Shows
The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp99: Is Grandview An Off-Corridor Hike You're Ready For?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 Adloch, 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...
2026-02-0441 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp98: Jackie and the Crazies — My Last Conversation at the North Rim LodgeRecorded 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...
2026-01-2852 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp97: We Messed Up! A Rim-to-River Wake-Up Call with Mr. Grand CanyonWhat 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...
2026-01-211h 01The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp96: Off-Corridor GC Hikes You Can Do — Tanner TrailWhen 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...
2025-12-1034 min
Sacred Steps: Meditation In MotionEp10: The Calm We CarryIn this walking meditation, Zeena invites you to let your steps become a tuning fork for your nervous system—feeling your feet, knees, hips, and breath find a natural rhythm as you move. Along the way, you’ll visualize unclipping the heavy “backpack” of obligations and invisible labor you’ve been carrying, and remember that it isn’t the calm you chase but the calm you already carry within you. A practice for walking lighter, moving with intention, and coming back to yourself, step by sacred step.--Zeena Speciale practices at Soul Collective, her spirit-based...
2025-12-0514 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp95: Trapped By A BIBLICAL Grand Canyon Flood With Weston Myers (Plus: Our New Hiking Packs Are Here!)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...
2025-11-2957 minSacred Steps: Meditation In MotionEp9: A Quiet Pause On Thanksgiving DayThanksgiving can hold both gratitude and ache — memories of who’s here, and who’s not. In this special Thanksgiving edition of Sacred Steps, Zeena invites you to pause, breathe, and return to the gift of now. Through guided reflection and stillness, you’ll be reminded that even when the day feels complicated, there is beauty in what remains — in the breath, the love that endures, and the quiet knowing that you are not alone.--Zeena Speciale practices at Soul Collective, her spirit-based yoga studio in Cave Creek, AZ. You can find here at soulcollective.love, or e...
2025-11-2711 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp94: Surviving And Thriving On The Journey From Cancer To CanyonWhen 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...
2025-10-1545 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp93: Facebook Joe on Fire, Family, and a Life Below the RimIn this episode, Brian sits down with Joe Adloch—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.*****Please join the hiKin Grand Canyon F...
2025-10-011h 01The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp92: Bruce Aiken: The Artist Who Lived At The Bottom Of The Grand CanyonFor 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.*****Find Bruce's art at BruceAiken.com*****Please join the hiKin Grand...
2025-09-241h 16Sacred Steps: Meditation In MotionEp8: A Little Bee And The Power Of WitnessingNot every act of love is about fixing or saving. Sometimes the most sacred thing we can do is simply witness — to sit beside, to see, to honor. In this walking meditation, Zeena shares the story of a small bee and the lesson it carried: that presence itself is enough. As you walk, you’ll be guided to breathe deeply, notice your body, and let each step become an act of witnessing — of yourself, of the world around you, and of the quiet light within. This is a practice of presence, golden and simple, reminding you: you matter.--
2025-09-0717 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp91: A 10-Year-Old’s Final Hike: The Tragedy of Philip GrimmIt 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...
2025-08-2725 minSacred Steps: Meditation In MotionEp7: Embrace The OrdinarySometimes the most sacred moments aren’t the big milestones — they’re the quiet ones we almost miss. In this walking meditation, Zeena invites you to slow down, soften your pace, and begin noticing the beauty woven into the everyday: the shimmer of light in a puddle, the color of the sky, the breath that carries you forward. This practice is a gentle reminder that happiness isn’t waiting in some faraway destination — it’s right here, hidden in the ordinary, ready to be seen.--Zeena Speciale practices at Soul Collective, her spirit-based yoga studio in Ca...
2025-08-2416 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp90: YouTube's Famous "Hiking Guy" On Rim-to-Rim And BeyondCris 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.*****Find Cris at hikingguy.com or at youtube.com/@hikingguy*****Please join the hiKin Grand Canyon Facebook group—the official group of The Gr...
2025-08-171h 01The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp89: Practical Advice From 50+ Rim2RimsWhat 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...
2025-08-1357 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp88: How To Hike Rim-To-River Without Getting WreckedAs 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.*****Please join t...
2025-08-0639 minSacred Steps: Meditation In MotionEp6: The Edge Of A MiracleMiracles don’t always arrive with thunder. Sometimes they arrive as breath, as movement, as you, walking softly into what’s next. In this meditative walking practice, Zeena guides you to the edge of a miracle—not the loud kind, but the quiet shifts that change everything beneath the surface. You’ll explore five sacred threads that reveal themselves when something sacred is near: the visionary, the believer, the heart, the vibration, and the foundation. Let your breath, steps, and the living pulse of the earth guide you into presence as you walk at the shimmering edge of what’s possible...
2025-08-0314 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowSacred Steps Hiking Meditation: You Are The PhoenixWhat 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.--Zeena Speciale practices at Soul Collective, he...
