Grand Canyon Hiker Found Dead

The latest in a string of national park deaths: On Sunday, authorities found the body of a Grand Canyon hiker who was apparently unprepared for the hike conditions. Two other backpackers ran across the man on Friday, and noted that he looked exhausted, was hiking without a pack, and didn't seem ready for the triple-digit temperatures. Even so, the Arizona Daily Sun reports, he insisted on continuing uphill alone and would not turn around to accompany the couple to the nearby Colorado River, though they asked that he do so.

The pair of hikers, who also felt overheated in the 103- to 108-degree temperatures, gave him water and warned him he may not make it out of the canyon. They passed his abandoned pack during their return trip, took down his permit information, and reported him to rangers on Sunday. A helicopter was sent out along the trail, and the crew found a body matching the hiker’s description, the Arizona Republic reports. No name or cause of death has yet been released. (More national park stories.)