PHOENIX — As the weather cools and snowbirds flock to the Valley, Phoenix Fire is reminding those who take a hike to do it right. It comes after a mother and her child were recently rescued off Piestewa Peak. The child was in a hiking backpack.
“It’s just scary, if you fall, the baby goes down with you,” said hiker Allison Chisholm.
That’s exactly what happened to one mom and child on Piestewa Peak, a hike that is in the moderate to difficult range based on the city’s trail rating guide.
Scott Lindsay is familiar with the trek.
“These are record trails out here at Piestewa Peak and Camelback,” Lindsay said. “And I’ve got lot of friends who have been injured over the years without kids on their chest. So it’s just a risk you need to be careful of.”
The mom who fell with her child in tow suffered a leg injury. The baby suffered facial injuries. Both were rescued off the mountain.
Chisholm, who says she sprained her ankle on Piestewa Peak Saturday morning, began taking her kids up the mountain when they were 9 years old.
“But I’m very careful we go really slowly. I make sure their you know staying on the inside of the trail, and their walking it,” she said.
Phoenix Fire Captain Kenny Overton encouraged families to take advantage of Phoenix’s outdoor offerings responsibly.
“So get a honest assessment of where your children are at in relation to what they are able to accomplish during a hike,” he said. “Make sure you have enough water for those children, and make sure they’re in the proper attire to accomplish a hike.”
The same goes for adults. For more safety tips and a trail rating guide click here.
Below is an interactive map offered by the city that gives more information on individual trails in the Phoenix Desert Preserves and Mountain Parks.