So close, yet too far: when the Grand Canyon turns deadly

Part 3: My Grand Canyon Adventure Series

Hiking along the North Kaibab Trail (Photo Credits Arizona Hiking & Hal)

When the Canyon pushes back: fatal lessons from hiking below the rim

This October, I head back to the canyon. The same trails. The same challenge - but 20 years older. Hopefully wiser. I’ll carry something more than my backpack and hiking poles. I’ll carry a deeper respect - for the lives lost, for the limits of the human body - and for the voice inside me that whispers: slow down, listen to my body and turn back if necessary.

For best viewing of this post, may I suggest using the Substack mobile/desktop app or view it in your browser. As this post is a bit long, Substack may truncate it when delivered to your email inbox.

As a hiker, I know the awe that hits you as soon as you step onto a trail that drops into the Grand Canyon - the vastness, the scale, the deep quiet that sinks in as you descend. That sun-soaked stone feels sacred and humbling.

But I also know how easy it is to misjudge what lies ahead - the relentless heat rising off the rock, the steep climb out and the way the canyon drains you mile by mile. It is one of the most breathtaking places to hike. But make no mistake - I know it can be brutal.

In case you missed the first two parts of my Grand Canyon Adventure Series:

Part 1: The Grand Canyon, twenty years later: a fresh lens on a legendary landscape

Part 2: Footsteps through time: hiking below the rim in the Grand Canyon

Tales of despair and heartache

Each year, thousands attempt to hike rim to rim in the Grand Canyon - about a 23 mile journey from the alpine rim to the desert floor and back up again. For many, it is a bucket-list achievement. For some, it ends in tragedy.

When I first opened the following book, I didn’t get far. The stories were harrowing and I quickly set it aside - unsettled by how real, and how close, some of the dangers felt. However, I felt compelled to continue to read it - little by little.

Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon is part investigative chronicle, part cautionary tale. Written by Michael Ghiglieri and Thomas Myers - both intimately familiar with the canyon as a river guide and physician, respectively - the book documents hundreds of deaths that have occurred in and around the Grand Canyon. From falls and drownings to heatstroke and freak accidents, each story is meticulously researched and grounded in real people, real decisions and real consequences.

A Boston Marathoner loses her life…..

One story that haunted me was the death of Margaret Bradley, a 24-year-old marathon runner and medical student from Chicago. She was accomplished, disciplined and adventurous - the kind of person I expected to thrive on an endurance challenge. In July 2004, she and a friend set out to run a rim to rim to rim crossing in one day. They started early, descending the Grandview Trail and attempted to cross the canyon in oppressive heat.¹

As they dropped down in the canyon and headed towards the Tonto Trail, their water supplies ran low. Temperatures in the inner canyon rose to over 110°F. They eventually split up - a desperate decision to search for help faster. Her friend took off towards the Tonto Trail to seek help and water. Alone, Margaret made the fatal decision to leave the trail and try to climb up a ravine, thinking it would reconnect to the main trail. Unfortunately, she collapsed - all by herself. Her body was found two days later, hidden in a side canyon, not far from where she started to struggle.

Unfortunately, Margaret and her friend did not research their route and failed to carry a paper map. Had they done so, they would have realized the lack of water on their route and how far they needed to go to obtain water. In addition, they did not tell anyone where they were going.

“She was trained to withstand miles, not infernos,” wrote Ghiglieri and Myers. “But this was not Boston. This was the Grand Canyon in summer.”

A Boy Scout tragedy

Then there was the story of a Boy Scout group who came unprepared for their intended hike. In June 1996, a group of eight hikers - five Explorer Boy Scouts and three adults set out on a hike into the canyon down Little Nankoweap Canyon to the Colorado River. The group - from Utah - had some hiking experience, but underestimated the canyon’s searing and relentless heat. As a result, they did not carry enough water to cover both their hydration needs and to prepare their dehydrated food. The route they took was more technical than expected and their hiking pace slowed considerably.

