Posted September 8th, 2026

Background

Back in March of 2025 I did an AMA on the Reddit Ultralight forum as a Grand Canyon backpacking guide and backcountry expert. I've now spent over 365 days inside the Canyon, at least 25% of it off-trail on personal adventures, with a decent amount of canyoneering, climbing, and packrafting mixed in. I did the AMA because I want more people who visit the Canyon to do cool trips in a UL style, and I want to help them plan those trips if they want it. I have a deep understanding of Grand Canyon geography, routes, water sources, climate, and — most exciting to me — geology.

The AMA got a huge number of great questions, way more than I expected, so I'm reposting my answers here organized by topic so they're easier to find and reference later. I've kept my original wording throughout; I've just grouped things sensibly and cut the Reddit chrome.

If you're planning a trip, please remember that NPS is still short-staffed, so be patient with the permitting process and be extra diligent about Leave No Trace. Informing backcountry visitors so we put less strain on park staff is a big part of why I wanted to do this.

Another reason I felt motivated to do this is because the most popular trail corridor in the Canyon, the Rim to Rim, has been intermittently closed for years. First it was a multi-year waterline construction project, then the devastating Dragon Bravo fire on the north rim, and now a massive flash flood in Bright Angel Canyon. But this closure are is really such a small part of the Park - other destinations are available, they just require more knowledge and planning.

Permits & Trip Planning

How does one become a full-time guide?

Grand Canyon is a unique locale because it's suitable for "normal backpacking" in all four seasons (deep snow is rarely an issue in winter, there is actually water in summer). But most guides are semi-nomadic, meaning we go work in more pleasant destinations in the summer where there's more demand for trips.

If your question is how to become a backpacking guide, I'd recommend becoming an avid adventurer and knowledgeable about the history and environment of a particular place (rather than thru-hiking). Get WFR certified, learn to make good food, learn good group management and social skills. Apply to a company that works in your area.

Is the rim-to-rim permit process ever going to become streamlined?

If you mean just buying a permit that's called "Rim to Rim," then no. There are three different campgrounds, so they will always make people create their own itinerary based on availability, fitness, and objectives.

What's a good overnighter with easy permits — something you could do with a day's notice?

If you go to the office in-person before 8am on the day before your trip start, you could snag a night at Cottonwood CG (north rim) or Havasupai Gardens (south rim). They keep some of these sites available for walk-up users.

Other areas in the Canyon can be less competitive, but often involve difficult terrain and less water. And in busy seasons, those are all booked too. Some great ones are Hermit Creek and Horseshoe Mesa.

Best way to get a rim-to-rim permit?

These days it's rec.gov! More seriously though, your odds will be better if you try to go in early winter and do it as an out-and-back.

How are so many foreign visitors (Germans especially) getting permits when they're so hard to come by?

Interesting question. There definitely isn't a different system — if anything, it would historically have been harder for foreigners to get permits because applications used to be mailed or faxed in. Now permits are on rec.gov, so anyone can get them.

But I don't share this experience myself. The people I see actually backpacking in the Canyon are almost 100% American. When you enter and exit a backpacking trip in the upper half of the Corridor trails, though, that's when you see a huge number of foreigners day hiking — and they're often the ones who ask about your pack and your trip, sparking conversation.

What's the best way for visitors to secure transportation to and from remote trailheads (N/S Bass, Nankoweap, etc.)?

Transport to remote dirt trailheads is hard for sure. A rugged rental car works if you're doing a closed loop, or call some of the guide services who may at least point you in the right direction. For the north side try Dreamland Safari, south side Four Seasons or maybe Buck Wild. Or PM a local and offer to pay big money!

Navajo Nation and Grand Canyon have different permit systems — what's a good strategy for a trip combining the Hopi Salt Trail with Grand Canyon permits?

Navajo permits can be a big difficulty when planning east-side stuff. The helpful thing is they generally aren't too competitive, so once you get your NPS permit you can figure out the LCR side. I've heard mixed things from them about which parts of their land are closed right now (I was denied Jackass and Salt Water Wash after doing them last year, and I believe the Tatahatso region is closed), and whether or not the Salt Trail is among them — but I have heard of friends doing the Salt Trail recently. To get a permit, try calling the LCR Tribal Park phone number; sometimes I have to call other offices, like Monument Valley, and ask them to point me to the right one. The permits tend to be PDFs processed via email.

Are groovers required?

For hiking? No, cat holes are permitted. For river trips? Yes.

Water Sources & Filtration

How do you find out about water sources in advance, beyond the obvious ones on the map? How do you locate water otherwise?

This is one of my favorite questions. The only 100% reliable water sources are spring-fed creeks and the river. The tiniest of these only flow for 100-yard sections where the gravel is shallowest, and may dry up completely on scorching summer days but flow again at night. Other perennial creeks flow during early spring runoff or after big rain.

