ST. GEORGE — A hiker died Monday after becoming unresponsive while on a multi-day backpacking trip in Grand Canyon National Park.
On Monday at approximately 7:30 p.m., the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report of a deceased backpacker along the Thunder River Trail, approximately 1 mile from the confluence of Tapeats Creek and the Colorado River, according to a press release issued by the National Park Service.
The backpacker, Delphine Martinez, 59, of Window Rock, Arizona, was on a multi-day backpacking trip. Hiking down the Thunder River Trail on Monday, she reportedly became disoriented and later unconscious. Trip members attempted resuscitation efforts without success. High temperatures in the inner canyon were well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with the high temperature at Phantom Ranch noted to be approximately 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
Park rangers at Grand Canyon National Park urge visitors to Grand Canyon, especially inner canyon hikers and backpackers, to be prepared for excessively hot days in the coming weeks. In the summer, temperatures on exposed parts of the trail can reach over 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade, the news release states.
Park rangers also strongly advise not hiking in the inner canyon during the heat of the day between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Hiking in extreme heat can lead to serious health risks including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hyponatremia and death.
An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the park service in coordination with the Coconino County Medical Examiner.