Deaths at the Grand Canyon are on the rise. Here’s how to stay safe.
The Grand Canyon, one of the most celebrated natural wonders in the United States, has been the site of multiple deaths this summer, raising concerns about hiker safety.
There have been 11 deaths at Grand Canyon National Park so far this year — including three recent fatalities over one week. That is slightly above average from the past several years, Joëlle Baird, a spokesperson for the National Park Service, said Tuesday. The park averages around 17 deaths per year, with the most common cause being cardiac arrest, according to data from the past decade.
The three most recent deaths occurred within a span of seven days ending Aug. 6, when officials recovered the body of a 20-year-old woman from New Mexico about 150 feet below the rim of the canyon after a multiday search. Five days earlier, authorities found the body of a man who tried to jump from the South Rim of the park, and at the end of July officials recovered the body of a North Carolina man 400 feet below the canyon’s rim after he had accidentally fallen from the edge.
Earlier this summer, Grand Canyon officials reported another three deaths in less than a month, including one that occurred during an intense heat wave that swept the Western United States.
Over 250 people are rescued from the canyon each year, according to the National Park Service, and nearly 200 visitors have died at the park from 2007 to March 2024, 39 while hiking.
Maggie Peikon, spokesperson for the American Hiking Society, said it was “incredibly sad” to hear of the deaths at the Grand Canyon this year.
One of the biggest mistakes hikers make is neglecting to take into account the extreme heat and strength of the sun in the desert during the summer, Peikon said. Navigating the canyon’s rim throughout the park could also be dangerous.
She recommends hikers always pack an abundance of water. The general rule of thumb is to bring half a liter for every hour you plan to hike and increase the amount to 1 liter per hour during the summer.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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