Beyond that, water sources are basically all bedrock pools we call potholes or tinajas. Many, but not all, of these are found within streambeds, and they hold water long after the stream has stopped flowing or the rain has stopped falling. Big ones in the shade last the longest, but take a legitimate amount of precipitation to fill up.

In any given canyon, water hides under the gravel in wide washes filled with debris. When that same canyon narrows enough that flood debris doesn't accumulate, that's where you'll find bedrock pools. This tends to happen most reliably in the Tapeats and Redwall layers, but it's not guaranteed anywhere.

What's the grossest water you've drunk?

Real answer: cow tank water elsewhere in Arizona.

Fun answer: Grand Canyon water is usually pretty good, but sometimes it's not present where you hope. Once we arrived at the top of a remote slot canyon where we expected to find bedrock pools full of water, and were really depending on that source. Instead they were just full of slightly moist gravel. We pushed all the gravel to one side, and eventually about 20L of rich, dark, chocolate-milk-looking water filled the hole. We let it settle for an hour, bottled up a bunch, and used Water Wizard to make it perfectly clear. We filtered it without issue and it tasted fine.

What filter do you prefer, and does an MSR Guardian work for silty water?

Hydroblu or Platypus, preferably in a UL gravity system. I haven't tried the Guardian, and I don't think silty water is one of its claimed advantages anyway. Any filter is fine because I don't filter silty water — I clarify it with Water Wizard first and then filter it.

The most problematic sediment for filters is extremely small suspended clay particles that take days to settle without a flocculant. This can pass through most pre-filters, and I find Water Wizard much more effective against it than alum powder. Alum tastes much worse, anyway.

Which section of the Tonto has decent water in winter?

Winter is a good time for water on the Tonto because the potholes dry so slowly — especially this winter, since there was a juicy storm in mid-November that filled them all.

The western half of the Tonto is more primitive and requires a long, rough dirt road to the Bass trailhead, which could rule it out for some people. Right now would otherwise be a good time to do the "Gems" section. More likely you'd do something between Tanner and Boucher, which allows for easy, hitchable shuttles. The driest section of that is from Grapevine to Pipe Creek, but even that should have some water currently, perhaps in Lone Tree. Otherwise you can do winter hikes on the Tonto without carrying more than a liter.

Gear & Ultralight Kit

What does your gear look like for a typical 3-day trip?

Pretty similar to what anyone else's looks like for a given temperature range. Here are my unique pieces, though:

I'll start with the classic desert answer of tweezers/pliers for removing cactus spines. Particularly on the Tonto Platform, accidentally kicking cactus is common.

In general I'm optimistic about CCF pads, but I think it's really hard in the Grand Canyon. Literally, the ground is hard everywhere and sometimes lumpy, especially in impacted campsites (which sometimes are legally/logistically the only option), but everywhere really. I use air pads and have never gotten a leak — I always use a groundsheet or shelter floor. Both is overkill.

Trekking poles are amazing for the first day's descent. If on-trail, I use two poles like crutches, which helps a lot with knee strain.

If you're planning to use the river for water at a time of year when it's flowing brown, Water Wizard is a big help with sediment. There are a couple of instructional videos on how to do this.

Many campsites in GC have a lot of habituated critters — mainly mice and ringtails. If you hike in the r2r corridor they have metal boxes, but otherwise you need a metal mesh Ratsack or Ursack Allmitey if you're planning to camp anywhere that seems like an impacted campsite. And be aware that ravens are watching you in the daytime — if you leave your pack unattended they are likely to swoop in and pick holes or open your zippers. Squirrels do this too, but only in the r2r corridor.

One aspect of hiking here that's foreign to most people is that in popular seasons the ~4-day forecast is so reliable that shelters can be left at home entirely. I've done at least 30% of my trips with no shelter at all.

If you do bring a shelter, make sure you have long guy lines to use rocks as anchors. Staking is basically only possible in corridor campgrounds or at beaches — I often don't even bring stakes.

What are your go-to trail meals?

In our style of guiding we prepare group meals for guests, and they're not always weight-conscious, but I try to strike a balance. My favorite lunches are easily tuna salad (with craisins, sliced almonds, dried chopped onion, dill, mayo/mustard, eaten with crackers) and charcuterie (hummus powder is awesome). Top dinners are pesto pasta, Thai-style curry (coconut milk powder ftw), and fajitas — I try to put sautéed veggies in all of these. Breakfast is my weakest link ever since I stopped bringing a skillet to make pancakes, hashbrowns, eggs, and bacon. I make various oatmeals and grits now.

How do you feel about carrying ultralight camp chairs?

My favorite thing about chairs is the backrest, so instead of bringing one I sit on the ground and lean against a rock and my pack. There are a lot of rocks!

What's the holy grail in camping pillows?

Big Sky Dreamsleeper, either glued directly to your pad or with Velcro glued on both. Believe it or not this is actually a GC-relevant question, because I cowboy camp often — sometimes on top of Corridor picnic tables — and having a pillow attached solidly is wonderful.

Stove vs. no stove / cold soaking?

