Here’s how to keep yourself safe.
The 2,704-foot Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona, is one of the most famous—and most challenging—hikes in the Greater Phoenix area. It’s well-known and beloved by tourists and locals alike for its stunning views, featuring a heavily trafficked, well-maintained trail system that’s easily accessible from most parts of the city. The two less than three-mile out-and-back treks that reach the summit are located roughly 20 minutes from downtown Phoenix and boast a 1,400-foot climb to a peak with 360-degree views of the city as a reward for your work.
However, this mountain has a much more challenging hike than it should for its length and location. When you combine the steepness of these climbs with the intense heat of the Arizona region in the summertime and the lack of preparedness among many hikers, it becomes extremely dangerous. The most “lethal” elements of this climb stem from external weather conditions, and more frequently, the irresponsibility of the hikers themselves.
A Closer Look at Camelback Mountain
There are two ways to hike to the summit of this mountain. The Cholla Trail (2.9 miles) and the Echo Canyon Trail (2.4 miles) are both rated as strenuous, featuring hazards such as sharp and exposed stone, steep climbs, and sections of rock scrambling. The main difference between the two routes is that the Echo Canyon trail is slightly shorter and steeper—but neither is an easy trek.
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In fact, a handful of people die each year trying to attempt the climb without being prepared for the challenge. And even more are “rescued” by local authorities who have to use time, resources, and energy to airlift them off a helipad that sits halfway up the mountain. Because that is how frequent these occurrences happen—the city actually built a helicopter pad on the mountain to aid in rescue missions.
I’ve hiked this trail several times with my husband, who was born and raised in Phoenix, while visiting his family back home. We know the trail is a beautiful journey that’s well worth the strenuous status it holds in the effort it takes to reach the summit. But we also recognize that this trek is not for the faint of heart, no matter the season and weather—and it’s always necessary to be prepared as best you can mentally and physically.
When you’re hiking exposed in the desert in the summertime, it is as if everything around you is baking in the sun, scalding hot. The rocks, the railings, and the entirety of the landscape are taking in the heat and throwing it back at your body. From my experience on Camelback, the bottom line is that you’re never being a “quitter” if you need to turn back—in fact, this action could be saving your life.
Because Camelback rescues are such a common thing, there’s even a Facebook group for it, called Please Don’t Die Or Have To Be Rescued On Camelback Mountain, Arizona, with regular posts. And there are multiple posts on Reddit diving into the nitty-gritty on regular rescues and detailed accounts of news of those who may not have been so fortunate to have been successfully rescued.
Why Not Close the Trails?
The biggest question I’ve seen on these pages is, “If so many people are being rescued or even perishing, why doesn’t the fire department or city close the trails?”
And it’s a fair question. I wanted to dive deeper into how someone can be safe while enjoying the outdoor spaces, such as Camelback Mountain in the summertime, and not become a grizzly statistic or one of the airlift rescue missions seen on the Phoenix evening news.
Staying Safe
I spoke with DJ Lee, captain with the Phoenix Fire Department and a public information officer, for insider insight into their relationship with this mountain and for tips on how to conquer this climb safely. Lee is a native Arizonian and has spent 20 years with the Phoenix Fire Department. He began his career with four years in the military as a firefighter, which led to a career as a certified technical rescue specialist and a member of the Arizona Task Force team with FEMA. His specialties are mountain rescues, confined space rescues, and water rescues. Lee is an expert on Arizona heat, mountain safety, and outdoor recreation rescue missions in both his personal and professional life.
“Arizona heat will catch up to you quickly,” says Lee. “You could be in the best shape in your life, and you know, one mistake and that could be it. So, we just want to put that awareness out there and tell people to be smart when they hike.”
Lee emphasizes he and his team certainly don’t recommend hiking (or even going) outside in the summer months at certain times of day, but it’s not that the city and his team are going to tell you not to enjoy the outdoors at all—you just must be smart about it, to protect yourself (and the rescue workers who might have to come get you). If you’re going to attempt any hike in the summertime in Arizona, do it as early as possible in the morning and get plenty hydrated beforehand. Wear proper clothing, bring plenty of water, have a cell phone handy to call for help if needed, and be aware of your limits. You’re not proving anything to anyone if you don’t end up making it back down the mountain alive.
“Our job is to inform people and let them know this is not the best place to start your hike, or this is not a good time to hike,” he says. “But again, we don’t want to control everything; we just want to let people know how to be safe.”
The city also has trail restrictions during the summer. Or, at least they try. Lee says he believes they’ve decreased their rescues 30% every year since trail restrictions have been imposed.
Trail restrictions during extreme heat days are set by the National Weather Service, which restricts the trails, including all of Camelback Mountain, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to Lee. And at this time on the Visit Phoenix website, there’s a bolded warning that reads: “Please note: Camelback Mountain is closed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on days with excessive heat warnings.”
However, the decisions people make are ultimately beyond authorities’ control to a certain degree when it comes to enforcement. And Lee acknowledges that the city doesn’t want to stop people from enjoying the outdoors. Some people successfully enjoy the outdoor open spaces in the summer while being smart about timing and preparation, such as knowing that hydration starts the night before the hike (so be sure to drink plenty of water in preparation for any outdoor activity).
“If we can save one life, that’s our goal—and we want people to enjoy Arizona, but obviously be safe while doing it,” says Lee. But folks who do still want to use their “free will” to explore should be aware that hiking a strenuous route like Camelback in the summer isn’t just endangering you or your fellow hiking mates; it’s putting the local rescue crews in danger.
“Another aspect of it that we think about is when we do these rescues, the risk that we put on our firefighters,” Lee continues. “We’re sending several people up the mountain with full gear on to rescue someone and get them off the mountain.”
Occasionally, the rescue team can utilize a helicopter for a rescue mission, and sometimes they can’t. In the latter case, firefighters must carry a person down the mountain by hand in full gear, which is not an easy task. Ultimately, it’s tragic to hear consistently about folks perishing from a completely preventable death, on a mountain that’s in the middle of a major city, purely out of ignorance of safety measures.
“Arizona is beautiful,” says Lee. “We’re just trying to make this not only safe for the people out there hiking these trails, but also for our firefighters.”
This hike isn’t worth any loss of life, whether it’s putting your own at risk or putting others’ lives in danger to save yours.
“We have some great trails, and there’s a ton of them out there,” says Lee. “But, I say, try to find other ways to get your exercise in or explore Arizona when it’s cooler and just stay out of the heat because it’s not worth it.”