For the first time since last summer’s Dragon Bravo Fire, the National Park Service has spoken in depth about the true condition of the North Kaibab Trail. In this exclusive interview, Grand Canyon Trail Supervisor Adam Gibson shares what he saw firsthand on Upper North Kaibab — debris flows powerful enough to erase stone structures, hydrophobic soils accelerating runoff, and elevated risk that could reshape Rim-to-Rim hiking for years. This is the clearest picture yet of what’s happening behind the scenes, what reopening realistically looks like, and why uncertainty may define the 2025 season. If you care about North Kaibab, this is essential listening.

*****
Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack is back, along with the new Canyon Elite 25, which takes the same features that made the Rim2Rim Pack famous — namely its front pockets and insulated hydration pocket — and adds a much-requested hip belt to make it even easier to dial in your fit. Find out more and order yours at hiKin.club. Supplies are limited, so be sure to check it out today.
*****

Please join Hike Club Grand Canyon on Facebook by clicking here. This is the official group of the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show, and it's a judgment-free zone full of interaction, information, and inspiration—it's simply THE place to get the best information in advance of your Canyon adventure. Join Brian, Coach Arnie, and most of the guests you've heard on the show in an environment created to answer your questions and help you have the best possible experience below the rim. It's completely free.

*****

Bright Angel Outfitters is now hiKin, where hiking meets kinship to form a community of like-minded hikers dedicated to helping each other hike our best hike. It's about all of us.

*****

To reach Coach Arnie, you can call or text him (yes, really!) at (602) 390-9144 or send him a message on Instagram @painfreearnie.

*****

Have an idea for the show, or someone you think would be a great guest? Reach out to Brian anytime at brian@hikin.club.

*****

The Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is our gift to the Grand Canyon hiking community. This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every route on every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from hiKin aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.

*****

For more great Grand Canyon content, please check us out on the following platforms:

YouTube (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for informative and inspirational videos

Instagram (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for photos from the trail

TikTok (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for fun and informative short-form videos

Facebook (@GrandCanyonHikerDude)

Come along as Brian attempts the South Rim Six Pack Challenge — hiking the first mile down and back up six different Grand Canyon trails in one day. From Tanner and New Hance to the corridor trails, the episode covers route finding, winter conditions, logistics, and what it really takes to make this kind of challenge work.
*****
Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack is back, along with the new Canyon Elite 25, which takes the same features that made the Rim2Rim Pack famous — namely its front pockets and insulated hydration pocket — and adds a much-requested hip belt to make it even easier to dial in your fit. Find out more and order yours at hiKin.club. Supplies are limited, so be sure to check it out today.
*****

Please join Hike Club Grand Canyon on Facebook by clicking here. This is the official group of the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show, and it's a judgment-free zone full of interaction, information, and inspiration—it's simply THE place to get the best information in advance of your Canyon adventure. Join Brian, Coach Arnie, and most of the guests you've heard on the show in an environment created to answer your questions and help you have the best possible experience below the rim. It's completely free.

*****

Bright Angel Outfitters is now hiKin, where hiking meets kinship to form a community of like-minded hikers dedicated to helping each other hike our best hike. It's about all of us.

*****

To reach Coach Arnie, you can call or text him (yes, really!) at (602) 390-9144 or send him a message on Instagram @painfreearnie.

*****

Have an idea for the show, or someone you think would be a great guest? Reach out to Brian anytime at brian@hikin.club.

*****

The Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is our gift to the Grand Canyon hiking community. This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every route on every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from hiKin aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.

*****

For more great Grand Canyon content, please check us out on the following platforms:

YouTube (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for informative and inspirational videos

Instagram (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for photos from the trail

TikTok (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for fun and informative short-form videos

Facebook (@GrandCanyonHikerDude)

This episode is a role reversal.

After a Grand Canyon hike, on the drive back to Flagstaff, Dr. Tom Myers (Mr. Grand Canyon) takes over the mic and interviews Brian.

There is no trail breakdown, no route discussion, and no gear talk. Instead, Tom asks Brian direct questions and lets the conversation unfold naturally.

Topics covered include:

• How the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show started
• Brian’s background before the podcast
• An anecdote involving Charles Barkley
• A discussion of Brian's Shark Tank appearance
• Brian responding emotionally during part of the conversation

The episode is conversational and unscripted, with Brian answering questions he usually asks others.

