A Louisiana Man Dies While Hiking In The Grand Canyon Wednesday

A Louisiana man died while hiking on the Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon Wednesday afternoon. National Park Service officials say 44-year-old Rodney Hatfield of Washington, Louisiana was on a multi-day hiking trip and was returning from Phantom Ranch at around 4:49 p.m., when he began experiencing difficulty hiking the trail near Indian Garden. He reached Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse before becoming unresponsive. A search and rescue team arrived within minutes and started CPR on Hatfield. He was pronounced dead a short time later. Rangers at the Grand Canyon strongly urge visitors who plan to hike in the canyon to take extra precautions and hike safely. Hikers should hike before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., rest in shade whenever possible, and avoid hiking during the heat of the day. Also balance eating real food, having electrolytes, and drink water when thirsty, getting wet to stay cool and stopping hiking if you start to feel ill. An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.