A hiker has been hospitalized after Arizona fire crews made multiple rescues from a popular hiking spot amid scorching temperatures.
Phoenix Fire Department officials say they responded to "multiple reports of hikers in distress" on Camelback Mountain on Monday at around 11am. Of the four hikers who required assistance, crews say they airlifted three off the mountain, and one was carried down by a wheeled stretcher. Two adult females were then transported to the hospital, where one was listed in critical condition.
Temperatures in the Phoenix area were around 100F (37C) by 11am on Monday, according to the National Weather Service, and by the afternoon had reached a high of 108F (42C).
"Please avoid hiking during peak heat and always go prepared! Your safety matters," writes the PFD on Facebook.
This news comes just two weeks after a popular hiking influencer was found dead near a Scottsdale-area trail after 25 hours missing in the desert heat, despite carrying five gallons of water with her. In recent years, Phoenix officials have taken to closing popular trails like Camelback during the day when temperatures reach triple digits.
Standing at 2,706ft above sea level, Camelback Mountain forms a unique landmark on the skyline east of downtown Phoenix. This distinctive dual hump-shaped mountain is popular amongst locals and visitors to the state, attracting thousands of visitors each year. It’s also the site of regular search and rescue missions for injured and stray hikers, particularly during the summer months when temperatures remain high in the area.
How hot is too hot to hike?
Though there's not an official benchmark for when it's too hot to hike, the National Weather Service will issue a heat advisory if daytime highs are expected to be 100 degrees or higher for at least two days and the nighttime lows won’t drop between 75 degrees.
During a heat advisory, the official advice is that it’s time to take action with the following tips:
- Drink plenty of water
- Stay out of the sun, and in an air-conditioned place
- If you have to spend time outside, take frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned places
- Wear clothing that is lightweight and loose-fitting
- Save strenuous activities for the early morning or evening
In other words, don't go hiking.
Clearly, how hot is too hot to hike varies a little from person to person, but to understand how heat can affect you on the trail, a small 2020 study looked at the effects of heat on 12 hikers as they climbed Tempe Butte – a mile-long round trip hike – in Arizona four times in 88-degree weather versus in 66-degree weather.
The study found that hot conditions significantly impaired performance (by 11 percent), reducing aerobic capacity by seven percent, increasing the rate of perceived exertion by a full 19 percent, and elevating core temperature by over one degree Fahrenheit.
If you do venture out in hot weather, carry multiple water bottles, cover your skin as much as possible, and wear a hat. Seek a shaded trail with a water source nearby where you can safely cool off as needed and as educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of heatstroke.
You can learn more in our article on excessive heat warnings.
