A California woman died this week while hiking at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. National Park officials say 49-year-old Catherine Houe of Daly City, California was hiking into the canyon on the South Kaibab trial on Wednesday to spend the night at Phantom Ranch. After hiking four miles down the trail she became dizzy, disoriented, and then stopped breathing, according to her husband and a friend. On Wednesday the high temperature at Phantom Ranch was around 114 degrees. Officials received a call at around 5:36 p.m. about the incident about a half-mile above the Tip Off resthouse on the trail. Crews arrived by helicopter and started to perform life-saving measures on her, but she was pronounced dead. The cause of death is believed to be heat-related. Park officials are strongly urging visitors to Grand Canyon, especially inner canyon hikers and backpackers to be prepared for excessively hot days in the coming weeks. In the summer, temperatures on exposed parts of the trail can reach over 120-degrees in the shade. Hiking in extreme heat can lead to serious health risks including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hyponatremia and death.
Expect I-40 Ramp Closures This Week Through Flagstaff
June 4, 2023
8:02 pm
