Scott Sims : “Grand Canyon Tragedy Strikes Again: Third Hiker Dies”

On Sunday, tragedy struck the Grand Canyon once again as a hiker was found unresponsive on the Bright Angel Trail, marking the third death at the national park in the past month. The Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a distress call about the incident at around 2 p.m., prompting witnesses and first responders to administer CPR in an attempt to revive the 50-year-old man from San Angelo, Texas. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain as the hiker could not be resuscitated.

It was reported that the victim had spent the night at the Havasupai Gardens campground before setting out on his ill-fated hike towards the canyon’s rim. This tragic incident comes on the heels of two other deaths at the Grand Canyon in recent weeks.

On June 29, Scott Sims, a 69-year-old man from Austin, was found semi-conscious on the River Trail. Similarly, on June 16, a 41-year-old man was discovered unconscious on the Bright Angel Trail. Despite efforts to save them, both individuals could not be revived. The cause of death in all three cases remains unknown as investigations are ongoing.

The National Park Service has issued warnings about the extreme heat conditions in the Grand Canyon, with temperatures soaring up to 120 degrees even in the shade. Visitors are advised to avoid hiking in the inner canyon between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses or emergencies.

Furthermore, the NPS highlighted that emergency response times may be delayed in the summer due to various factors such as limited staff availability, the high volume of rescue calls, employee safety protocols, and restricted helicopter operations during periods of extreme heat or adverse weather conditions.