Sept. 12 (UPI) — A 55-year-old Virginia man attempting to complete the 21-mile Rim-to-Rim hike of the Grand Canyon in a single day died over the weekend, officials said.
The man was identified by the National Park Service in a statement Monday as Ranjith Varma of Manassa, Va.
Officials said Varma died Saturday while attempting the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim hike that can take up to 15 hours to complete.
The park service said the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received an emergency call concerning a distressed hiker at about 1:55 p.m. Saturday.
Varma was on the North Kaibab Trail about 1 mile south of Cottonwood Campground, which is a little less than 7 miles below the North Rim on the North Kaibab trail. Soon after the call was made, Varma became unresponsive and bystanders performed CPR.
A helicopter was dispatched and had to perform what the park service described as “specialized helicopter maneuvers” to allow park rangers to initiate advanced life support efforts on Varma, which were unsuccessful in resuscitating him, it said.
Though cause of death was not mentioned, the National Park Service warned that temperatures on parts of the trail can reach over 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The service is advising others considering to trek the inner canyon to not do so between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“Be aware that efforts to assist hikers may be delayed during the summer months due to limited staff, the number of rescue calls, employee safety requirements and limited helicopter flying capability during periods of extreme heat or inclement weather,” it said in a statement.
The announcement comes amid a summer that has seen several hikers die throughout the Southwest United States.
In early July, a 57-year-old woman attempting an 8-mile hike in the remote Tuweep area of the Grand Canyon died after becoming unresponsive in weather that was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
