The City of Phoenix in Arizona has officially implemented hiking restrictions along several trails has extreme heat rocks the area.
Between 8am to 5pm from Thursday, March 19th to Sunday, March 22nd, the Echo Canyon and Cholla trails on Camelback Mountain, Summit Traila nd connected trails on Piestewa Peak, and Holbert, Mormon, Hau’Pal Loop, and National Trail access from Pima Canyon on South Mountain are restricted. All hiking is strongly discouraged during these Extreme Heat Warnings.
The Phoenix Fire Department has already conducted several mountain rescues in relation to the heat over the past several days, including three rescues in just two hours on March 16th. A woman was first located about ¼ of the way up Camelback Mountain near the Echo Canyon Trailhead who had slipped and injured her ankle, requiring a helicopter hoist rescue.
As that rescue was ongoing, a second hiker experiencing dizziness about â…“ of the way up required assistance getting down, and shortly after a third hiker who wad fallen was rescued by helicopter hoist and brought to the hospital.
On March 17th, the Phoenix Fire Department reported conducting six rescues in just 24 hours, highlighting the importance of bringing plenty of water and preparing for hikes before heading out. Temperatures are expected to reach up to 108°F during this historic heat wave, so make sure you stay prepared and avoid hiking during the hottest times of the day. Remember that the temperatures can quickly rise, so just because it’s cool when you leave doesn’t mean it will stay that way.
