12-year-old boy who died after hiking in AZ heat was with mother’s boyfriend

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

Why does anyone want to hike in the heat anyway?

It's one thing to risk your own life by taking on such a knuckleheaded maneuver but when people put the lives of children in danger that's downright criminal.

The mother and the boyfriend should be arrested and there really should be more of an effort by city officials to close these hiking trails when it gets extremely hot.

They had that discussion, and decided against it. And how do they "close" the outdoors? Yes, a few specific trails like Camelback or Piestewa Peak trails could be closed for a short time period with minimal manpower, but other popular hiking areas? Not so easy. Questions of exactly when, and how? People do stupid stuff that shows lack of common sense all the time. Not all of it can be, or should be, stopped by the government at some level.

[ABQConvict]

In New Mexico the trails really thin out from late June to early August, mainly in my opinion because people don't want to hike in temps above the mid-80s, much less over 100. What compels folks in AZ to hike in such heat?

[asufan]

Originally Posted by ABQConvict

In New Mexico the trails really thin out from late June to early August, mainly in my opinion because people don't want to hike in temps above the mid-80s, much less over 100. What compels folks in AZ to hike in such heat?

Read the answers in the thread. What are we supposed to roll up the sidewalks in the Summer. Heat isn't the issue, it's lack of hydration. If the people that died pounded a 32 oz water/gatorade mixture like I did prior to hiking and brought 32 oz of water for every anticipated hour outside, they'd more than likely be fine (unless they had other health issues)

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Originally Posted by HTY483

Hotter temperatures are still harder on your body, regardless of humidity levels. So although 110F with low humidity will feel more comfortable then 95F with high humidity, the higher temperatures cause your body to lose water quicker and are much more dangerous.

But you will start to feel thirsty before you completely dehydrated wont you? You just need to take a drink. Did the boyfriend take the boy too far away and did not bring enough water?

I guess you rarely hear about this happening in high humidity because it is so miserable, no one will even think of going hiking too far, or exerting themselves too much.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

No, it's quite dry. What heat index ignores, however, is the effect of direct, overhead sunlight on the body. Heat indexes are calculated based on an assumption of shade. While the dry air may make 110 degrees feel closer to 100, the blazing sun can then make it feel like 115. Strenuous exercise in the absence of shade, which is exactly what is involved when hiking desert trails in the mid-afternoon, is dangerous in the summer, no matter how dry the air is. The same trail that is reasonably comfortable at 5 or 6 AM this time of year can become hazardous as the sun rises higher in the sky. For a good sense of the combined effect of temperature, humidity, cloud cover, and wind, I often consult Accuweather's "Real Feel" index. At noon today, that index is expected to be 112 degrees, even though the actual air temperature may be five or more degrees lower.

I cant seem to locate this Real Feel even on their website.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by HTY483

Hotter temperatures are still harder on your body, regardless of humidity levels. So although 110F with low humidity will feel more comfortable then 95F with high humidity, the higher temperatures cause your body to lose water quicker and are much more dangerous.

This isn't true. Humidity hurts thermoregulation by inhibiting your body's ability to draw away heat through perspiration evaporating. When the air has high humidity (high vapor pressure), this prevents that evaporation. This is why most heat stroke and heat related deaths occur in the southeastern United States.

The problem with hiking isn't the heat, it's that there is no escape form the heat. In most areas in Phoenix, you can find shade or places with water. It's gives the false impression that any Arizona resident is capable of dying instantly if they walk to to their car in the parking lot when it is a 115 outside. I had a family member seriously ask what happens if someone's car breaks down and they are outside for 5 minutes when it is 115, won't they die? Yes, she seriously asked me this.

These deaths have all included long hikes with little water and/or poor conditioning during the extremes of heat. In this story, the small child started at 7 am and was well past 4 pm, the hottest time of the day. If you did the same thing in Green Bay and wore little clothing and were out in the middle of nowhere with no opportunity to get warm, you risk dying as well hence the reason so many homeless and elderly die in northern cities in the winter. It just doesn't make headlines because it's so common.