65-year-old hiker dies at Grand Canyon on Bright Angel Trail

Greg Haas
·1 min read
121

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A 65-year-old Arizona man died during a hike at the Grand Canyon on Thursday.

James Handschy of Oracle, Arizona, died as he was trying to hike from the South Rim to the bottom of the canyon and back, according to information posted Friday on the park’s website.

A personal locator beacon alerted officials at the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday and a rescuer immediately responded on foot from Havasupai Gardens, according to the National Park Service (NPS). Handschy was found about 1.5 miles north of Havasupai Gardens on the Bright Angel Trail.

Havasupai Gardens is about halfway down the Bright Angel trail.

Additional NPS search and rescue personnel responded via helicopter. Upon arrival, rangers pronounced the hiker deceased.

An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the NPS in coordination with the Coconino County Medical Examiner. No additional information is available at this time.

In early September, a 55-year-old hiker died while attempting a rim-to-rim hike at the Grand Canyon.

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