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On
It was hotel staff at the Grand Canyon Inn, in Valle, Arizona (40 miles south of the park) that alerted the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) on September 4th that Mr. Brunelli had not checked out of his room as scheduled and personal items were still in his room. Workers reported that
Upon notification, the National Park Service (NPS) located
As more information was received it was learned that Andrew had some previous experience day hiking the canyon. Investigators then found out from a co-worker that
A park service helicopter crew spotted the body at
The body was retrieved via long-line operation (a fixed rope below the helicopter, as opposed to being hoisted up). The NPS and CCSO are conducting an investigation into the incident.
Inner Canyon temperatures continue to hover around the 100 degree mark, plus, this has been a DRY SUMMER in Arizona with very little precipitation during this year’s “Non-soon Monsoon.” Therefore, short-lived ephemeral springs or water sources should not be counted on to have water. Always check with the
To the best of my knowledge this is the sixth death of a
Hike Smart & Have Fun!
Brian



Yaki Point (Photo: Brian Lane)
1st Excessive Heat Warning of 2009
In mid-July of 2004 a 25 year old medical student from Falmouth, MA died inside the Grand Canyon from heat stroke and dehydration. Margaret Bradley had recently finished 30th in the 2004 Boston Marathon, was in excellent physical condition and in the prime of her life. Her mistake was in believing that she could outrun the canyon’s midday temperatures of over 105 degrees in the shade with little water.
Although criteria varies from state to state, an Excessive Heat Warning is usually issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) when temperatures are forecast to exceed 105 degrees, in the shade, for more than 3 hours per day, for 2 or more consecutive days, or if the heat index is forecast to exceed 115 degrees - the kind of extreme summer heat that is considered life threatening.
These temperatures are forecast during the next few days (possibly weeks) for Inner Canyon areas, including Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch. Remember that about 80 percent of SAR’s (search & rescue missions) at Grand Canyon National Park are due to heat related causes because of these intense desert temperatures.
What can be very deceiving for many people is when summer temps are in the 90’s on the South Rim, while inside the Grand Canyon at the Colorado River it is cooking at about 110 degrees or higher. No matter how good your conditioning and training regimen may be, these extreme temperatures will be debilitating unless you are fully prepared for it. Read the book Death in Grand Canyon, it illustrates this point to a tea.
Personally, I have never hiked inside the canyon between mid-May and late September, but if you must, please make sure you carry at least four to six liters of water going into the canyon, and you’ll need twice that coming back out. Make sure you are off the trail during the hours of most intense heat, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. During times of high heat find shade and hunker down. Use Bright Angel Trail to access the Inner Canyon, at least there are shade areas and available water. Stay off of the South Kaibab Trail, since it has no water and very little shade. Consider hiking at night, and if you get hot, wet yourself down to cool quickly, and wear cotton as it drys slowly and helps keep you cooler longer. Always utilize electrolyte containing water additives (Gatorade and such), and eat salty snacks.
Although officially it is Arizona Monsoon Season – we haven’t really seen it yet in Northern Arizona. Afternoon clouds have been forming but there has been little moisture in the atmosphere, mostly virga. Never heard of virga? It is a common sight in the desert where you see the streams of moisture pulling down and away from clouds, yet no rain actually reaches the ground. This occurs when the atmosphere is so dry that rain turns to vapor before hitting the earth.
Man Drives Car into Canyon near El Tovar Lodge (think Chitty Chitty Bang Bang without the magic car)
Grand Canyon Resident-Climber Does Not Defy Gravity
A Grand Canyon resident was on a recreational climb of Newton Butte on Monday, July 6th around 8:00 p.m. when he slipped and fell about 50 feet. Newton Butte is about 1.5 miles north of Shoshone Point. The man was rescued via short-haul operation and treated for non-life-threatening injuries to both legs. The individual’s name has not yet been released.
Hantavirus Kills River Runner
A Minnesota woman in her early 50’s passed away on June 12th, 2009 from what is confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as Hantavirus. She had recently been on a river rafting expedition in the Grand Canyon, where it is supposed that she contracted the disease. This is the first case of Hantavirus reported in the area since 2007. The virus is spread by rodents and infection occurs from breathing in small particles of urine or droppings from wild rodents. When camping in backcountry areas of the Grand Canyon try not to stir up a lot of dust, use a tent with a floor, and keep a clean camp to help avoid exposure.
Thank You to Everyone Who Stopped by During My Book Signing
I had my first book signing at Grand Canyon Nat'l Park on Saturday, June 27th. Thanks go out to all who took the time to stop by and say hello, especially those who purchased a copy of the book! Thanks also to the Grand Canyon Association for sponsoring the event, and to Diane and Konrad who worked at the store during the signing.
I haven’t been blogging much lately, as this really is not the season for most canyon backpackers, (save for a few crazy people). Even sales of my book slump a bit at this time of year as the thought of hiking inside an easy bake oven does not seem to appeal to the sane and well informed. Plus I will soon be getting away for a short time, hiking in the Canadian Rockies for the first time! Please re-visit the blog in mid-August and check out my brief trip report when I return.
Hike Smart & Have Fun!
Brian