Lost hiker dies after running out of water in desert, Arizona rescuers say

Three hikers who ran out of water at an 1,100-acre Lake Havasu City desert park were rescued, but a fourth died after trying to hike back to the trailhead, Arizona officials reported.

The 31-year-old man’s body was found Saturday, Aug. 27, off marked trails in the desert wilderness, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Four people visiting Lake Havasu City from out of town set out on a hike at the Special Activities and Recreation Area park on Friday, Aug. 26, but called 911 for help after running out of water, the release said.

Deputies and firefighters found a 63-year-old woman, a 61-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman who were dehydrated and showing signs of heat exhaustion, the release said.

The hikers told rescuers that the 31-year-old man had set out to walk back to the trailhead when they called 911. He also showed signs of dehydration and fatigue.

The 63-year-old and 27-year-old were taken to a hospital for medical care while a search began for the missing hiker, the sheriff’s office reported.

Searchers used bicycles, vehicles and helicopters to search the extensive trail network, the release said. The search continued through the night until the man’s body was found.

The hikers were “unfamiliar with the increased danger of hiking in the heat of the day and the challenging trail system during the summer,” sheriff’s officials said.

The high temperature in Lake Havasu City on Aug. 26 was 104 degrees.

Lake Havasu City is a community of about 57,000 people next to Lake Havasu on the Arizona-California border, about 200 miles northwest of Phoenix.

This story was originally published August 28, 2022 at 12:22 PM with the headline "Lost hiker dies after running out of water in desert, Arizona rescuers say."