3 children taken to hospital after hiking group rescued from Scottsdale mountain

PHOENIX — Three children were hospitalized Friday after their hiking group got lost on a Scottsdale mountain, authorities said.

The scene at the McDowell Sonoran Preserve was active for several hours as rescue crews helped distressed hikers down, Scottsdale Fire Capt. David Folio said during a press conference from the scene.

An adult who was in the process of being wheeled down was also hospitalized, Folio said.

Firefighters transported an 18-month-old and a 12-month-old to a children’s hospital, and a 10-year-old boy was airlifted off the mountain to receive care.

The hikers called for help after losing their way along the Gateway Trail.

“They were off the trails,” Folio said.

Folio said hikers should always stay on the trails and carry charged cellphones so they can call for help if they get in trouble.

“We can ping your phone to see where you’re at,” he said.

Folio said the group of about 13 started hiking around 7:30 a.m. Rescue crews rushed to the mountain around three hours later.

“They probably should have been off the trail by 8:30,” he said.

The Gateway Trailhead is located off of Thompson Peak Parkway north of Bell Road, in the southern region of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

The preserve spans 30,000 acres of mountainous desert terrain, with more than 220 miles of hiking trails.

The summer heat in metro Phoenix can be deadly. A 10-year-old boy died earlier this month after hiking in triple-digit heat at South Mountain in Phoenix.

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