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It’s already been a long summer in Grand Canyon National Park. Record-challenging heat has led to extreme heat warnings, leaving rangers to discourage visitors from hiking the inner canyons during most of the day, lest they fall prey to heat-related conditions, like dehydration, exhaustion, and hyperthermia, and heat exhaustion, all of which can be fatal.

There are ways to mitigate the risks of hiking in the park during the summer, and many visitors are willing to take the chance. One man did exactly that, but sadly, was separated from his hiking partner and went missing on July 21. The National Parks Service (NPS) is asking for help in the ongoing search.

Utah Man Missing Near The North Rim Of The Grand Canyon

Gerald Guinn, of Kanab, Utah, has been missing in the park since around noon on Tuesday. He was reported missing that same evening by his hiking partner, from whom Guinn got separated, when he failed to return.

“National Park Service personnel and partner agencies are searching for a missing hiker on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. At approximately 5 p.m. on July 21, the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report from an individual who said he had become separated from his hiking partner,” reads the NPS statement.

The NPS has mobilized a search effort in conjunction with the Coconino County Search and Rescue and Kane County Search and Rescue. They are searching both on the ground in the area, and by air with helicopters and drones. Despite their efforts thus far, Guinn has not been found, and authorities are asking the public for any information as to his whereabouts.

Guinn is 83 years old, five-foot-ten, and 140 lbs. He was last seen walking along Forest Service Road 610 (Dog Saddle) near the north-east boundary of the park. He was wearing jeans, a long-sleeved tan shirt, and a baseball cap. He was not hiking with any technical gear or camping equipment.

Extreme Temperatures In Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon rangers have struggled to keep visitors safe this summer. Scorching temperatures have reached as high as 130°F in the inner canyons where the unique geology amplifies the ambient temperature.

Other than pre-existing medical conditions, heat-related ailments are the most prevalent cause of death in the park. This year, as the mercury has risen unusually high, the death toll has already climbed well above the yearly average despite two months remaining in summer.

Last month, four people died of heat-related illnesses in the Grand Canyon. First, an 18-year-old died on the Bright Angel Trail on June 3. Less than two weeks later, a 72-year-old man died on the South Kaibab Trail on June 12, immediately followed by the deaths of an elderly couple on June 16 on the North Kaibab Trail.

“Grand Canyon National Park is reminding visitors that summer hiking below the rim should be limited to the early morning and evening hours. Due to a recent influx of heat-related incidents and forecast extreme temperatures, visitors are strongly advised to avoid strenuous hiking between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when Inner Canyon temperatures can soar to 109°F (43°C) in the shade,” reads the NPS extreme heat warning.

These heat-related deaths, all occurring in such quick succession, led rangers to issue an excessive heat warning, urging visitors not to hike the Inner Canyon trails during the day.

Guidance For Staying Safe While Hiking In The Grand Canyon

There are steps you can take to keep yourself safe if you choose to visit the Grand Canyon.

Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion creeps slowly, so it’s important to know and watch for the warning signs so you don’t get caught off guard.

• Hot, dry skin
• Disorientation
• Headache
• Confusion

Heat exhaustion can be fatal. If you are experiencing any symptoms, seek shade, do what you can to lower your body temperature, and keep yourself hydrated.

Many People Have Gone Missing In Grand Canyon National Park

At nearly 2,000 square miles, Grand Canyon National Park is the 4th largest in the contiguous United States. Its size contributes considerably to the park’s danger, as it represents a huge area to search in less than ideal weather conditions and with limited staff.

While it is typical that missing persons in the park are found or recovered, occasionally someone’s remains will elude search and rescue efforts.

Last December, members of the Hualapai Tribe found human remains on their reservation, which were handed over to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. On July 1, DNA tests confirmed the remains were of the long missing hiker Bill Ott, an Oregonian man who went missing in April 2012.

Ott was an extremely experienced outdoorsman, having been the first to complete a thru-hike of the length of the Grand Canyon beginning from the north side in 1981, a journey that took him 78 days. He spent years exploring the Grand Canyon and documenting ancient Hualapai rock art.

“There’s a series of archaic rock panels that dates back between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago, possibly older. He would go pixel by pixel, hours after hours, trying to match the colors with broken-off pigment, removing smoke stains,” Thybony said. “It was a painstaking effort, and it went on for years,” Anthropologist Scott Thybony told Outside of his long-time friend, Ott.

While Ott’s family and friends finally have the closure they’ve been seeking for nearly 15 years, not everyone who has gone missing in the park has been as lucky. The Grand Canyon offers one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, but the sheer vastness of the park that contains a myriad of dangers offers unique challenges for search and rescue efforts. Despite the challenges, authorities continue to work diligently to find Guinn in the hopes of offering his friends and family a happy ending.