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Last June, Christopher “Crigas” Rigas was partway through a thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail when he started experiencing nausea and shaking and his heart rate spiked to 240 beats per minute. Rigas sought treatment at urgent care, where doctors diagnosed him with rhabdomyolysis, a potentially lethal condition caused by injury to muscle tissue that can result in kidney failure and stroke.
Medical personnel quickly transferred Rigas to a hospital, where he received 10 bags of IV fluids. Writing for The Trek, Rigas said a doctor told him that he likely would have died if he had waited a single day more. Once he left the hospital, he continued to sleep for 12 hours per day, occasionally fainting under bright lights. By the time he was recovered enough to return to the trail, he said, he no longer felt the need to do so. Instead, he hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail with some friends, and began taking stock of his brand-new medical debt.
Rigas’ story is a haunting example of an endurance athlete flying too close to the sun. But among thru-hikers, his story isn’t unique: Last year, Kyle Curtin set a new fastest known time on the 500-mile Colorado Trail. The endeavor, while inspirational, also landed him in the hospital with rhabdomyolysis. Curtin reflected that the final miles of his hike were completely unbearable; soon after, he checked himself into the hospital, where he received 7 bags of fluids. Like Crigas, Curtin’s record-setting endeavor nearly landed him in the morgue. In 2023, one hiker lost his life to the condition after an intense hike in the Grand Canyon resulted in a heart attack from the same condition.
Dr. Jared Menchin, a Colorado-based podiatrist says rhabdomyolysis is not common.
“There are approximately 26,000 cases of rhabdomyolysis reported in the US per year,” he says. Comparatively, there are about 41 million cases of the flu every year, with up to 52,000 resulting deaths.
With several incidences of rhabdomyolysis taking place on long trails, it’s clear there’s a potential connection between backpacking and the condition. Dr. Menchin explains that the condition materializes at different points for different people.
“The amount of exertion that could lead to rhabdomyolysis varies depending on individual factors such as fitness level, hydration status, and underlying health conditions,” he says. “However, strenuous exercise or physical activity that involves prolonged or repetitive muscle contractions, especially in hot and humid conditions, can increase the risk.” What we do know, however, is that it materializes after tissue has been damaged to the point of releasing harmful contaminants into the blood stream.
Rhabdomyolysis can also be much more difficult to detect than your standard flu. In some cases, it’s asymptomatic. Dr. Menchin says. Hikers should look out for muscle pain, weakness, swelling, dark, tea-colored urine, and general fatigue.
“If you experience signs or symptoms of rhabdomyolysis, it is crucial to seek immediate medical attention,” Menchin says. “Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent complications and improve outcomes.”
The lesson? Hikers need to be vigilant and listen to their bodies. Know when the normal wear-and-tear of backpacking turns into something else–and be ready to seek help right away.
From 2025