An Arizona hiker was unable to descend the Shadow Mountain Trail in Phoenix after the sun went down. On the way, he found a missing dog. And together, the duo safely made it to the base of the mountain in a heartwarming trail rescue.
At around 5 P.M. on October 4, the Phoenix Fire Department received reports of a hiker on the Shadow Mountain Trail in Phoenix who was unable to descend the mountain after sunset. This time of year, the sun sets by 6 P.M. in most areas of Phoenix, often bringing with it rapidly cooling temperatures.
Technical rescue teams responded to reports of a hiker who was unable to descend the mountain, the Phoenix Fire Department said in a post shared to X on October 14, at around 5 P.M. local time.
An hour later, the department said that firefighters safely walked the hiker and dog down the mountain. The hiker couldn’t descend “due to lighting issues.”
At the base of the mountain, the blue-eyed, white dog was reunited with its owners.
“Firefighters have safely walked down a hiker and a dog after they could not descend the mountain due to lighting issues. The hiker stated he found a lost dog on the trail with no owners present. The dog and owners were reunited at the base of the mountain,” wrote the Phoenix Fire Department.
Firefighters have safely walked down and hiker and a dog after they could not descend the mountain due to lighting issues. The hiker stated he found a lost dog on the trail with no owners present. The dog and owners were reunited at the base of the mountain. pic.twitter.com/T6s4sw2Wsb
— Phoenix Fire Dept. (@PHXFire) October 15, 2025
With sweeping vistas and steep elevation gains, Shadow Mountain Trail is a 2.6-mile loop just outside of Phoenix. Experts say it’s best to hike during the cooler parts of the day, but losing light on the trail can be just as dangerous as overheating. Because most of the desert trail is exposed, it’s best to hike this rocky, narrow trail on a colder day.
Annually, more than 200 hikers are rescued from the desert and mountain areas around Phoenix, according to the City of Phoenix. Hikers should always bring water, stay in contact with someone at home, and watch the weather whenever venturing out into the desert.
The post A Missing Dog Helped a Stranded Hiker Return to Shadow Mountain Trail. Both Were Rescued. appeared first on Outside Online.
