GRAND CANYON, AZ — Officials say an Ohio woman has died after hiking amid extreme temperatures in the Grand Canyon National Park over the weekend.
The National Park Service says at around 1 p.m. Sunday, they received a report of a backpacker experiencing heat illness on the Tonto Trail near Monument Creek.
The backpacker, 53-year-old Michelle Meder of Hudson, Ohio, was on a multi-day backpacking trip from the Hermit Trail to the Bright Angel Trail.
Hiking down the Hermit Trail Saturday, Meder became disoriented and later unconscious.
On Sunday, rangers found Meder and determined she was dead.
Authorities said the cause of death is believed to be heat-related. Sunday's high temperature at Phantom Ranch was about 115 degrees.
Park officials are urging visitors, especially inner canyon hikers and backpackers, to be prepared for excessively hot days in the coming weeks.
Park rangers are advising visitors to avoid hiking in the inner canyon between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Last week,a man died amid a multi-day boating trip along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.
NPS is currently investigating the incident.
