Excessive Heat, Updates and Exciting News

Excessive Heat Blankets the Canyon and Southwest

With the monsoon storms being few and far between so far this summer, our temperatures have soared unchecked to dangerous levels.

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning through 8:00 PM Tuesday, July 16. Temperatures at Phantom Ranch are expected to reach 112 °F, and they are to remain above 105 °F through the week with no chance of rain until Sunday.

Hiking the Inner Canyon this time of year is no fun! It is truly like hiking in an oven. Until you’ve experienced this kind of heat, you truly cannot imagine the intensity of it. Heat illness is easier to get than to avoid. Do yourself a favor and enjoy relative coolness of the rim.

If you can’t help yourself and feel you MUST hike into the inner gorge, please take all precautions seriously. Here are some resources to help make your trip safer and more enjoyable:

• Grand Canyon Weather (Multiple Locations including Inner Canyon): https://www.hitthetrail.com/grand-canyon-weather/
• Summertime Hiking Tips: https://www.hitthetrail.com/summertime-hiking-tips/
• Grand Canyon NPS Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GrandCanyonNationalPark/
• Grand Canyon NPS Summer Hiking Page: https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/hike-smart.htm

Castle Fire Burning on North Rim

If you plan on visiting the North Rim in the very near future, be aware of the lightning-caused fire on the North Kaibab Ranger District being allowed to burn off forest fuels.

The named Castle Fire was discovered July 12 and is located about 11 miles south of Jacob Lake and 3 miles west of Hwy. 67.

Since it occurred within an established planned area of 12,000 acres destined for managed burns, it will be allowed to burn as long as weather conditions and other factors are favorable to its growth.

Smoke will likely become more visible in the coming days as the fire spreads. Fire managers will conduct burnout operations as needed to strengthen established control lines.

More information is available on the InciWeb website at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6439/.

Body Recovered in Grand Canyon

Peter Schwab, a river runner passenger on a day hike to the Narrows in National Canyon, was reported missing on June 28th. A missing person search was conducted and never turned up anything, which sadly is often the case.

On Wednesday, July 10, Grand Canyon NPS was notified of a body in the Colorado River below Lava Falls near River Mile 181. The body was recovered and transported by helicopter to the rim and the Coconino County Medical Examiner.

It appears to be the missing river runner, Mr. Schwab. The medical examiner will confirm positive identification. An investigation is being conducted into the incident.

1000th California Condor Chick Born in the Wild

I am happy to end this post on a wonderful note. Zion National Park has a special new baby nesting in its cliffs north of Angels Landing.

A condor chick believed to be the 1,000th born in the wild has been confirmed by Zion biologists. They estimate the egg hatched at the beginning of May to Condor 409 (Tag 9).

The story of the California Condor is one of the most exciting success stories ever. After the population of California Condors dwindled to 22 in the entire WORLD, it was decided to capture the remaining birds. They were bred in captivity, carefully keeping them from becoming habituated to humans.

Individuals were then released into remote areas with the hopes to build up a wild population. As you can tell by this story, it has been very successful!

More about the new chick:

• https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2019/07/condor-chick-spotted-zion-national-park
• http://www.peregrinefund.org/news-release/356