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.
*****
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 [email protected].

*****

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)

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.
*****
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 [email protected].

*****

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)

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.
*****
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 [email protected].

*****

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’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.
*****
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 [email protected].

*****

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)

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 [email protected].

*****

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 [email protected].

*****

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 [email protected].

*****

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 [email protected].

*****

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 [email protected].

*****

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 [email protected].

*****

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)