Wanderers fear that the closure of the traitor could increase the risk of death of the Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon, AZ (Azfamily) -A 74-year-old man died on Friday when he tried to hike edge to the edge in the Grand Canyon. He hiked to the North Rim and the National Park Service said that he was an enthusiastic and experienced hiker.

Every year in the Grand Canyon. This year the Bright Angel Trail closed Rim-to-Rim hikers on the much tougher South Kaibab Trail. Hiking representatives like Brian Speciale therefore warn that deaths could increase drastically this summer.

“How many will this reason die?” Speciale said. “It's a serious situation and people have to take it seriously.”

He completed his first Rim-Zu-Rim in 1986 when he was 13 years old. Since then he has expanded his love for the canyon and now has his own podcast, the Grand Canyon Hker type to help people have the best and safest time to hike the Grand Canyon.

“The canyon can be an extremely dangerous place,” said Speciale. “But if you do it right and take the right precautions, it can be one of the greatest memories of your whole life.”

He was shocked to hear that the Bright Angel Trail was closed for the Rim-to-Rim season due to the construction of the Transcanyon water line.

“In the Havasupai Gardens in the three-mile rest house in the one and a half miles in the rest house, water is available, and in the late afternoon the Bright Angel Trail is shaded,” said Speciale. “So it is the preferred and safest way out of the canyon in warmer (weather).”

He said it was usually the summer path for hikers, but with the closure you have to hike up the South Kaibab Trail instead. Speciale said that this path was more dangerous, without water access, without shade and much steeper.

“You have no choice this season, and I can not only tell you the fear that I have before this summer,” he said.

Speciale said that people will still hike because it is on the bucket lists of many people, but adds summer heat, and he fears that deaths could skyrocket.

“I don't think people realize that it could be 60 degrees on the side, at the bottom that it can be 110,” he said.

Speciale suggests that hikers are re -planning their trip if possible or hiking south to the north this year. He says that if you have to hike in Südkaibab, do it when the sun is down.

“We all understand that the Transcanyon Waterline project is of crucial importance,” he said. “It is important for the future of the canyon. However, it is an extremely dangerous decision to cut access to light angels.”

He hopes that the park will be more loud about this closure on social media or will wait for this construction until after the Rim-Zu-Rim season in October.

We have contacted the Grand Canyon about it, but have not yet heard. For the latest update to this closure and others in the park you will find your website here.

Do you see a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a news story? Send it here to us With a short description.

Copyright 2025 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.