x
Breaking News
More () »

Arizona man dies while hiking along Grand Canyon trail

A man from southern Arizona was found unresponsive Thursday afternoon on Bright Angel Trail at the Grand Canyon.

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — An Arizona man was found deceased Thursday afternoon on the Grand Canyon's Bright Angel Trail.

James Handschy, 65, of Oracle was found unresponsive at about 1:30 p.m approximately 1.5 miles north of Havasupai Gardens, according to the National Park Service. NPS rangers responded to the scene and pronounced him deceased.

The hiker had been attempting to hike from the South Rim to the river and back. An investigation is underway to determine how Handschy died.

Bright Angel is one of the park's most popular trails but multiple hikers have perished while attempting to trek across it to the river.

A few months ago, a 36-year-old woman died while trying to hike to the Colorado River and back within the same day, which the NPS does not recommend attempting.

Safety tips for hiking in the Grand Canyon can be found here.

   

UP TO SPEED

Watch 12News+ for free

You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!

The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.

12News+  showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.

Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.

Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."

Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.

Before You Leave, Check This Out