Sometimes, the best conversations come...are on the drive home.

*****
Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack is back, along with the new Canyon Elite 25, which takes the same features that made the Rim2Rim Pack famous — namely its front pockets and insulated hydration pocket — and adds a much-requested hip belt to make it even easier to dial in your fit. Find out more and order yours at hiKin.club. Supplies are limited, so be sure to check it out today.
*****

Please join Hike Club Grand Canyon on Facebook by clicking here. This is the official group of the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show, and it's a judgment-free zone full of interaction, information, and inspiration—it's simply THE place to get the best information in advance of your Canyon adventure. Join Brian, Coach Arnie, and most of the guests you've heard on the show in an environment created to answer your questions and help you have the best possible experience below the rim. It's completely free.

*****

Bright Angel Outfitters is now hiKin, where hiking meets kinship to form a community of like-minded hikers dedicated to helping each other hike our best hike. It's about all of us.

*****

To reach Coach Arnie, you can call or text him (yes, really!) at (602) 390-9144 or send him a message on Instagram @painfreearnie.

*****

Have an idea for the show, or someone you think would be a great guest? Reach out to Brian anytime at brian@hikin.club.

*****

The Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is our gift to the Grand Canyon hiking community. This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every route on every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from hiKin aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.

*****

For more great Grand Canyon content, please check us out on the following platforms:

YouTube (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for informative and inspirational videos

Instagram (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for photos from the trail

TikTok (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for fun and informative short-form videos

Facebook (@GrandCanyonHikerDude)

Be ready to be inspired. Recorded on a South Kaibab Rim-to-River hike, this episode follows Jerry Crank as he completes his first big Grand Canyon hike at 77 years old, alongside his son Jeff. Jerry talks about training, pacing, heart-rate management, weight loss, and what it took to climb back out the same day.
*****
Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack is back, along with the new Canyon Elite 25, which takes the same features that made the Rim2Rim Pack famous — namely its front pockets and insulated hydration pocket — and adds a much-requested hip belt to make it even easier to dial in your fit. Find out more and order yours at hiKin.club. Supplies are limited, so be sure to check it out today.
*****

Please join Hike Club Grand Canyon on Facebook by clicking here. This is the official group of the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show, and it's a judgment-free zone full of interaction, information, and inspiration—it's simply THE place to get the best information in advance of your Canyon adventure. Join Brian, Coach Arnie, and most of the guests you've heard on the show in an environment created to answer your questions and help you have the best possible experience below the rim. It's completely free.

*****

Bright Angel Outfitters is now hiKin, where hiking meets kinship to form a community of like-minded hikers dedicated to helping each other hike our best hike. It's about all of us.

*****

To reach Coach Arnie, you can call or text him (yes, really!) at (602) 390-9144 or send him a message on Instagram @painfreearnie.

*****

Have an idea for the show, or someone you think would be a great guest? Reach out to Brian anytime at brian@hikin.club.

*****

The Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is our gift to the Grand Canyon hiking community. This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every route on every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from hiKin aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.

*****

For more great Grand Canyon content, please check us out on the following platforms:

YouTube (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for informative and inspirational videos

Instagram (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for photos from the trail

TikTok (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for fun and informative short-form videos

Facebook (@GrandCanyonHikerDude)

With rim-to-rim still off the table, Brian heads off the corridor once again—this time down the historic Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa, joined by lifelong canyon hiker Joe Adlhoch, better known in the community as Facebook Joe.

What starts as a “simple” day hike quickly proves otherwise.

Grandview wastes no time, dropping more than 1,000 vertical feet in the first mile and never really letting up. Built in the late 1800s to access Pete Berry’s mining claims, this trail is steep, narrow, rugged—and surprisingly easy to follow for those ready to respect it.

Along the way, Brian and Joe explore:

• The dramatic cribbing and cliff-hugging construction of Grandview
• Abandoned mining relics and the story behind Horseshoe Mesa
• Radiation warning signs, historic mine shafts, and canyon ghosts of the past
• Why Grandview feels familiar to South Kaibab hikers—but hits very differently on the way back up
• A quiet, sobering reflection on Margaret Bradley and why the canyon must never be underestimated

Out on the edge of Horseshoe Mesa, standing atop the Redwall and looking down at the Colorado River far below, the canyon delivers one of those moments no camera can capture—it's one it forces you to earn.

