Phoenix Fire stresses hydration after 2 hikers rescued off mountains

PHOENIX — Two hikers were rescued from mountains over the weekend in the Valley and firefighters urging hikers to stay hydrated.

The first rescue involved a 66-year-old man who was hiking Saturday morning at Sunrise Trailhead at the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Scottsdale, Tempe and Phoenix technical rescue crews responded to help the man after receiving a 911 call around 8:10 a.m. from another hiker who noticed he was unable to make it down the trail.

Paramedics provided the man with IV fluids and mountain rescue crew technicians packaged him for extraction, officials said.

Crews used a big wheel operation for the man. They were able to quickly find his location by pinning the cell phone.

He was taken to a local hospital.

A Scottsdale firefighter was evaluated for heat exhaustion systems.

Second rescue made on North Mountain in Phoenix

Around 10 a.m. Saturday, firefighters were dispatched to North Mountain for reports of a man in his 30s overcome by heat and needing assistance.

Officials said rescue teams hiked up the mountain and found the man on the dirt trail.

Crews determined that a park ranger’s vehicle could quickly drive to the man’s location and assist him in getting off the mountain.

The hiker was evaluated and taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

The take-home message: Stay hydrated

Phoenix Fire stressed that hikers should bring more water than they think they’ll need.

Drinking water should be done before, during and after a hike.

The body loses water faster in the heat. However, hikers may not feel like they’re sweating because of the dry weather, officials said.

“When you’ve finished half of your water supply, it’s time to turn around — no matter where you are on a trail,” Scottsdale Fire Captain Dave Folio said in a press release.

The signs of dehydration include dry mouth, decreased energy, nausea, muscle cramps and headaches.