Dozens of ‘underprepared’ hikers need help at Grand Canyon over Memorial Day weekend

Around 200 calls for help flooded dispatchers at the Grand Canyon over Memorial Day weekend, officials said.

The holiday weekend is known to be a busy time at the national park. A mob of tourists visits the park every year, leaving rangers planning for a packed park.

This year, however, many hikers weren’t prepared for the scorching heat and brutally dry weather. Temperatures at the canyon were above 100 degrees over the holiday weekend.

Officials rescued more than two dozen tourists over the weekend, according to the Grand Canyon’s Emergency Services and Law Enforcement.

“Common themes throughout the weekend included hikers underprepared for the hot, dry weather and difficulty of the hikes, overly-ambitious hiking plans, and drugs and alcohol consumption,” park officials said on Facebook. “Rangers implore visitors to plan ahead for the trip.”

Park officials needed to assist 20 hikers and conduct 14 helicopter search and rescue events. At least 28 EMS calls happened over the weekend, too.

“Like many park service units across the system, the rangers at Grand Canyon National Park were busy this past Memorial Day Weekend with a high volume of calls for Search and Rescue,” officials said.

Hikers and backpackers should always be prepared for extremely hot weather at the Grand Canyon, park officials said. Tourists should know their limitations, hydrate and take breaks.

Other tips from park officials include: hiking before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid the worst heat, finding shady places to rest during your hike and monitoring how your travel companions are holding up.

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