Authorities recovered the bodies of a father and his daughter who died last week hiking the Syncline Trail at Utah's Canyonlands National Park.
According to Saturday's announcement, authorities received a 911 text on July 12 that the two had gotten lost and run out of water. However, once they located them, they were already dead. Authorities said at the time, the air temperature was over 100 degrees.
In the announcement, officials only identified the father and daughter by age — saying they were 52 and 23 — and from Green Bay, Wisconsin. Otherwise, details about the incident are scarce as the National Park Service and the San Juan County Sheriff's Office are still investigating.
These are the first reported deaths at the park this year. Last year, Canyonlands responded to three incidents involving fatalities. Each incident involved a person rendered unresponsive for unclear reasons.
In October, park officials responded to a 63-year-old woman from Washington state found unresponsive. They responded to a 61-year-old woman from Indiana found dead at a campground. And they found the body of a 48-year-old man from Colorado inside his car in April.
Canyonlands officials say bring water
In the announcement, the Park Service advises the public to carry and drink plenty of water when venturing out into the Canyonlands Park. It also advises that you avoid strenuous activity during midday heat.
The Park Service website describes the Syncline Trail as "the most challenging trail in the Island in the Sky district" and says that the "most park rescues occur on this trail." According to the description, the trail is an 8.1-mile round trip with 1,516 feet of elevation change. The agency adds that you if you plan to hike the trail, you should bring at least one gallon (or four liters) of water per person.
According to reports, extreme heat has been officially attributed to at least 30 deaths across the country this month. However, experts think it's more dangerous than believed because no national system tracks heat-related deaths. However, in a 2022 study, researchers say a single day of extreme heat kills about 154 people.
While hikers killed by heat injuries often make headlines, most victims are workers and at-risk people living in either poor conditions or without air conditioning.
