Grand Canyon hiker, 55, dies after trying to walk from rim to rim in a single day in 87F heat
Grand Canyon hiker, 55, dies after trying to walk from rim to rim in one day in 87 degree Celsius heat
A 55-year-old Virginia man died after trying to walk from rim to rim of the Grand Canyon in a single day in sweltering 87-degree heat.
Authorities confirmed they received a 911 call from a hiker in distress on the North Kaibab Trail on September 9 at 1:55 p.m.
The trail is located about a mile south of Cottonwood Campground, which is on the second leg of the rim-to-rim hike.
Shortly after the call was made, the hiker became unresponsive and bystanders began CPR.
The National Park Service (NPS) search and rescue team rushed to the location by helicopter, but despite the use of “advanced life support efforts,” their attempts to resuscitate the man were unsuccessful.
Authorities confirmed they received a distress call from a hiker in distress on the North Kaibab Trail on September 9 at 1:55 p.m. (pictured)
The victim was later identified as Ranjith Varma, 55, of Manassas, Virginia.
The Grand Canyon Office of Communications confirmed that he attempted to hike from the South Rim to the North Rim – also known as a “rim-to-rim” hike.
The National Park Foundation’s official website states that an edge-to-edge hike is “a classic bucket list adventure,” but “it’s not a walk in the park” and it can have “catastrophic consequences” if you’re not prepared.
The strenuous trek is 39 kilometers long (one way) and the recommended route is from the North Kaibab Trail to the Bright Angel Trail – this usually takes between 12 and 15 hours.
Officials added: ‘In summer, temperatures on exposed parts of the trail in the shade can reach more than 49°C.
‘Park rangers strongly advise against hiking in the inner canyon during the hottest part of the day between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“Please note that efforts to assist hikers may be delayed during the summer months due to limited staffing, the number of rescue calls, worker safety requirements, and limited helicopter flying capabilities during periods of extreme heat or inclement weather.”
They also advise visitors to do their research by checking the page with walking tips and check status updates in the hinterland for updated information on Canyon conditions.
The trail where Varma was found is about a mile south of Cottonwood Campground, which is on the second leg of the rim-to-rim hike.
This week, Phoenix, Arizona, hit a new heat record after the mercury soared to a balmy 110F for 54 days this year – pictured is a heat map of the area taken on September 9
An investigation into Varma’s cause of death is being conducted by the NPS in conjunction with the Coconino County Medical Examiner. It is not yet clear whether the death was the result of the heat.
The high temperature on Saturday was 87 degrees (30.5 degrees Celsius) at Grand Canyon Airport, about a 20-minute drive from the South Rim.
It comes after the American Southwest suffered a sweltering heatwave during the summer months.
This week, Phoenix, Arizona, hit a new heat record after the mercury rose to a balmy 110F for 54 days this year.
Although not only America is suffering from the heat: last month was the warmest August ever recorded worldwide, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
It was also the second warmest month on record, after July 2023.
In July, two female hikers died after hiking in Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park.
They make up just two of the seven suspected heat-related deaths in America’s national parks that occurred between June and August.
Never before had there been so many suspected heat-related deaths in national parks at the same time last year.