23 episodes

The mission is simple: To help YOU have your safest and most memorable experience hiking the majestic Grand Canyon. Join Emmy-winning, Canyon-crazy host Brian Speciale and learn what it takes to complete iconic hikes like Rim2Rim through emotional stories of tragedy and triumph from everyday hikers like you, and also with information-packed interviews with the experts. This is THE podcast for the Grand Canyon hiker and trail runner.

The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show Bright Angel Outfitters

    • Health & Fitness
    • 5.0 • 38 Ratings

The mission is simple: To help YOU have your safest and most memorable experience hiking the majestic Grand Canyon. Join Emmy-winning, Canyon-crazy host Brian Speciale and learn what it takes to complete iconic hikes like Rim2Rim through emotional stories of tragedy and triumph from everyday hikers like you, and also with information-packed interviews with the experts. This is THE podcast for the Grand Canyon hiker and trail runner.

    Hiking Hot: Surviving The Canyon's Killer Heat With Amy Hedtke

    Hiking Hot: Surviving The Canyon's Killer Heat With Amy Hedtke

    The heat in the Grand Canyon can kill—it happens every year. Unfortunately, prime hiking season falls during the hottest time of the year in Arizona, and countless hikers underestimate the toll the high temperatures can take. In today's show, we sit down with Amy Hedtke, a seasoned Canyon hiker who has taken on multi-day itineraries below the rim each of the last three years—during August. Amy shares what she's learned about dealing with the heat, and has valuable insight into the things we can do do make sure we don't become an unfortunate statistic.
    *****
    Click here for the link to Amy's Google doc on hiking in the heat at the Grand Canyon.
    *****
    The Rim2Rim Pack is now available for preorder! Check out our Canyon-inspired day pack by clicking here.
    *****
    The all-new Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is LIVE!! This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from Bright Angel Outfitters aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.
    *****
    For Canyon-centric hoodies, sweatshirts & tees—including the Victor Vomit tee and our new Rim-to-Rim collection— please visit BrightAngelOutfitters.com
    *******
    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 best and most helpful Facebook groups dedicated to hiking the Grand Canyon, search for:
    Grand Canyon Hikers Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Grand Canyon R2R2R Run! Grand Canyon R2R+ Training Grand Canyon Ridesharing and Transportation - Rim to Rim & More  

    • 31 min
    Canyon Q&A: Best Time For Rim2Rim & More With Benedict Dughoff

    Canyon Q&A: Best Time For Rim2Rim & More With Benedict Dughoff

    Bendict Dughoff, the Grand Canyon Facebook mastermind, returns for a Q&A on topics ranging from trail conditions to trekking poles. 
    *****
    Benedict offers a service to help you take all the guesswork out of planning the often-complicated logistics of a Rim-to-Rim adventure. To find out more, you can reach out to him directly at canyoncoachingaz@gmail.com. 
    *****
    Got an idea for an episode? Know someone who would be a great guest? Need some advice or info relating to hiking the Grand Canyon? Hit us up 24/7/365 at gchikerdude@brightangeloutfitters.com.
    *****
    The all-new Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is LIVE!! This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from Bright Angel Outfitters aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.
    *****
    For Canyon-centric hoodies, sweatshirts & tees—including the Victor Vomit tee and our new Rim-to-Rim collection— please visit BrightAngelOutfitters.com
    *****
    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 best and most helpful Facebook groups dedicated to hiking the Grand Canyon, search for:
    Grand Canyon Hikers Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Grand Canyon R2R2R Run! Grand Canyon R2R+ Training Grand Canyon Ridesharing and Transportation - Rim to Rim & More  

    • 43 min
    Trail Talk: Conversations From South Kaibab

    Trail Talk: Conversations From South Kaibab

    There's nothing like learning about Grand Canyon hiking from those in the midst of actually doing the Grand Canyon hiking. That's the premise for Trail Talk, a theme we'll tackle from time to time that will take you onto the trail for conversations and tips & tricks from those right in the middle of their adventures. Today, we head down a crowded South Kaibab during Spring Break, and meet a woman who thinks the Canyon might have saved her life, a mom who suddenly found herself trying to wrangle a loose mule, and a young couple celebrating their engagement with an unforgettable journey to Ribbon Falls.
    *****
    The all-new Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is LIVE!! This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from Bright Angel Outfitters aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.
    *****
    For Canyon-centric hoodies, sweatshirts & tees—including the Victor Vomit tee and our new Rim-to-Rim collection— please visit BrightAngelOutfitters.com
    *******
    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 best and most helpful Facebook groups dedicated to hiking the Grand Canyon, search for:
    Grand Canyon Hikers Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Grand Canyon R2R2R Run! Grand Canyon R2R+ Training Grand Canyon Ridesharing and Transportation - Rim to Rim & More  

    • 26 min
    Rim2Rim Stories: Death & Despair On North Kaibab With Lauren Hargrove

