(MENAFN) Hiker dies while trekking in Big Bend National Park for the second time in three weeks. According to the National Park Service (NPS), the woman was found unresponsive on the Hot Springs Canyon Trail on Monday afternoon. Park rangers and a U.S. Border Patrol agent attempted to resuscitate her while waiting for a Border Patrol helicopter to transport her to the hospital, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The cause of death has not been confirmed, but the NPS notes that the three-mile trail is challenging and rugged, with no shade or water.
Located in the southwestern corner of Texas, Big Bend National Park is part of the vast Chihuahuan Desert, and visitors are advised to take precautions against the extreme desert conditions. Temperatures can soar, especially in low-lying areas around the river, by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit, warns the NPS. In the summer months, the agency advises visitors to take heat safety precautions and avoid outdoor activities during midday hours. However, this advice is not explicitly extended to fall, winter, or spring when conditions are usually milder. Despite this, southwestern Texas is currently experiencing a heat wave, with "unseasonable warmth" recorded across the region, according to the National Weather Service.
The woman's death follows another fatality at Big Bend National Park less than three weeks ago. On Feb. 18, a 56-year-old man died while hiking along the Pinnacles Trail. He had reportedly suffered chest pains, and although park rangers and his friends administered CPR and a defibrillator, they were unable to revive him.
Rick Gupman, the acting deputy superintendent at the park, expressed his condolences to the woman's family and friends in a statement, saying that "March reminds us that the beauty of Spring often brings dangerously hot temperatures to Big Bend." CBS News reached out to Big Bend National Park for a comment but did not receive an immediate response.
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