Steelers' Broderick Jones to LT, Troy Fautanu to RT in OTAs Day 1 | Roman Wilson Ready for WR Role? PHOENIX — Hiking in the Arizona summer heat can be as dangerous as it is scenic. Tragically, it proved fatal for one experienced hiker just last week—and nearly so for another the very next day. Avid hiker Hannah Moody , 31, died after suffering from heat exhaustion while trekking through the Sonoran Mountain Preserve, east of Scottsdale. Her loved ones say the extreme temperatures overcame her, despite her experience and fitness. >> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone. Now, another woman, a newcomer to the Valley, hopes her story can serve as a warning to others who may underestimate the dangers of the desert. Professional photographer Meghan Beadnell had just moved to Arizona when she set out on her first hike, a photo expedition to the Camp Creek Waterfall northeast of Cave Creek. What was meant to be a scenic adventure turned into what she now calls a “near-death experience.” “We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into,” Beadnell said. The Ohio native quickly learned that Arizona’s dry climate hides the intensity of its heat. "I'm used to being in Ohio and when you sweat, you can definitely tell. It was almost like, as soon as we were sweating, it just kind of evaporates," Beadnell said of her experience. A few miles into the late-afternoon hike, Beadnell and her friend became lost and disoriented. Their phones died, cell service was nonexistent, and the sweltering 103-degree heat began taking its toll. In a desperate move, Beadnell launched her drone in search of a recognizable landmark. That decision may have saved their lives. “It was really, honestly, the only way that we were able to see where we had to go,” she explained. The pair spotted a set of transmission towers they had passed earlier in the day and used them as a guide. Battling exhaustion and diminishing daylight, they eventually made it back to safety. “Looking back, I feel like it was a naïve decision, and it was very, very scary,” Beadnell admitted. “We actually, a few times, thought we weren't going to make it.” According to Scottsdale Fire Captain Dave Folio, Beadnell’s story is far from uncommon. “We had over 212 heat-related incidents last year,” Folio said. “We're up to 22 already this year.” To reduce those numbers, he urges hikers to take responsibility, regardless of whether they’re lifelong residents or visiting newcomers. “Have a plan, hydrate the night before, wear a hat, sunscreen, comfortable shoes, and just start early and end early. That's key,” Folio emphasized. Beadnell echoes that advice and says she now understands just how quickly things can turn deadly in the desert. “I literally did not understand until it happened to me," She said.
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