Excessive Heat — New River Mesa, Arizona

Event narrative (NOAA)

In the early afternoon, 6 hikers were 4 miles in on Spur Cross Trail when they became lost and ran out of water. The hikers' phones were also dead and had to borrow someone else's phone to call for help. After calling for help, first responders were able to rescue the hikers and airlift them off the trail. One hiker was taken to the hospital but did not survive. A Scottsdale Fire Captain said the individual died due to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner listed the primary cause of death as dehydration and heat exposure. Temperatures in the early afternoon were around 103-105 degrees.

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