TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Monsoon brings dangerous conditions to hiking trails around Tucson, and the Southern Arizona Rescue Association is making sure its volunteers are ready to respond.
The organization, known as SARA, is conducting monsoon training exercises that include a mock rescue scenario in which two hikers were stranded on a trail, dehydrated and with the sun going down.
Richard Hounshell and Nicole Suss were among the volunteers racing against the clock in the simulation, practicing the skills needed to find and help missing hikers in real-world conditions.
Hounshell described what volunteers need to be prepared for during nighttime searches.
"For night searches, one of the big things that we're going to be looking for them to do is understand how to move on the trails at night with some amount of haste because we are attempting to find a missing person," Hounshell said.
Night hikes are common during the summer, when cooler temperatures after dark make the trails more appealing. But a lack of water and lighting can catch unprepared hikers off guard, and with monsoon storms that can develop quickly, conditions can turn deadly.
Hounshell said hikers need to be aware of more than just what they can see.
"When it comes to the monsoon-specific concerns, you want to stay out of washes, waterways, deep roads, things where water will flow," Hounshell said.
"You have to understand that you may not be able to see the storm, but it may be happening over on the other side of a mountain or on the other side of a hill, and that water can get to you really quickly," Hounshell said.
For Suss, the training is about more than technique; it is about the people they are trying to bring home.
"For me, it's the obvious connection to both the people around me, my peers, those who have graduated with me in the last couple of months, understanding that a community is there to help them and seeing their face, that a community," Suss said. "They understand that a community is there to help them, which is incredibly impactful."
First responders from across Tucson work together as part of the team effort to locate and rescue missing hikers.
SARA also wants hikers to take steps to avoid needing a rescue in the first place. The organization recommends bringing plenty of water, lights, and cool clothing and turning around if a storm is approaching.
Suss offered a simple warning for anyone heading out on the trails this summer.
"Summertime here is not a time to underestimate where Mother Nature can go."
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JJ McKinney joined KGUN 9 in July of 2025 as a multimedia journalist. He graduated from Colorado State University in May of 2025 with a degree in journalism and media communications and a minor in law. With a background in investigative reporting and documentary filmmaking, JJ is dedicated to giving a platform to the voices of his community. Share your story ideas and important issues with JJ by emailing jj.mckinney@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