The episode closes with Coach Arnie’s training tip, this time focused on the often-ignored hero of canyon hiking: the big toe—and why foot strength, gait, and intention matter more than most hikers realize.

Steep. Historic. Quietly humbling.

This is the Grandview Trail.

*****
Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack is back, along with the new Canyon Elite 25, which takes the same features that made the Rim2Rim Pack famous — namely its front pockets and insulated hydration pocket — and adds a much-requested hip belt to make it even easier to dial in your fit. Find out more and order yours at hiKin.club. Supplies are limited, so be sure to check it out today.
*****

Please join Hike Club Grand Canyon on Facebook by clicking here. This is the official group of the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show, and it's a judgment-free zone full of interaction, information, and inspiration—it's simply THE place to get the best information in advance of your Canyon adventure. Join Brian, Coach Arnie, and most of the guests you've heard on the show in an environment created to answer your questions and help you have the best possible experience below the rim. It's completely free.

*****

Bright Angel Outfitters is now hiKin, where hiking meets kinship to form a community of like-minded hikers dedicated to helping each other hike our best hike. It's about all of us.

*****

To reach Coach Arnie, you can call or text him (yes, really!) at (602) 390-9144 or send him a message on Instagram @painfreearnie.

*****

Have an idea for the show, or someone you think would be a great guest? Reach out to Brian anytime at brian@hikin.club.

*****

The Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is our gift to the Grand Canyon hiking community. This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every route on every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from hiKin aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.

*****

For more great Grand Canyon content, please check us out on the following platforms:

YouTube (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for informative and inspirational videos

Instagram (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for photos from the trail

TikTok (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for fun and informative short-form videos

Facebook (@GrandCanyonHikerDude)

Recorded at the North Rim's Grand Canyon Lodge on opening day 2025, this conversation follows a South Kaibab to North Kaibab Rim-to-Rim with Jackie Kunkel and her group, “the Crazies.” The discussion covers preparation, pacing, group decision-making, and the impact of witnessing a serious medical emergency on the trail. The lodge burned down less than two months later, and Brian also speaks to the gravity of it being his final time inside it.
*****
Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack is back, along with the new Canyon Elite 25, which takes the same features that made the Rim2Rim Pack famous — namely its front pockets and insulated hydration pocket — and adds a much-requested hip belt to make it even easier to dial in your fit. Find out more and order yours at hiKin.club. Supplies are limited, so be sure to check it out today.
*****

Please join Hike Club Grand Canyon on Facebook by clicking here. This is the official group of the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show, and it's a judgment-free zone full of interaction, information, and inspiration—it's simply THE place to get the best information in advance of your Canyon adventure. Join Brian, Coach Arnie, and most of the guests you've heard on the show in an environment created to answer your questions and help you have the best possible experience below the rim. It's completely free.

*****

Bright Angel Outfitters is now hiKin, where hiking meets kinship to form a community of like-minded hikers dedicated to helping each other hike our best hike. It's about all of us.

*****

To reach Coach Arnie, you can call or text him (yes, really!) at (602) 390-9144 or send him a message on Instagram @painfreearnie.

*****

Have an idea for the show, or someone you think would be a great guest? Reach out to Brian anytime at brian@hikin.club.

*****

The Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is our gift to the Grand Canyon hiking community. This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every route on every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from hiKin aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.

*****

For more great Grand Canyon content, please check us out on the following platforms:

YouTube (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for informative and inspirational videos

Instagram (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for photos from the trail

TikTok (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for fun and informative short-form videos

Facebook (@GrandCanyonHikerDude)

What happens when two experienced Grand Canyon hikers—including Dr. Tom Myers, aka Mr. Grand Canyon—leave their headlamps behind on a January rim-to-river hike?

Episode 97 opens Year Three of The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show with a powerful reminder: experience doesn’t make you immune to mistakes.

Brian and Dr. Tom recount a full sunrise-to-sunset Tanner Trail rim-to-river—16.5 miles, over 5,800 feet of elevation change, total solitude, winter snowpack, and one oversight that instantly changed the day’s calculus. What follows is a wide-ranging, deeply human conversation recorded on the drive back to Flagstaff, covering:

• Why Tanner Trail may be the best first off-corridor rim-to-river route
• The Grand Canyon’s “grand deception” and why Tanner feels shallower—but isn’t
• A jaw-dropping Redwall reveal that stops even veteran hikers cold
• Why Tanner Rapid is where Death in Grand Canyon was literally born
• Harvey Butchart, the Redwall, and what true canyon exploration really looks like
• The overlooked danger of winter day hikes without contingency planning
• A checklist failure that sparked a new safety ritual for future hikes

You’ll also hear Dr. Myers reflect on the life of his mother—the woman who first brought him to the Canyon—and how perseverance, resolve, and service shaped everything that followed, from medicine to conservation to saving lives below the rim.

