Last week was a scorcher. Most of the Southwest was under an excessive heat warning, with a few days later this week also reaching near 100 degrees.
In hotter Cottonwood, temperatures average about 5 degrees hotter than Sedona while down river in Camp Verde, temperatures are generally a smidge hotter than Cottonwood.
Local agencies issued warnings to stay cool and hydrated and find shelter in case their homes don’t have a working air conditioner or swamp cooler.
I was living in the Phoenix area the day it hit a record 122 degrees June 26, 1990, and must say I didn’t notice the difference between 110 and 122 degrees. Atmospheric awfulness has a threshold it seems, around 107 degrees, when temperatures go from “hot” to Dante Alighieri-esque infernal and the specific number becomes moot. Over one summer when I was attending Arizona State University, a local business in Tempe made light of the heat by hosting a egg-cooking contest using the hoods of contestants’ cars.
While those of us with decades of Arizona blood in our veins are used to coping with excessive ambient heat that can melt the rubber on tennis shoes, many new residents, especially from cooler climates are not.
Avoiding the heat and staying hydrated in key. New residents who may not be used to drinking a lot of water daily need to be reminded to do so now that they live in the Arizona desert.
Visitors and new residents from wetter climates may assume that because Arizona is a dry heat with low humidity that merely finding shade is sufficient, but it’s not. You sweat to cool off and in Arizona’s dryness, people who don’t sweat a whole lot have sweat that evaporates quickly, so often these people think they’re weathering the heat, pun intended, better than they really are.
Drink loads of water, more than you normally would, to offset any moisture loss.
Tourists and visitors especially need to be warned of the dangers of hiking without sufficient water. All too often I have seen tourists on trails with eight-ounce water bottles at the start of a hike, which is woefully insufficient.
If you do decide to go hiking this week — well, we can’t fix stupid — but if you do, pick a trail that has plenty of shade cover. Temperatures start out warm and are near the peak of the day around 2 p.m. Don’t be on a trail around then. Temperatures roll a little higher from 2 p.m. until about 4 p.m., before they start cooling off.
Take a hike along Oak Creek or the Verde River. Carry loads of water for yourself and your crew and some extra. If you come across anyone on the trail who looks dehydrated, ask them if they need some water and be willing to share.
It is urban legend that it’s against the law in Arizona to not offer water to people, but you would be hard-pressed to find any business that would not provide water to a passerby who asked for a drink, especially in summer.
Be wary about taking a dog or a child on the trail this week. Young children don’t know the dangers and are trusting you to keep them safe. Dogs can’t object nor consent to a hike and don’t know what a forecast is. They regulate their heat differently than we do and most are wearing fur coats. Taking a dog hiking in 105-degree temperatures isn’t fun, it’s cruelty.
Coyotes are canines native to the Southwest. They stay in the shade during the day and wait out the heat. Take their cue.
Rather than a hike, go to the creek. Wade in the water and go swimming. We have stories about swimming holes archived on our website in case you’re looking for a new place to swim.
Clouds should roll in this weekend and summer monsoon should begin soon, with the skies offering respite from the heat.
Until then, please stay cool, hydrated and be safe.
Christopher Fox Graham
Managing Editor
