The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show

From Skittles and pizza to lemonade and squirrel raids, this Canyon Confessions episode proves that food below the rim gets personal fast. Brian reads community-submitted mistakes and breaks down the real lesson behind them: calories in your pack do not help until they become calories in your body. Learn how to build a practical, tested, flexible food plan for your next Grand Canyon hike.
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The podcast is just the beginning of what hiKin Grand Canyon has to offer. For complete planning tools, webcams, weather, water, the Grand Canyon Shade Tracker and more, visit the all new Grand...

Rim-to-River is one of the Grand Canyon's classic hikes—and the descent is only the setup. This complete, step-by-step guide follows the standard route down South Kaibab, through Phantom Ranch and the River Trail, and up Bright Angel, showing you how shuttles, water, shade, heat, pacing, downhill training, and smart turnaround judgment shape the day. Along the way, you'll learn the landmarks that tell you where you really are—from Windy Ridge and the Red and Whites to Devil's Corkscrew and Jacob's Ladder—and the final tunnels to the rim. Getting to the Colorado is the reward; being ready for th...

You can be fit, experienced, and still not be ready for the Grand Canyon hike you planned. In this Canyon Confessions episode, Brian breaks down community-submitted mistakes about training, stairs, downhill damage, elevation, illness, past fitness, and the dangerous belief that “I’ve done this before” means the Canyon will go easy on you.
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The best way to support the show is by considering our top-of-the-line hiking packs for your next adventure, which Brian designed (and now uses) for all of his hikes. Our signature Rim2Rim Pack offeres 25L of storage in a running vest design (with f...

Maddie Mineer is just 20 years old. She had trained for months and believed she was ready for six days below the rim. Then, in the Grand Canyon heat, her legs stopped working and she called out for her mom and dad: “Something’s wrong.” It is the last thing she remembers before waking up in an ICU. During the missing hours between, Maddie’s family learned she might not survive. This is her story—in her own words—of the hike that nearly killed her and the fight to get her life back.
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Maddie's GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com...

What happens when “training for life” turns into a first Grand Canyon hike, a wrong turn below the rim, and a month of massive endurance efforts most hikers would never attempt? Steve Martin joins the show to talk about Black Mountain, R3, Cactus to Clouds, Coach Arnie, blisters, doubt, and the quiet decision to become the kind of person who keeps showing up. This is a story about fitness, humility, and what can happen when the people around you expand your idea of possible.
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The best way to support the show is by considering our top-of-the-line hiking pack...

Most hikers train for the climb. Coach Arnie says that's exactly why so many get beaten up on the way down. In this Coach Arnie Q&A, you'll learn why one of the most effective Grand Canyon training exercises looks completely backward, along with practical advice on preparing your feet, fueling properly, handling the heat, and arriving at the trailhead ready to finish your hike with a smile—not a limp.

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The best way to support the show is by considering our top-of-the-line hiking packs for your next adventure, which Brian designed (and now uses) for al...

Real hikers. Real mistakes. Hard lessons from a place that does not care how ready you think you are. In the first Canyon Confessions bonus episode, Brian reads listener-submitted Grand Canyon mistakes from the Hike Club Grand Canyon community and adds his own trail-earned perspective on planning, rim-to-rim logistics, food, water, shuttle timing, mule ruts, overdoing it before the big hike, and the little decisions that can change everything below the rim.
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The best way to support the show is by considering our top-of-the-line hiking packs for your next adventure, which Brian designed (and now uses) for...

Meghan Smith, Grand Canyon National Park’s Preventive Search and Rescue Coordinator, joins the show for a rare look inside what really happens when hikers get in trouble below the rim. After a brutal stretch of heat-related deaths in the canyon, Meghan explains what hikers misunderstand about rescue, self-rescue, kids in extreme heat, PSAR volunteers, trail runners, emergency response, signage, and why help is never as simple or guaranteed as many people assume. This is essential listening for anyone planning to hike the Grand Canyon.
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Click to read the companion article to this episode, How To Avoid The...

A dream Grand Canyon hike. One bad step. One unforgettable outcome. When Gary Teal suffered a serious ankle injury deep below the rim, he and his wife Amy faced the kind of decisions every hiker hopes they'll never have to make. Their story is packed with lessons every Grand Canyon hiker can learn from.
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The best way to support the show is by considering our top-of-the-line hiking packs for your next adventure, which Brian designed (and now uses) for all of his hikes. Our signature Rim2Rim Pack offeres 25L of storage in a running vest design...

After breaking her kneecap at 77, Brian's mom, Sharon Speciale, wasn't sure she'd ever hike below the rim again. But at 78, she returned to the Grand Canyon with a message every hiker needs to hear: you're not too old—or too anything—to do hard things. You just have to start.
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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...

A winter rim-to-river on New Hance — steep, snow-covered, lightly cairned, and widely considered one of the South Rim’s toughest trails.

What starts as a 13-mile descent through Red Canyon and boulder fields turns into something unexpected at Hance Rapid, where a real-time river rescue unfolds in front of us.

