| Over the weekend, Grand Canyon National Park Rangers responded to a second fatality in the inner canyon due to heat. 22-year old Giancarlo Mayor-Valencia, of Scottsville, New York, was on day two of a multi-day backpacking trip when he succumbed to heat related illness. Officials say in the summer, temperatures on exposed parts of the trail can reach over 120-degrees in the shade. Hiking in extreme heat can quickly lead to serious health risks including heat exhaustion, heat stroke and death. Officials say in 2017, heat contributed to 82-search and rescue incidents at Grand Canyon National Park, many of which occurred in June. |
