Hiker, 57, dies on eight-mile Grand Canyon trail amid triple-digit heat

Woman lost consciousness in Tuweep area of the park in Arizona

The spectacular landscapes of the Grand Canyon (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A 57-year-old woman died during a hike in the Grand Canyon as Arizona’s temperatures soared into the triple digits, according to officials.

A US park ranger received a report of a distressed hiker on Sunday at around 6.30pm, a National Park Service (NPS) news release said. The woman was traversing through the Tuweep area of the park, as the region’s temperature reached upward of 100 degrees F. The hiker was pronounced dead at approximately 1am Monday, the NPS said.

NPS officials cautioned hikers and backpackers from exploring the Grand Canyon as an excessive heat warning has been issued for portions of the park through Wednesday. The National Weather Service also issued the same warning for parts of the state through Friday, cautioning residents that temperatures might reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

“In the summer, temperatures on exposed parts of the trail can reach over 120°F (49 °C) in the shade,” the NPS said. Temperatures at Phantom Ranch, near the Colorado River along the North Kaibab trail, reached a sweltering 114 degrees F on Sunday, they added.

A deadly heat wave that has covered the Southern United States, and has already been responsible for taking over a dozen lives as of 29 June.

Beyond the United States, the entire planet suffered the two hottest days on record on Monday and Tuesday, University of Maine scientists at the Climate Reanalyzer project said.