When Hiking is Touted as "a Piece of Cake"

Overconfidence can ruin a good hike. When I surf through outdoor sites on social media, here's the essence of what I usually find: "This hike may be hot, long, and occasionally off trail, but it's rewarding, and route-finding really isn't that difficult."

With advice like that assuring what seems a doable hike, it's probably not surprising that during 2025, Grand Canyon Search and Rescue responded to 848 hiker assists and 232 search and rescue incidents. What's more, 11 people died. In just the month of May last year, there were 13 rescues in a seven-day stretch.

One of the "in" hikes these da...