Eight women were reportedly rescued from Camelback Mountain in Phoenix after some began experiencing heat-related illness Thursday.
The women, who were filming a religious reality show called “Bad Girls Gone God,” began hiking about 7 a.m. and didn’t bring enough water to stay hydrated, according to KPNX-TV. The Phoenix Fire Department responded to the group about noon, airlifting two women to the hospital, and guiding the rest down the trail, according to Fox 10 Pheonix. Three hikers, ages 24, 42, 50, were treated for heat-related illness at the hospital, the report continues.
“We had no idea going into it that this apparently was one of the hardest trails in Phoenix,” Kristin Livingston, one of the hikers, said, according to Arizona’s Family. “I barely made it down. I had an episode in the car where I almost passed out. It was a lot,” Livingston said, according to Fox 10 Pheonix.
@PHXFire Echo Canyon Mtn Rescue complete after multiple church group members from out of town rescued & cheer on last hiker Dorothy , they are here filming documentary called “Bad girls got God” #fox10phoenix pic.twitter.com/ujdMbVfrfd
— Rick Davis (@rdavisfox10) June 23, 2022
@PHXFire attending to at least 10 people from church group with heat issues at Echo Canyon #fox10phoenix pic.twitter.com/wSBDn7akaR
— Rick Davis (@rdavisfox10) June 23, 2022
The hikers undertook the activity to get closer to God whom they also attribute with their rescue, The New York Post reported.
“We praise, we worship, and we do different activities not only to test our physical test, but spiritual as well,” hiker Jasmin Hunter said, KSAZ-TV reported.
“God was definitely with us,” hiker Tatiana Robinson said, according to the report. “We’re thinking if they didn’t call — I don’t know what would’ve happened, but we wouldn’t have made it, maybe.” (RELATED: REPORT: Helicopter Needed To Rescue 99 Students In Austrian Mountains After Teacher Gets Lost On Field Trip).
About 100 firefighters were sent to rescue the group as temperatures reached 108 degrees Fahrenheit in Phoenix on Thursday, according to CNN. Drones were used to spot the hikers spread out across the trail.
“They knew they were beyond where they would be able to get down safely so they set in the shade. They gave us a call, and we were able to get down safely this afternoon,” Phoenix Fire Capt. Evan Gammage said, according to Arizona’s Family.