Arizona summer hike can quickly turn deadly, officials warn
Tom Gillespie had always been detail-oriented and organized. That's why it puzzled his younger brother when Maricopa County sheriff's deputies found no supplies with the bodies of Gillespie and his 12-year-old grandson on a hiking trail near Gila Bend.
"The fact they didn't have water or food — that just isn't him," George Gillespie said.
Tom Gillespie, 63, and Robert Miller were the second and third lives claimed by the Maricopa County desert in two days. The day before, a 48-year-old European tourist, Ravinder Takhar, died on Camelback Mountain, a casualty of the brutal elements of the Sonoran Desert.
Officials say the best way to avoid injury or death is knowing your limits and planning ahead.
GET INFORMED:Don't fall victim to heat-related illness in Arizona
Doing so can be especially difficult for visitors because the Grand Canyon State's natural beauty sometimes causes sensory overload. Tourists set out to explore and don't realize the heat and dry air's impact until they're in trouble.
"I just don't think people understand the gravity," said Deputy Chief Shelly Jamison of the Phoenix Fire Department. "This is a serious adventure — snakes, bees, scorpions, the sun, the height — but it's so gorgeous."
Data from the National Weather Service in Phoenix show the temperature had already climbed above 90 degrees Tuesday, when Takhar and her husband and son set out at about 9:30 a.m. to climb Camelback.
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They reached the top of the challenging Echo Canyon Trail safely, but when it was time to come down, authorities said, Takhar stayed behind to rest.
The temperature was still more than 100 degrees at 6:30 p.m. when her body was found in a ravine.
Arizona's scenery can make you lose track of time and distance, Jamison said. People often go farther than they had thought, turned around and then realized they're too exhausted to continue. Jamison added that heat stroke can impair judgment because it diminishes the capacity to understand what's happening or how to respond.
"It happens so gradually you don't realize it," she said.
RELATED:Police ID hiker found dead on Camelback Mountain
Those who do realize it usually call the fire department for help, something that helps make hiking fatalities a rarity.
Camelback Mountain, which draws about 750,000 visitors each year, accounts for the majority of Phoenix mountain rescues, according to department data.
The number of mountain rescues in Phoenix alone increased by more than 30 percent from 2013 to top out at 214 last year. And with 135 so far this year, there are concerns that 2015 rescues could surpass that total.
As of Thursday, there have been about 200 mountain rescues Valleywide this year, according to Phoenix Fire Department spokesman William Benedict.
AVOID HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES
In the fatal incident outside Gila Bend, neither Gillespie nor his grandson apparently had a cellphone, sheriff's deputies said.
Gillespie was a high-school science teacher for 23 years at the Teenage Parent High School in Tucson, according to Vanessa Hernandez, spokeswoman for the Tucson Unified School District.
"He was very invested in the school," Hernandez said.
MORE:Man, grandson found dead in desert near Gila Bend, MCSO says
The University of Arizona alumnus was raised in Sierra Vista and had lived in Tucson for about 30 years, his brother said.
"He was a good man," George Gillespie, 60, said. "He was very giving, very caring. He's going to be missed by a lot of people."
A Mormon convert and father of five, Gillespie frequently did volunteer work through the church, including counseling prisoners, his brother said.
Helping document Mormon history was what led Gillespie and his grandson on the hike that cost them their lives, said George Gillespie.
The Mormon Battalion was part of the U.S. military during the Mexican-American War and marched from Iowa to San Diego. Tom Gillespie was involved with a re-enactment group and had taken on a summer project to photograph historic points of interest along the Arizona portion of the trail, his brother said.
A hotel manager saw Gillespie and Robert leave for the Mormon Battalion Trail before 9 a.m. Tuesday. Investigators believe the pair walked five or six miles miles in 90- to 104-degree heat and turned around.
Gillespie collapsed a short time later and his grandson went to get help, authorities say.
Gillespie did not have a history of heart trouble but was overweight, his brother said.
When sheriff's deputies found Robert about 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, he was about 11/2 miles from the trailhead and had his grandfather's car keys.
"Robbie trying to get back to the car is a pretty brave thing for a 12-year-old boy to do," George Gillespie said.
Symptoms of heat-related illness
Thirst: By the time you feel thirsty, you are already mildly dehydrated.
Heat cramps: Cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. The loss of water and salt from heavy sweating causes heat cramps.
Heat exhaustion: This typically occurs when people exert themselves in a warm, humid place where sweat doesn't evaporate efficiently. Fluid loss causes blood flow to decrease in the vital organs, resulting in a form of shock. Signs include cool, moist, pale, flushed or red skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal.
Heat stroke: Heat stroke is life-threatening. The body's temperature control system stops working. Body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Signs include hot, red and dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high, up to 105 degrees.