The episode closes with Coach Arnie’s first tip of the year—a deceptively simple training practice that has helped hikers into their 60s and beyond keep moving strong in the canyon.

This isn’t just a trail report.

It’s a reminder of why preparation matters, why humility matters, and why the Canyon always deserves your full respect—no matter how many miles you’ve logged.

And yes… don’t forget your headlamp.

*****
Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack is back, along with the new Canyon Elite 25, which takes the same features that made the Rim2Rim Pack famous — namely its front pockets and insulated hydration pocket — and adds a much-requested hip belt to make it even easier to dial in your fit. Find out more and order yours at hiKin.club. Supplies are limited, so be sure to check it out today.
*****

Please join Hike Club Grand Canyon on Facebook by clicking here. This is the official group of the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show, and it's a judgment-free zone full of interaction, information, and inspiration—it's simply THE place to get the best information in advance of your Canyon adventure. Join Brian, Coach Arnie, and most of the guests you've heard on the show in an environment created to answer your questions and help you have the best possible experience below the rim. It's completely free.

*****

Bright Angel Outfitters is now hiKin, where hiking meets kinship to form a community of like-minded hikers dedicated to helping each other hike our best hike. It's about all of us.

*****

To reach Coach Arnie, you can call or text him (yes, really!) at (602) 390-9144 or send him a message on Instagram @painfreearnie.

*****

Have an idea for the show, or someone you think would be a great guest? Reach out to Brian anytime at brian@hikin.club.

*****

The Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is our gift to the Grand Canyon hiking community. This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every route on every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from hiKin aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.

*****

For more great Grand Canyon content, please check us out on the following platforms:

YouTube (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for informative and inspirational videos

Instagram (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for photos from the trail

TikTok (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for fun and informative short-form videos

Facebook (@GrandCanyonHikerDude)

When the Canyon’s main arteries close, adventure doesn’t stop — it just shifts. In this episode, Brian teams up with Canyon veteran James Tenelshof for a day on the rugged Tanner Trail, one of the most rewarding and least-traveled routes on the South Rim. Together, they chase Escalante Peak, get cliffed out, dodge rain, and learn firsthand why off-corridor hiking demands equal parts respect, patience, and humility. Along the way, they discuss the growing push to reopen North Kaibab, the future of corridor maintenance, and what the Dragon Bravo Fire might mean for hikers in 2025.

It’s a raw, honest look at what happens when you step beyond the crowds — and discover that sometimes the best adventures are the ones that don’t go to plan.
*****
Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack is back, along with the new Canyon Elite 25, which takes the same features that made the Rim2Rim Pack famous — namely its front pockets and insulated hydration pocket — and adds a much-requested hip belt to make it even easier to dial in your fit. Find out more and order yours at hiKin.club. Supplies are limited, so be sure to check it out today.
*****

Please join the hiKin Grand Canyon Facebook group—the official group of The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show—by clicking here. Our group is a judgment-free zone full of interaction, information, and inspiration—it's simply THE place to get the best information in advance of your Canyon adventure. Join Brian, Coach Arnie, and most of the guests you've heard on the show in an environment created to answer your questions and help you have the best possible experience below the rim. It's completely free.

*****

Bright Angel Outfitters is now hiKin, where hiking meets kinship to form a community of like-minded hikers dedicated to helping each other hike our best hike. It's about all of us.

*****

To reach Coach Arnie, you can call or text him (yes, really!) at (602) 390-9144 or send him a message on Instagram @painfreearnie.

*****

Have an idea for the show, or someone you think would be a great guest? Reach out to Brian anytime at brian@hikin.club.

*****

The Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is our gift to the Grand Canyon hiking community. This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every route on every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from hiKin aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.

*****

For more great Grand Canyon content, please check us out on the following platforms:

YouTube (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for informative and inspirational videos

Instagram (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for photos from the trail

TikTok (@GrandCanyonHikerDude) for fun and informative short-form videos

Facebook (@GrandCanyonHikerDude)