Hikers hitting Phoenix trails despite excessive heat warning

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – Gabriel Nascimento from Florida described summer in Arizona best. “It’s like opening an oven straight to your face,” he said. He and his family had just arrived at the Echo Canyon Trailhead parking lot Sunday around 6 p.m. As soon as he stepped out of the car, he felt the heat.

However, despite the temperatures hitting the triple digits this weekend and an excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service, Arizonans and out-of-state visitors still hiked Camelback Mountain as soon as the gates opened at 5 p.m. on Sunday.

“For me, it’s easy. I’ve been doing it for 40 years. So for me, if I don’t do it, I don’t feel right. It’s kind of like church for me. I have to do it. It’s spiritual. I like it a lot,” said Casey Was, a Phoenician.

Isaiah Salinas wanted to hike Echo Canyon Trail while visiting from another toasty state, Texas, for the holiday weekend. “Right now, it feels good. I’m not going to lie. I feel this breeze which I haven’t felt all day. So it feels pretty good right now. I’m sure it’ll feel different when we go up there,” said Salinas.

However, if unprepared, things can turn dangerous, as they did for one out-of-state visitor on Saturday. “She actually got up the trail kind of early. She got there before 8 o’clock. However, she was from out of town. She wasn’t familiar with the trails and spent a little bit more time there than she was planning on. She didn’t end up bringing enough water for that amount of time unfortunately,” said Capt. Shaun DuBois with the Phoenix Fire Department.

Phoenix Fire tells Arizona’s Family the woman’s family called 911. She needed to be air-rescued before being taken to a hospital. We’re told she’s going to be okay. At the last check, she was listed in stable condition.

“Oh, it happens all the time. That’s why they close from 11 to 5. You get a lot of people who shouldn’t be hiking, at least this time of year,” said Was. Due to the excessive heat warning, Phoenix Fire says all trails at Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak are closed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the holiday.

However, the department urges people to stay hydrated, apply lots of sunscreen, wear the right outdoor clothes and hike with at least another person. Those tips should also be applied to everyday activities, even walking.

Phoenix Fire says they haven’t responded to more mountain rescues but have seen increase in heat-related illness calls for the public.

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