Grand Canyon Reaches Its Highest Death Toll In Years

The Grand Canyon has lengthy been considered one of the deadliest national parks in the US, with a mixture of excessive temperatures, steep cliffs, and crowded trails. Grand Canyon Nationwide Park was the second-most-visited nationwide park within the US in 2023, with over 4 million guests.

Many of those company come in the summertime months when water actions on the base of the canyon are additionally accessible. Whereas this provides a brand new degree of enjoyable to considered one of America’s most in-demand out of doors areas, it additionally provides new risks to the park.

As of September, Grand Canyon Nationwide Park has 16 confirmed deaths in 2024, far outpacing the common 17 deaths in a complete 12 months over the past 10 years.

Latest Deaths In The Grand Canyon

August was a very lethal month for the famed park. There have been 5 deaths in Grand Canyon Nationwide Park in August, together with an illegal base jumping gone wrong and two drownings. Whereas the causes of dying themselves are nothing new, the frequency of those deaths is elevating some alarms.

The Grand Canyon has seen almost 200 deaths within the final 10 years, with the main causes of dying listed as cardiac arrest, falls, and drownings. These deaths correlate to the three greatest dangers within the park: warmth, cliff edges, and fast-moving rivers. All of those danger components have led to deaths within the park in 2024, together with the string of August deaths.

Flash flooding, together with the incident that closed Havasupai Falls until September 30, has additionally been linked to a number of deaths. The mixture of excessive temperatures and fewer constant rainfall has made flash floods extra prevalent this 12 months than in earlier years.

The listed fatalities are solely these from press releases issued by the Nationwide Park Service. Extra deaths and lacking individuals are nonetheless below investigation, and their particulars are due to this fact withheld. The Nationwide Park Service has reported a complete of 16 deaths within the Grand Canyon in 2024.

Grand Canyon Fatalities: 2023 Vs. 2024

Whereas this 12 months’s string of fatalities in Grand Canyon Nationwide Park is simply above its 10-year common, there’s a purpose the latest dying toll feels so excessive. In 2023, there have been solely 5 confirmed fatalities within the Grand Canyon, based on a study by Hastings & Hastings. 2022 was equally quiet, reporting 5 fatalities as effectively.

Compared with these comparatively quiet years, it is no shock 2024 has felt like an particularly lethal time for the park. Park officers hyperlink the rise in deaths with a gradual enhance in visitation, resulting in crowded trails and dangerous habits as company attempt to escape the plenty.

2024 has additionally been a very scorching summer season for the Southwest, with a number of warmth advisories being issued as temperatures within the base of the canyon exceed 110℉. Mountain climbing in such temperatures has led to a rise in cardiac occasions on account of dehydration and warmth stroke.

Staying Protected In The Grand Canyon

Whereas deaths within the Grand Canyon are a reality of life, there are a lot company can do to keep away from becoming a member of the statistics. The Nationwide Park Service recommends hikers pack one liter of water per particular person per hour of mountaineering when venturing out within the warmth.

Significantly within the Grand Canyon, additionally it is essential to know that the hike again will possible be extra strenuous than the hike in. Since many trails go down into the canyon, meaning drained vacationers can be going through an incline for the ultimate half of the hike.

Whereas there isn’t a surefire strategy to keep away from risks within the Grand Canyon, following ranger recommendation and sticking to authorised areas and actions is maybe one of the simplest ways to remain protected throughout one’s go to.