2025-08-0320 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowSacred Steps | The Fire That TransformsI 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--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...
2025-07-2115 minSacred Steps: Meditation In MotionEp4: The Fire That TransformsAs 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 the sacred wisdom of renewal. This is a fire walk—for the land, for ourselves, for what’s been lost and what still wants to rise. Step by sacred step, we remember that fire doesn’t just destroy. It clears. It awakens. It transforms.
2025-07-2016 minSacred Steps: Meditation In MotionEp3: Kaibab—The Wisdom Of The Upside Down MountainIn 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 inward.--Zeena Speciale practices at Soul Collective, her spirit-based yoga studio in Cave Creek, A...
2025-07-1312 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowSacred Steps (Hiking/Movement Meditation): Kaibab—The Wisdom Of The Upside Down MountainTo subscribe on Apple Podcasts, click here.To subscribe on Spotify, click here.--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...
2025-07-1313 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp87: The Boston Marathoner Who Died in the Grand Canyon: The Margaret Bradley StoryMargaret Bradley was young, brilliant, and unstoppable—an All-American runner and Boston Marathon finisher who thought she could handle anything, even the Grand Canyon in July. She was wrong. In this powerful and cautionary episode, we revisit the tragic story of Margaret’s final run, exploring what went wrong, how it could have been prevented, and why the Canyon doesn’t care about your resume. With insights from Dr. Tom Myers, co-author of Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon, this episode is a sobering reminder that the Canyon demands respect, no matter who you are.*****Please...
2025-07-0926 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowSacred Steps (Hiking/Movement Meditation): Mending The Cracks: A Meditation On WholenessTo subscribe on Apple Podcasts, click here.To subscribe on Spotify, click here.--In Japan, there is an art called kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with shimmering gold, turning cracks into beauty rather than hiding them away. In this meditative walk, Zeena guides you to honor the places within you that feel tender or fractured, filling them with breath and light as you move. Each step becomes a gentle repair, reminding you that you are not broken, but beautifully mending. Let this walk help you carry your wholeness forward, one golden step at...
2025-07-0614 minSacred Steps: Meditation In MotionEp2: Mending the Cracks: A Meditation on WholenessIn Japan, there is an art called kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with shimmering gold, turning cracks into beauty rather than hiding them away. In this meditative walk, Zeena guides you to honor the places within you that feel tender or fractured, filling them with breath and light as you move. Each step becomes a gentle repair, reminding you that you are not broken, but beautifully mending. Let this walk help you carry your wholeness forward, one golden step at a time.--Zeena Speciale practices at Soul Collective, her spirit-based yoga studio in...
2025-07-0614 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowTales From Below (Ep6): Heat, Humility, And The Perfect Rim2RimNot every Grand Canyon tale is about survival. Some are about knowing when not to push. In this episode of Tales From Below, Dave Skierkowski and his seasoned hiking crew swap ambition for wisdom—canceling a planned double-crossing in favor of a single, dialed-in Rim-to-Rim. Through early starts, smart pacing, and well-timed cooling breaks, they conquered the heat of a brutal May day without incident. Their story is a quiet masterclass in preparation, humility, and the power of making the right call before trouble begins.*****Please join the hiKin Grand Canyon Facebook group—the official group of T...
2025-07-0407 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp86: Hiking The Length Of The Grand Canyon With Dr. Tom MyersWhat does it take to hike the entire length of the Grand Canyon—800 miles of brutal, unforgiving, awe-inspiring terrain? In this episode, Dr. Tom Myers, longtime Grand Canyon physician and author, shares the story behind his new book The Grandest Trek, chronicling his end-to-end Canyon journey with his son, the lessons they learned, and the powerful, raw moments that shaped them along the way. We also dive into Tom’s decades of heat illness treatment in the Canyon, with timely insights for summer hikers looking to avoid disaster. This is more than a hiking story—it’s a legacy of love...
2025-07-021h 02The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowIntroducing Sacred Steps: Hiking/Walking Meditations By Zeena SpecialeIntroducing Sacred Steps: Meditations In Motion, a weekly meditation for your hikes or walks by my wife, shamanic Reiki master teacher and certified sound healer Zeena Speciale. Try them on your hikes—I think you'll love them! (These will be released separately on Sundays, so please subscribe to Sacred Steps: Meditations In Motion wherever you get your podcasts so they show up in your feed.)*****In this debut episode, Zeena guides you through a grounding walking meditation to honor your very first step. With breath awareness, presence practices, and reverence for the land, you’ll remember that you...
2025-06-2914 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowTales From Below (Ep5): Live To Hike Another DayWhat do you do when your heart rate won’t come down, the sun is climbing fast, and the Canyon stretches endlessly in both directions? For Alan Fletcher, the answer was clear—listen to your body, not your ego. In this episode of Tales From Below, we follow Alan’s solo Rim-to-Rim hike in May 2025, a journey marked by wisdom, self-awareness, and the courage to pivot. It’s a reminder that strength isn’t always about pushing through—it’s knowing when to pull back so you can hike another day.*****Please join the hiKin Grand Canyon F...