This is a full day on one of the canyon’s most unforgiving routes — route-finding decisions, exposure, fatigue, and a reminder that the Grand Canyon doesn’t care how experienced you are.

If you’ve ever wondered what New Hance is really like — this is it.

When Shannon Stirling from Sydney, Australia got a last-minute invitation to join friends in Las Vegas, he started asking a different question: how far is the Grand Canyon? Just weeks later, inspired by The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show and advice from Coach Arnie, Shannon set out on a rim-to-river adventure down South Kaibab to the Colorado River and back out of the canyon. Along the way he battled self-doubt, drew inspiration from a fallen friend, and discovered just how powerful the canyon experience can be.
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Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack...

One week after the National Park Service announced a May 15 reopening for the North Kaibab Trail, hikers are scrambling to rethink plans once thought impossible this year. But beneath the excitement lies a different reality — burned terrain, debris flow damage, ongoing reconstruction, and a trail environment that may take years to stabilize. In this episode, Brian walks through the full timeline of events following the Dragon Bravo Fire and explains why preparation, flexibility, and realistic expectations matter more than ever for anyone considering a Rim-to-Rim this season.
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Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pa...

In Part 2 of our Rim-to-River Breakdown, we turn to the Grand Canyon’s corridor trails and the classic rim-to-river routes most hikers take. Brian and Eric Nelson break down the Tanner Trail as well as the traditional South Kaibab to Bright Angel route, discussing distance, elevation, strategy, and what makes each experience unique. If you’re planning your first rim-to-river hike, this episode will help you understand your options.
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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...

Most Grand Canyon hikers stick to the corridor trails—but there’s an entire world of rim-to-river routes beyond Bright Angel and South Kaibab. In Part 1 of our Rim-to-River Breakdown, Brian and Eric Nelson explore the off-corridor routes from the South Rim, including Hermit and New Hance. From trailfinding challenges to the isolation of seeing no one all day, this episode dives into what makes these routes some of the most adventurous hikes in the canyon.
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Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack is back, along with the new Canyon Elite 25, which takes the...

What’s it really like to work on a Grand Canyon trail crew? In Part 2 of our conversation with Grand Canyon Trails Supervisor Adam Gibson, we go inside the day-to-day life of the crews who build and maintain the canyon’s trails. From moving 400-pound stones by hand to living weeks at a time deep in the canyon, Adam explains why trail work is both a craft and a lifestyle—and why you truly have to “like to suffer” to do it.
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Our new hiking packs are here! Our signature Rim2Rim Pack is back, along with the new Ca...

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...

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.
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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...

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:

The episode is conversational an...

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.
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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...

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...

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.
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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...

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...

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...

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Brian and Zeena celebrate the long-awaited arrival of the Rim2Rim Pack and the brand-new Canyon Elite — and share the heart behind why hiKin exists. Then Brian sits down with Weston Myers, who takes us inside the moment a calm morning turned into a violent, soul-shaking flash flood in a remote part of Grand Canyon. Alone, soaked, and pinned in place for 16+ hours, Weston faced  unthinkable fear that even had him record a farewell message to his friends and family. His story is a powerful reminder of just how fast the Canyon can turn — and w...

When Tiffany Yager walked into the hospital during the pandemic, she thought she had COVID. Instead, doctors told her she had acute myeloid leukemia—and perhaps just 24 hours to live if she didn't go into intensive care immediately.

Three and a half years later, this Michigan mother of three hiked more than 20 miles through the Grand Canyon, from South Kaibab to Tonto, then down to the Colorado River and back up Bright Angel Trail.

In this powerful episode, Tiffany shares how she rebuilt her strength (and learned to walk again), found purpose through adversity, and tu...

In this episode, Brian sits down with Joe Adlhoch—known in our community as “Facebook Joe”—to talk about a lifetime of Grand Canyon adventures. From his first trip as a 10-year-old with his dad, to a recent multi-day rim-to-rim-to-rim backpacking trip Joe shares how the Canyon has shaped his life and his passion for exploring both corridor and off-corridor trails. They also dig into the aftermath of the North Rim fire, the challenges ahead for North Kaibab, and why preparation and experience are non-negotiable when venturing beyond the beaten path.
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For 33 years, Bruce Aiken and his family called Roaring Springs home—5 miles and 3,500 feet below the North Rim. From maintaining the park’s lifeline water system to creating world-renowned paintings of the Canyon, Bruce’s story is as legendary as the place itself. In this conversation, he reflects on life at the bottom, the devastating Dragon Bravo Fire, and what the future may hold for the North Rim. This is a rare glimpse into the life and perspective of a true Grand Canyon icon.
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Find Bruce's art at BruceAiken.com
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Please join the hiKin Grand...

It was supposed to be the adventure of a lifetime: a 10-year-old boy’s first airplane ride, first Canyon hike, and a grandmother’s dream of sharing her love for the Grand Canyon with her family. But on a scorching July day, that dream became a tragedy. In this sobering episode, Dr. Tom Myers returns to share the heartbreaking story of Philip Grimm, the mistakes that led to his death, and how his story became the driving force behind Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon. We also discuss what to do if you encounter a hiker in a heat...