    Rim2Rim Stories: Death & Despair On North Kaibab With Lauren Hargrove

    Lauren Hargrove is a firefighter in Chandler, AZ, so she knows a thing or two about defying the odds. But little did Lauren know that on her Rim-to-Rim with three friends in September of 2023, she'd come face to face with death on the trail—and also wonder if she was next. This is a harrowing tale of a Rim-to-Rim gone wrong, and proof that the Grand Canyon can be dangerous even to those who are prepared and in excellent physical condition.
    *****
    Got an idea for an episode? Know someone who would be a great guest? Need some advice or info relating to hiking the Grand Canyon? Hit us up 24/7/365 at gchikerdude@brightangeloutfitters.com.
    *****
    The all-new Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is LIVE!! This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from Bright Angel Outfitters aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.
    *****
    For Canyon-centric hoodies, sweatshirts & tees—including the Victor Vomit tee and our new Rim-to-Rim collection— please visit BrightAngelOutfitters.com
    *****
    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 best and most helpful Facebook groups dedicated to hiking the Grand Canyon, search for:
    Grand Canyon Hikers Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Grand Canyon R2R2R Run! Grand Canyon R2R+ Training Grand Canyon Ridesharing and Transportation - Rim to Rim & More  

    • 57 min
    Training 101: Two Keys To A Happy Hike With Coach Arnie

    Training 101: Two Keys To A Happy Hike With Coach Arnie

    Coach Arnie—Arnie Fonseca Jr.—is back for a conversation on training for the unique nature of a Grand Canyon adventure. Our resident exercise physiologist and R5 (quadruple crossing) survivor will give us a pair of simple and valuable tips that he says will lay the foundation for a successful Canyon hike.
    *****
    Coach Arnie encourages phone calls. Seriously. You can reach him at (602) 390-9144.
    Other ways to follow Coach Arnie:
    Instagram: PainFreeArnie
    Facebook: ArnieFonsecaJr
    LinkedIn: ArnieFonsecaJr
    *****
    The all-new Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is LIVE!! This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from Bright Angel Outfitters aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.
    *****
    For Canyon-centric hoodies, sweatshirts & tees—including the Victor Vomit tee and our new Rim-to-Rim collection— please visit BrightAngelOutfitters.com
    *******
    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 best and most helpful Facebook groups dedicated to hiking the Grand Canyon, search for:
    Grand Canyon Hikers Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Grand Canyon R2R2R Run! Grand Canyon R2R+ Training Grand Canyon Ridesharing and Transportation - Rim to Rim & More  
     

    • 42 min
    Rim2Rim Stories: A No-Training Approach With Amy Hedtke

    Rim2Rim Stories: A No-Training Approach With Amy Hedtke

    What would it be like to hike Rim-to-Rim without training, much less doing it in the middle of summer? Amy Hedtke shares the whys of her unusual approach in a story full of twists and turns, including broken teeth, close calls, and even nights spent on resthouse bathroom floors.
    *****
    Click here for the link to Amy's Google doc on hiking in the heat at the Grand Canyon.
    *****
    The all-new Grand Canyon Shade Tracker is LIVE!! This incredible interactive tool lets you see when and where you'll have precious shade on your Grand Canyon hike—every hour of every day of the year. Check it out at gcshadetracker.com. Another free resource from Bright Angel Outfitters aimed at making your Grand Canyon adventure the best and safest it can be.
    *****
    For Canyon-centric hoodies, sweatshirts & tees—including the Victor Vomit tee and our new Rim-to-Rim collection— please visit BrightAngelOutfitters.com
    *******
    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 best and most helpful Facebook groups dedicated to hiking the Grand Canyon, search for:
    Grand Canyon Hikers Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Grand Canyon R2R2R Run! Grand Canyon R2R+ Training Grand Canyon Ridesharing and Transportation - Rim to Rim & More

    • 36 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
38 Ratings

38 Ratings

Bryan Stoudt ,

The advice you need to tackle the canyon with confidence and respect

Thank you, Brian, for this phenomenal podcast. The advice you’ve provided here - and through our email interactions - have helped me see how much I need to prepare for hiking in the Canyon, but also given me the confidence that, with the proper training, I can definitely do it. Keep up the great work!

SMD from AR ,

OBSESSED

Thank you so much for your excellent podcast. I only discovered it last week, and I’ve listened to ALL of the episodes. My husband and I had reservations for two nights at Phantom Ranch in March, and were planning to hike down South Kaibab and up Bright Angel, when we learned Bright Angel was going to be closed due to the water pipeline construction. Consequently, we made the extremely painful decision to cancel our reservations at Phantom Ranch. We did have a fabulous week in March at the Grand Canyon, and hiked down to Cedar Ridge and back up, and now I’m obsessed with wanting to try to resurrect our original plans. I so appreciate all of your educational, informative podcasts. And I love that you encourage people to hike their own hike. We are 63 and 64 years old, and although we are experienced hikers, this would be our first attempt of this magnitude. I’m all about enjoying the trail in the canyon and not racing to get down and up. Again, thank you for what you’re doing. P. S. I’m eager to check out the new day pack!

Leesermergeeser ,

Love the Podcast!

As I’m training for R2R I’m loving the podcast. Lots of good information that’s helping me research what I need to do to be safe and enjoy this amazing upcoming adventure! Thanks for doing it!

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