PHOENIX — A hiker had to be rescued from Camelback Mountain on Sunday afternoon after he became overheated and was unable to continue on the trail, according to the Phoenix Fire Department.
The high temperature in Phoenix reached 111 degrees, which was about four degrees above normal, according to a tweet from the National Weather Service's Phoenix office.
Captain Todd Keller, a public information officer with the Phoenix Fire Department, said in an email that technical rescue teams met the 38-year-old hiker about halfway up the mountain and walked him to the landing zone, where he was flown off the mountain. He was then transported by ambulance to the hospital in stable condition.
Technical Rescue Teams completed their operation by flying the overheated hiker down off the mountain utilizing @PhoenixPolice Firebird 10. pic.twitter.com/iLWpCiVidh
— Phoenix Fire Dept. (@PHXFire) July 11, 2021
Every year, more than 200 people are rescued from mountains and hiking trails in Phoenix, according to the City of Phoenix's "Take a Hike. Do It Right" website, which features safety tips for hikers.
Some of those tips include bringing plenty of water, wearing the correct clothing and hiking shoes, and taking the weather -- and heat -- into consideration. Temperatures often reach above 100 degrees during the summer months.
