A woman hiking Scottsdale's Bell Pass Trail was struck in the head by a falling cactus early Saturday morning, triggering a multi-agency rescue effort up a demanding singletrack route in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. First responders were called to the trail shortly after 7 a.m. after reports of an injured hiker, and crews worked to reach her and assess her condition on the rugged mountainside.
Rescue crews from both the Scottsdale Fire Department and the Phoenix Fire Department were dispatched to the scene around 7 a.m. Saturday, according to 12News, which reported that crews were dispatched around 7 a.m. Arizona's Family reported that the Scottsdale Fire Department said crews were working to reach the woman and assess the situation as the rescue unfolded. Mountain rescues in Maricopa County frequently rely on automatic aid between neighboring municipal fire departments, which is why Phoenix crews joined the Scottsdale response on a trail inside Scottsdale's preserve.
A Punishing Climb for Rescuers
Bell Pass Trail is no casual stroll. The Windgate-Bell Pass loop ranges from 1,720 to 3,204 feet in elevation, according to PHOENIX magazine. It sits within Scottsdale's 30,000-acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve, a sprawling network of more than 115 miles of non-motorized desert trails that draws hikers, trail runners, and mountain bikers year-round.
That remoteness can complicate emergency response. On narrow trails far from roads, locating an injured hiker can be challenging.
Specialized Crews and Steep-Terrain Gear
The Scottsdale Fire Department responded to the rescue. Specialized capabilities can be important in complex extractions.
Phoenix Fire Department has deployed electric mountain bikes in technical rescue operations, a shift officials hope will reduce response times by 50% or more on remote mountain trails, FOX 10 Phoenix reported.
Why a Cactus Can Suddenly Fall
A falling saguaro can pose a serious hazard. A toppled cactus or dropped limb can cause serious injury on contact.
Bacterial infections can cause rot and oozing liquid in saguaros, according to Cronkite News, which also described a nearly two-century-old saguaro that was infected before it toppled.
Saguaros are a familiar part of Arizona's desert landscape. Struggling or diseased plants can become a concern along trail corridors.
One of Many Rescues on Valley Trails
Hikers sometimes need rescue on Phoenix-area mountain trails. FOX 10 Phoenix reported more than 100 Phoenix mountain rescues that year. Scottsdale Fire crews were on a similar call last month, responding to hikers and dogs suffering heat exhaustion on a preserve trail, as Hoodline previously reported.
