Hiker Fatality on South Kaibab Trail in Grand Canyon National Park

Date: July 1, 2013
Contact: Vanya Pryputniewicz, 928-638-7628

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – On Sunday June 30 at approximately 3:30 p.m., the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a call from the emergency phone at Phantom Ranch Boat Beach with a report of an unconscious female hiker approximately three quarters of a mile above Phantom Ranch on the South Kaibab Trail within Grand Canyon National Park. Park rangers responding from the Phantom Ranch ranger station initiated CPR upon arriving on scene, but efforts to resuscitate the victim were unsuccessful.

The body was flown by helicopter to the South Rim helibase and transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner.The woman was in a group of five people on the first day of a multi-day backcountry hiking permit. The other members of the party were flown by the National Park Service to the South Rim yesterday evening.

The South Kaibab is a steep, exposed trail, and the high temperature for Phantom Ranch yesterday afternoon was 113 degrees Fahrenheit.

The identity of the victim is being withheld pending family notification.. An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the National Park Service in coordination with the Coconino County Medical Examiner and an autopsy is being performed to determine the cause of death. No further information is available at this time.

Grand Canyon, AZ- A woman who died while hiking the South Kaibab trail in Grand Canyon National Park has been identified as 48-year old Sibylle Borger of Fredericksburg, VA.

On June 30 at approximately 3:30 p.m., the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a call from the emergency phone at Phantom Ranch boat beach with the report of an unconscious hiker about three quarters of a mile above Phantom Ranch on the South Kaibab Trail.

Park rangers responding from the Phantom Ranch ranger station began CPR upon arrival, but efforts to resuscitate Borger were unsuccessful. The body was flown by helicopter to the South Rim helibase and transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner. Ms. Borger was in a group of five people on the first day of a multi-day backcountry hiking permit.

An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the National Park Service in coordination with the Coconino County Medical Examiner. No additional information is available at this time.