2025-06-2706 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp85: The Hardest, Coolest Thing We've Ever Done With Laurie BertaniWhen 12 women—mothers and daughters, best friends and lifelong training partners—set out to cross the Grand Canyon together, they didn’t just take on the heat, the elevation, or the fear of heights. They took on the challenge of staying united. In this episode, we talk with Laurie Bertani, a former college soccer player who came in doubting whether she could do it—and came out forever changed. From a creative hydration hack that kept her drinks cold the entire day to walkie-talkie check-ins that kept 12 hikers connected across the vast Canyon floor, Laurie’s story is packed with smart...
2025-06-2550 minSacred Steps: Meditation In MotionEp1: The First StepIn this debut episode, Zeena guides you through a grounding walking meditation to honor your very first step. With breath awareness, presence practices, and reverence for the land, you’ll remember that you are exactly where you need to be—and every step forward is sacred.Sacred Steps is brought to you by hiKin, a community where hiking and kinship move as one. Find out more at hiKin.club.Zeena practices at Soul Collective, her spirit-based yoga studio in Cave Creek, AZ. You can reach her at zeena@soulcollective.love.
2025-06-2212 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowTales From Below (Ep4): Distress On South KaibabDistress on South Kaibab isn’t just a story about a well-planned rim-to-river hike—it’s a real-time reminder that in the Grand Canyon, conditions can change in an instant. Sharon Spruill and her group set out with preparation, training, and intention. But halfway through their ascent, they encountered something no one plans for: an emergency unfolding right in front of them. What happened next became a powerful lesson in calm, compassion, and Canyon reality—because sometimes, your hike becomes part of someone else’s survival.*****Please join the hiKin Grand Canyon Facebook group—the official gro...
2025-06-2006 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp84: The Blueprint: How Two Sisters Mastered Rim2Rim On Their First TryAnne and Alexis Keyworth didn’t just survive their Rim2Rim—they thrived. Two sisters, a Canyon adventure, and a perfectly executed plan that turned one of America’s toughest hikes into a joyful, pain-free experience. In this episode, they walk us through the smart training, strategic timing, heat mitigation, and mindset that made it all possible. If you want to know what “doing it right” really looks like, this is your blueprint. ***** 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 judg...
2025-06-181h 16The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowTales From Below (Ep3): No Such Thing As "Just"Lori Anne wasn’t out to break any records. In her mid-60s, recovering from health setbacks, she set a goal that felt both “crazy” and deeply necessary: to move, to grow, to see if she belonged below the rim. What followed was a full-day South Kaibab–Tonto–Bright Angel hike taken with intention and joy. This story is a reminder that not every Grand Canyon hike has to be a race—and there’s no such thing as just a Rim2River or just to Ooh Aah. Every Canyon journey matters. ***** Please join the hiKin Grand Ca...
2025-06-1306 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp83: The Boss Below The Rim: Ranger Lisa Hendy On Rescue, Respect, & ResponsibilityShe’s the boss of everything below the rim—and one of the most respected rangers in the National Park Service. In this raw, revealing conversation, Grand Canyon District Ranger Lisa Hendy takes us inside the mechanics of a rescue, explains how heat and hubris turn hikes into helicopter rides, and shares her thoughts on the controversial River Trail closure. Plus: the growing abuse rangers are facing and why that uniform deserves your respect. ***** Please join the hiKin Grand Canyon Facebook group—the official group of The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show—by clicking here. Our group...
2025-06-111h 00The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowTales From Below (Ep2): The Brotherhood TrekWhen Scott DeBergh reunited with three college friends for their first-ever trek below the rim together, they expected a challenge—but nothing could’ve prepared them for what the Canyon had in store. From dehydration and a bonk in The Box to redemption at Ribbon Falls, this five-day journey tested limits, strengthened bonds, and reminded them why the Grand Canyon is a spiritual pilgrimage and an athletic crucible. Whether you’ve hiked Rim2Rim or are just dreaming about it, this one is filled with takeaways for anyone willing to lace up and go deep. ***** P...
2025-06-0607 minThe Grand Canyon Hiker Dude ShowEp82: When It's OK To Quit: Caleb Metzger's Rim2Rim Wakeup CallCaleb Metzger has hiked Rim2Rim multiple times, including one-day crossings with his teenage son. But this spring, on a planned two-day Rim2Rim2Rim, everything felt... off. Despite being well-trained and well-prepared, the Canyon delivered something he didn’t expect—forcing a decision most hikers try to avoid. In this episode, Caleb opens up about letting go of the plan, communicating better on the trail, and how sometimes the strongest thing you can do… is turn around. ***** Please join the hiKin Grand Canyon Facebook group—the official group of The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show—by...
2025-06-0450 min