"Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon" by Michael P Ghiglieri and Thomas Meyers; puts out a new edition nearly every year; due to the 'continuing research'; and they(every fatality based on a medical report)are all listed there. Two years ago there were 12 hiker deaths below the rim, and thats subtracting out the suicides and boat trip fatalities. If I remember correctly; there were a total of 19 fatalities; the second worst year since the 1956 Airplane Mid-Air Collision. 2012 Summer was cooler and had a good monsoon season,so there were fewer- dropping below the average. When the rangers and all media concerning hiking at GC don't recommend hiking to the river and back in a day during the summer- theres a reason....Often there is something more flashy in the news than another fatality here; and many simply don't make the press nor are the causes released to the public.

On average, 150-200 life threatening medevacs are conducted here; between June and Sept. 750 hiker assists were conducted in 2012 between May and Sept. An assist is when the hiker requires to be helped to walk or be carried out. Thats 1% of the hikers on the cooridor trails during that time. A study by CJ Malcom, the PSAR (Preventive Search and Rescue) Supervisor; also shows some more intersting #'s: The PSAR Teazm contacted 80k hikers in 2012;and 40% of those were unprepared for the walk/hike they were attempting. Since its inception in 1997; PSAR rangers and volunteers have lowered the life threatening incidents at GC by 40%. This programs success has brought its implementation to other parks- Yosemite, Rocky, Mt. Rainier; to help address the same common cause. Grand Canyon just sees soo many more people in a very special environment, doing the reverse of what they are used to.

CJ Malcom will be happy to discuss any of his findings.

When I open my pack to give food/water/electolytes/etc to a hiker, I tell them "its ok; I don't carry this for me. I carry it for you." I have assisted someone every month of the year; so I simply expect to have a hiker contact on every walk below the rim I go on; and during the summer 80% of them result in a hiker assist. I much rather educate, feed and walk with them -than have me and 8-16 others have to carry them.