Two hikers have died within the last week in separate incidents, succumbing to Arizona's extreme summer heat.
A 53-year-old woman died over the weekend while hiking the Tonto Trail near Monument Creek, according to a spokesperson for Grand Canyon National Park. NPS officials say the woman was on a multi-day hike when she lost consciousness. High temperatures reached nearly 120 degrees this past week at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon; NPS says the fatality was likely related to the extreme heat. Rangers are encouraging hikers to take the high temperatures into consideration; summer hiking at the inner canyon is discouraged by the Park Service between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
In a separate incident, authorities say a woman reported missing by a friend after going for a hike in the Bumble Bee area has been found deceased. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office says the body of Caryn Small was found Sunday after a five-day search involving over 100 searchers from multiple specialized ground and air units. Authorities say they do not suspect foul plan and that all indication point to a heat-related death. The Yavapai County Medical Examiner's Office will make an official determination as to the cause of death.