PHOENIX — Already this year with the record-breaking heat, certain Phoenix trails have closed more than all of last year during excessive heat days. Yet, people are still in need of being rescued for hiking when they’re not supposed to be on the mountain.
When the clock strikes 11 a.m., trails on Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak close on days the National Weather Service issues excessive heat warnings. In an effort to keep hikers off the mountains and rescue crews safe, they close until 5 p.m., “the hottest part of the day,” the city of Phoenix said.
However, people can still go up to trails even right before 11 a.m. Even after 11 a.m., gates for cars close but people can still walk through.
Adam Waltz, the city of Phoenix parks and recreation department spokesperson, tells ABC15 that their park rangers try and educate people. They cannot physically restrain someone from going up the mountain, according to Waltz.
“Our park rangers mostly just like to talk to people. They'll try to get them to not go on the hike or they'll threaten with a citation or in a trespass,” Waltz said.
Already in July, there have been at least 10 rescues spanning all Phoenix mountains. The hardest trails have closed daily for all of July to date, 29 days, compared to the 18 days last summer during excessive heat warnings.
While people get rescued, Waltz said they do not have to pay for it.
“It's not like the stupid motorist law when they're driving into flooded waters, where they have to pay for their rescue or paying for an EMT,” Waltz said. “But no, they don't have to pay for their rescue. The citing is different, so park rangers will cite them if they're hiking after hours, but if you get rescued, you're not paying specifically just for the rescue.”
Waltz said no one has been cited this year so far.
However, they vehemently urge people to hike other trails that are open every day, such as Papago, North Mountain or South Mountain. The city said they’re also trying to educate more people by talking to hiking groups and asking others to encourage people to hike safely and to not get on the trails when they’re closed
“Part of this program that we put into place which really came from parks and the fire department was to maybe have some, like, personal accountability on the hiker standpoint where we understand hiking for a lot of people is a need. It's not necessarily a want. They need to hike these mountains,” Waltz continued. “We're just asking them to think about first responders. If there is an emergency on the trail, it's not just about you, it's about the TRT teams who have to come up and rescue you.”
