Two Hikers Rescued from South Mountain in Phoenix Amid Extreme Heat Warning

Two hikers found themselves in a perilous situation this Tuesday after losing their way on South Mountain, succumbing to the sweltering Phoenix heat. As reported by ABC15, the temperature soared to a striking 111º around 4:40 p.m., coinciding with the start of the hikers' ill-fated excursion.

Despite an Extreme Heat Warning that enforced trail restrictions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the pair ventured out. Phoenix Fire Department responders were summoned at approximately 8 p.m. to assist the distressed hikers, who had begun their hike at 4 p.m., became ill, and subsequently lost, Capt. Todd Keller told FOX10 Phoenix.

Firefighting crews located the two men roughly a mile from the trailhead. A Phoenix Firebird 10 helicopter was deployed to extract the hikers from the treacherous mountain terrain. The rescued men were then transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital where they were reported to be in stable condition.

In addition to the aforementioned hikers, this season recorded four individuals grappling with heat issues on Camelback Mountain, a separate Camelback Mountain incident involving two people from a hiking group, a family with children in need of assistance on South Mountain, a hiker who sadly perished near Black Canyon City, and another who was found deceased in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, heat also cited as a contributing factor in their death. No firefighters sustained injuries during the rescue operation. The identities of the hikers have not been disclosed.