Local hikers cope with summer heat as temperatures rise

The heat was cranked up at the Bump and Grind Trail as hikers took it on, and for some, that made for less than ideal conditions Sunday morning.

“Today was horrible. I think we’re like a hundred degrees right now, so yeah, it was pretty bad,” Beatrice Hi of Palm Springs, said.

With temperatures in the triple digits and an excessive heat warning in effect, hikers were trying to get in their routes earlier in the day while it was cooler. Some didn’t get hit the trail as early as they wanted.

“We got here at like 7:30…7:45…almost 8,” Hi said. “So my advice is don’t come at this time. Try to make it here by six, because then it gets really hot.”

A local doctor finishing her hike says she made adjustments to protect herself from the sun.

“So this is typically what I wear in the winter time just to protect from the sun, but now I need something that’s more with a wider brim and more protection for my neck and sides of my face so I wear this in the summertime,” Dr. Mona Khanna of Indian Wells, said.

She’s also adjusting her water intake.

“In the winter time I might drink one bottle of water. I’ve already drunk one and a half and I’ve also added Gatorade in the summertime,” Khanna said.

Having sunscreen is essential with the blazing sun.

“It’s very important if you don’t want to be peeling throughout the week. You got to use it,” Hi said.

One hiker decided to brave the elements by going shirtless, but forgot his sunscreen

“I didn’t have any but so…next time. They told me to bring sunscreen too. I’m probably going to regret it too after. I’ll be all red,” Oscar Salazar of Indio said.

It’s preparation he’ll make sure he remembers on his next hike.