Temperatures reached over 100 degrees in the shade. By the time some of the group neared the river, many of the hikers were severely dehydrated and unable to continue. One Boy Scout collapsed and hit his head just 200 feet from the Colorado River. Another Scout scrambled down to the river and tried to fill their water bottles as fast as possible. He saw members of a rafting trip on the river and waved frantically to them. The rafters hurriedly tried to get back to the collapsed Boy Scout to give him water and assistance, including pouring water over him. The group even organized a bucket brigade to bring more water to the Scout but to no avail. He died later that evening due to dehydration and heatstroke.²

A solo hiker takes a wrong turn

Bryce Gillies, an experienced hiker and Eagle Scout set out alone on July 18, 2009 from the north rim to hike a remote canyon loop. He had read a brief article in an online Backpacker magazine titled “Grand Canyon National Park: Deer Creek-Thunder River Loop.” The article recommended doing the loop in either the Spring and Fall as the temperature is much more friendly. The article did offer a simple topo map but water sources were not referenced. Unfortunately, Gillies did not file for the required backcountry permit which would have included his intended route plan nor did he have a topographic map.

After not hearing from his son for a few days, his father reached out to emergency personnel. After many days of searching by the National Park Service rangers and helicopters, traces of Gillies’ hike started to appear - his backpack, camping gear, empty water bottles and more. Although he had carried a Magellan GPS unit, Gillies ventured off his intended route - discovered after the fact - based on coordinates accessed from his GPS unit. After a solid week of searching, his body was found in a deep canyon.³

Gillies did carry his Blackberry (this was 2009!) and was able to tap two messages on it before succumbing - “Life is good whether it is long or short” and “I was fortunate to see more than most, and for that good fortune I am most thankful.”

Have you ever had an adventure take an unexpected turn?

Lessons learned

Several common themes emerged for deaths when hiking below the rim - it seems the most were tragically preventable. One of the biggest dangers is underestimating the heat - especially between May and September, when inner canyon temperatures can soar well above 100°F.

Overexertion is another frequent factor, as we can often push beyond our physical limits, particularly during the grueling climb out of the canyon. Dehydration and hyponatremia also play a deadly role - drinking too little water - or too much without replacing lost electrolytes - can lead to serious complications. Solo travel adds another layer of risk. Many fatalities involve hikers going alone, without anyone to call for help or recognize when something starts to go wrong.

Stay tuned for the next post in my Grand Canyon Adventure Series.

Upcoming posts:

• Logistics of planning a point-to-point hike (which direction to take, lodging, shuttle arrangements, time of year and more)

• The gear I plan to take (pack, clothing, communication, trekking poles, safety)

• My training and preparation (hikes, strength training, heat prep)

• Nutrition and hydration (food, electrolytes)

Thank you for your likes and re-stacks (sharing). If this information resonates with you, please tap the 🧡 button above to help others discover Outdoors with Jenn.

Resources

Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon, Michael Ghiglieri and Thomas Myers - A gripping (and many times tragic) account of over 550 deaths in the Grand Canyon, from 1869 to today. Organized by cause - falls, dehydration, floods, and more - the book combines vivid stories with vital safety lessons for those interested in visiting the Grand Canyon.

How Not to Die at Grand Canyon Guide, Dr Tom Myers - The author shares life-saving tips in a small booklet which can be carried on your hike and used as a survival guide for anyone venturing below the rim.

For more posts on my outdoor adventures, please visit my Substack page.

1. Ghiglieri, M. P., & Myers, T. M. (2017). Over the edge: Death in Grand Canyon(Expanded and revised 2nd ed.). Pages 156 -166.

2. Ghiglieri, M. P., & Myers, T. M. (2017). Over the edge: Death in Grand Canyon(Expanded and revised 2nd ed.). Pages 130 - 136.

3. Ghiglieri, M. P., & Myers, T. M. (2017). Over the edge: Death in Grand Canyon(Expanded and revised 2nd ed.). Pages 166 -173.