High temperatures and dehydration played a role in the tragic death of a 69-year-old man on an Arizona hiking trail.
According to USA Today, the man collapsed about a half mile from the trailhead. Cell service was poor, making calls for help difficult. The family performed CPR, but to no avail. Search and rescue teams eventually made their way to the remote Arizona trail. Once on-site, they were able to remove the body, which was taken to a medical examiner's office.
According to the Yavapai Sheriff's Department, the man's daughter reported that they had been at a nearby swimming hole that day. The tragedy occurred upon Parson's Trail in Clarkdale, Arizona, which is about 35 miles from popular Sedona, Arizona.
While the man's name has not yet been publicly released, police confirmed that dehydration and high blood pressure were likely to blame for his death.
Tragedy Strikes as Man Dies on Arizona Hike
The Parson Trail incident is unfortunately not the first report of a tragic death due to intense heat in America's southwest this summer. In late June, another 69 year-old man died on a trail in Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park. More recently, a 52 year-old father and his 23 year-old daughter both died in Canyonlands National Park in Utah. On July 12th, the pair got lost and ran out of water, before dying together.
Moreover, on July 13th, a 30 year-old hiker died in Snow Canyon State Park, in Utah. That hikers parents were also hospitalized after suffering from heat exhaustion. On July 21st, a 56 year-old woman also died near Quail Creek State Park. Temperatures that day reached 106 degrees, and the woman did not have enough water.
This is all to say, that precautions should be taken before spending an extended period of time in extreme temperatures. Especially in the southwest, where desert conditions accompany ample hiking trails, it can be easy to get yourself into an unfortunate situation. The trails that cover the Aemrican west beautiful, but they can also become dangerous.
