Alone on trail with no water, Arizona visitor died trying to find help, rescuers say
A 31-year-old and an off-duty Phoenix police officer set out for a hike on Friday in the middle of the Arizona summer, officials said.
The pair didn’t bring water for their late morning hike up Camelback Mountain, Phoenix police said in a statement.
Though incoming storms cooled the area off slightly, the Phoenix National Weather Service still warned against “prolonged outdoor activities” — especially with high humidity levels and temperatures reaching 102 degrees.
Angela Tramonte turned around during the hike, telling the officer to go ahead and take photos at the top of the mountain so she could later post them on social media, police said.
She told him she would meet him back at the car, police said. But she never made it.
The officer called for help after he couldn’t find her, according to KPHO. Phoenix Police Department responded to the call around 1 p.m. — three hours after the two set out for their hike.
Tramonte’s body was later discovered with her cellphone northeast of the mountain off the Echo Canyon Trail. The fire crew found her body unresponsive and attempted to resuscitate her. With no signs of life, they pronounced her dead at the scene.
Fire officials told KNXV she may have become overheated after she told him she’d meet him back at the car
Friends of Tramonte said she had come to visit the officer from Massachusetts after talking to him online for two months, according to a GoFundMe created to fly her body back home.
An autopsy report concluded there were no “traumatic injuries.” And officials said there was no evidence of foul play.
The trail is 2.4 miles with an elevation gain of 1,322 feet. It’s rated as “difficult” and “best used from October until May.”
A pilot program was put in place July 13 restricting Phoenix access to trails during Excessive Heat Warnings issued by the National Weather Service. There wasn’t a heat warning the day Tramonte died.
How to avoid heat stress
Hot weather during summer isn’t uncommon for many states across the country. But many heat-related injuries can be avoided.
The Phoenix Fire Department advised people with a few ways to prevent heat stress:
Drink water often even before you are thirsty.
Avoid alcoholic beverages during hot weather.
Wear a hat or covering on your neck. It can reduce the body’s temperature.
Work outside during the cooler parts of the day.
This story was originally published August 3, 2021 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Alone on trail with no water, Arizona visitor died trying to find help, rescuers say."
