Grand Canyon National Park officials say a 67-year-old man died Tuesday while hiking on the South Kaibab Trail.
The man from Alvarado, Texas, was hiking into the canyon with plans to stay the night at Phantom Ranch.
He decided to turn around and return to the rim about three miles down the trail near Skeleton Point.
The man collapsed just below Cedar Ridge, about a mile and a half below the rim, a little before 11:50 a.m.
Medical personnel and bystanders attempted to revive the man with CPR but were unsuccessful.
A National Park spokesperson says rangers were patrolling the trail at the time and were in touch with the man throughout the morning, advising him to turn back.
Park officials believe preexisting medical conditions and the extreme heat both played a factor in the man’s death.
The National Weather Service declared an extreme heat warning for areas of the Grand Canyon this week with temperatures above 110 degrees.
Officials say he was hiking with at least one companion at the time and was prepared with water and snacks.
They say his death is a testament to the danger heat can pose, even to hikers who are well-supplied.
Park rangers strongly advise against hiking in the inner canyon when it is hottest, between the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Park officials say they’re investigating the incident with help from the Coconino County Medical Examiner.
It's the second time a hiker has died in the canyon so far this year.