Cris Hazzard—better known as Hiking Guy—has built one of the most trusted platforms in the outdoor world, helping millions of hikers with his honest trail guides and practical wisdom. In this conversation, Cris sits down with Brian to talk about the North Rim Fire and what it might mean for the future of Rim-to-Rim hiking, and what other hikes you might consider pivoting to both in the Canyon and beyond.
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Find Cris at hikingguy.com or at youtube.com/@hikingguy
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What do you get when you combine flip-flops, a Harley, and a heart for helping others cross the Canyon? You get Julian Coiner, one of the Grand Canyon’s most joyful characters. In this episode, Julian shares how guiding others rim-to-rim became his calling, the lessons learned while helping 92-year-old Alfredo Aliaga set a Guinness World Record, and why he sometimes fakes an injury to slow hikers down. Packed with practical tips, warm stories, and laughter, this episode will inspire you to take that first step and remind you that the Canyon is about more than just the miles—it’s...

As the North Rim continues to burn and Rim-to-Rim becomes impossible for the foreseeable future, Brian returns to the trail to share what is still possible. This episode documents a full Rim-to-River hike from South Kaibab to the Colorado River and back up Bright Angel—complete with trail tips, logistics, elevation insights, and hard-earned wisdom.
Whether you’re pivoting plans or finding your way back to the Canyon after heartbreak, this iconic route offers a challenge worthy of your effort—and a reminder that memories below the rim are still waiting to be made.
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Please join t...

What if your greatest heartbreak was not your end—but your beginning? In this powerful walking meditation, Zeena guides you through a journey of release, remembrance, and rebirth. Inspired by the myth of the phoenix and made even more poignant in the wake of the North Rim fires at Grand Canyon, this episode invites you to walk with intention, honor what you've survived, and let your inner fire rise again. This is a meditation for anyone standing in the aftermath, wondering what comes next. The answer? You do.

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Zeena Speciale practices at Soul Collective, he...

I simply MUST share this. It's too powerful not to, and just what many of us need to hear. Please subscribe to Sacred Steps: Meditation In Motion to get magic like this every single week. These are hiking/walking meditations made specifically for our hiKin community.
-Brian
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As the North Rim of the Grand Canyon burns, this episode of Sacred Steps becomes more than a meditation—it becomes a collective ritual. Guided by Zeena Speciale, co-founder of hiKin and a witness to the Canyon’s healing cycles, we walk through the grief of loss and into...

As the Dragon Bravo Fire grows past 11,700 acres with 0% containment, frustration is mounting—not just from the blaze itself, but from what many see as a lack of access, transparency, and leadership. On today’s episode, we break down the latest updates from fire crews and federal officials, including new threats to Kaibab Lodge and continued structure protection efforts at the North Rim entrance and administrative loop. Plus, a growing chorus of voices—both online and on the ground—is demanding answers.

In this special episode of The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show, Brian shares critical updates on the Dragon Bravo Fire that has devastated the North Rim. With the fire now at over 11,000 acres and containment still at 0%, much of the North Rim infrastructure—including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge—has been lost. Trail closures are expanding, including a 1.7-mile stretch of the North Kaibab Trail now burned to Supai Tunnel. But amidst the destruction, there's still hope—and a powerful message for hikers: don’t cancel your Canyon dreams, just adapt. Brian also introduces the new “North Rim Rising” shirts, with...

In this emotional and unfiltered conversation, longtime Grand Canyon shuttle driver and tour guide Krocky Meshkin opens up about the devastation of the North Rim fire, the shocking loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge, and the ripple effects on his livelihood and identity. Just days before the blaze, Krocky was celebrating a life finally coming together—his business thriving, his future clear. Now, he's forced to start over.

Recorded while the fire was still 0% contained, this episode is a raw, intimate account of what it’s like to be on the inside of a disaster that has fore...

In this urgent fire update, Brian and Zeena share troubling new developments from the North Rim: the blaze has now spilled over the rim and threatens Manzanita and the critical pump house at Roaring Springs. With no containment and growing danger deep inside the canyon, we break down what’s really happening—what’s confirmed, what’s not, and what it all means for the future of the North Kaibab Trail. This is the most consequential moment in the corridor’s modern history—and we’re not sugarcoating it.

What do you say when one of your favorite places in the world burns down? In this update on the devastating North Rim fire, Brian and Zeena sit down to reflect on the Dragon Bravo Fire that consumed Grand Canyon Lodge and much of the North Rim. But this isn’t just a story of loss—it’s one of love, memory, and the spirit that refuses to die. With firsthand reports, emotional tributes to employees and volunteers, and a powerful reminder that the Canyon endures, this episode holds space for both grief and hope.

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In this powerful walking meditation, Zeena Speciale explores the meaning of the word Kaibab—a Paiute word that translates to “mountain lying down.” As you walk, you’ll be invited to consider what it means to descend instead of climb, to find wisdom not in the striving, but in the surrender. Step by step, breath by breath, this episode guides you into the heart of the Grand Canyon and the heart of yourself. This is your invitation to trust the path...