Popular Hiking Influencer Died of Heat Exposure, Officials Say

The cause of death has been revealed for a hiking influencer who was found dead just off a trail in Arizona last month. 31-year-old Hannah Moody was killed by environmental heat exposure during her day hike, the Maricopa County Medical Examiner announced. Her death was ruled accidental.

Moody was reportedly an experienced hiker who shared her treks online with her roughly 45 thousand Instagram followers. She set out to hike the Gateway Loop Trail in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve near Scottsdale, AZ on May 21st. Temperatures reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit that day, but Moody reassured her followers before the hike that she was carrying a large amount of water to combat the extreme heat.

When she uncharacteristically failed to check in with friends and family that evening, they reported her missing, sparking a search. Her body was discovered just 600 yards from the trailhead parking area the following morning. 

“I hope she didn’t suffer,” said Hannah’s mother, Terri Moody, speaking to AZFamily. She also expressed the wish that the lessons from this incident might save other hikers’ lives in the future, so that Hannah’s death would not be in vain. “It was preventable. Which, that’s kind of a hard pill to swallow,” she said.

As of May 31st, Maricopa County was investigating 63 suspected heat-related deaths up to that point in 2025. The county reported over 600 confirmed heat-related deaths in 2024. 

Hikers are reminded to bring sun protection and plenty of water on hikes, and on hot days to limit outings to early morning hours when it’s cooler — or to not go at all. 

According to Cleveland Clinic, mild symptoms of heat-related illness include rashes and cramping. More serious symptoms include dizziness, nausea, headache, confusion, blurred vision, and slurred speech. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are serious conditions that require immediate medical attention.

Featured image: The Gateway Loop Trail pictured in October 2023 by Al_HikesAZ