warnings, indicating conditions ripe for wildfire spread due to heat and dryness, are covering large parts of Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.