Cold soaking sounds fine to me, especially for short trips! Or just eat snacks for breakfast and dinner.

If you want to save weight in Grand Canyon without spending money, get comfortable leaving the tent at home for trips with a solid forecast, and plan routes and timing so you never have to carry more than 2L of water.

Any targeted gym training for prep?

Not yet, but I should and plan to start. I need to do more stretching and core strengthening to keep my back from overworking. I sometimes — especially on big run days — have Achilles and knee pain that needs to be resolved with stretching and strength training too.

Routes & Off-Trail Adventures

What are your highlight entry/exit points below the rim, and which Tonto-accessible tributary canyons are your favorites?

If you finished a trip via Kanab, that trip is going to be hard to top — it's a huge canyon with many beautiful forks. The LCR, Shinumo, Clear Creek, and Tuckup Canyon are some sprawling watersheds with gorgeous nooks and crannies.

Honestly, if you fully explore Hermit and Monument they are amazing because of the narrows and water. I've been down Cremation, Boulder, Grapevine, Cottonwood, and Hance (the first two are technical) to the river, and it's hard to choose a favorite — they're all pretty good. I have a feeling Sapphire would be dope. Royal Arch is incredible. I really love Papago and 75-Mile, but those aren't Tonto.

Transport to remote dirt trailheads is hard, as I mentioned — rugged rental car for a closed loop, or a guide service, or PM a local and offer to pay big money.

Which area would you recommend for a first off-trail (non-technical) trip?

If you're pretty experienced with off-trail elsewhere (particularly boulder hopping and wash walking), I'd recommend the Tapeats Creek/Kanab linkup, which can be done as a closed loop from Indian Hollow. If you like water, that's probably the best route in the Canyon. It's mostly Hayduke.

Any recommendations for the north rim — an easy-ish 2–5 day hike with reasonably easy water access?

From the north rim, the only trailhead accessible on pavement is North Kaibab. That's a popular corridor trail down to the river and it's very beautiful, with a lot of water sources.

Much cooler would be the Deer/Tapeats Creek lollipop. It's a rugged trip from a remote dirt road trailhead, and has the best water features of the entire GC backcountry, IMO.

Upper or Lower Tapeats campsite — which is better? Is at-large camping allowed?

At-large camping is not permitted in those areas because they're categorized as Threshold zones. Neither campsite stands out as essential — they're both amazing places. It really just depends on which works best for your itinerary and is available.

What's the best follow-up trip after rim-to-rim?

I'd recommend an open loop from Bright Angel to Hermit, including Hermit Creek and at least one visit to a rapid. Much more solitude and equal beauty to the r2r, without the super punishing terrain other areas have. If you like that, start researching the Escalante Route or the Deer/Thunder lollipop.

Descending Hermit vs. descending Bright Angel — why go that direction instead of the more common way?

Most people prefer to descend easier terrain while they have a heavier pack, and ascend harder terrain with a light pack. I also believe the grandeur increases to the west. If you have a hot slog on the Tonto, the relief of arriving at the Monument slot, the Hermit pools, or a huge rapid is euphoric. Add to that the sudden decrease in solitude at Hermit Garden, and going eastbound feels anticlimactic to me.

Have you hiked Saddle Canyon?

Yes! It's amazing. It's wise to avoid in spring of a high snow year (April or May of a big year like 2023 or '24). There's a section where walking in the full flow of Tapeats Creek is mandatory, and it had a moment of chest-deep water for me in the fall.

Best route out of Kanab Canyon from the river toward Indian Hollow or Bill Hall trailheads?

Up Kanab to Jumpup (Scotty's side trip recommended), up Jumpup, up Indian Hollow all the way to the trailhead/campground.

Which region has the best off-trail loops and traverses?

All the good regions for off-trail loops and traverses are on the north side. Nankoweap to Phantom via the Butte Fault/Horsethief route and over the big saddles is a badass trip. Likewise, Steck's Crystal Loop is very cool. A closed loop from Indian Hollow that visits Tapeats Creek and Scotty's Hollow is probably the best week-long trip in the Canyon — with some work you can map out the finer details yourself.

What's your favorite multi-day hike or adventure you've been on out there?

Hard to say — a few of them have been equally special to me for a variety of reasons.

What's the longest you've spent in the backcountry, longest distance in one trip, and have you done the entire Tonto Trail?

16 days without human contact for the first 15. Mileage on that trip is unknown, because the first 15 days were off-trail and I didn't use a watch — we didn't push super hard, so probably an average of 10 miles a day. And yes, I just finished the entire Tonto two weeks ago with a Gems trip. I've spent more time either guiding or off-trail, so it wasn't a big priority until now.

Where's a good area for a technical, non-corridor Escalante Route trip, and any beta on the Papago Slide/Wall after last fall's rockslide?

That sounds amazing — it's one of my favorite trips for sure. It's warm in April, so go swimming in the river often. With a strong scrambling skillset, almost every part of Papago Canyon can be explored without a rope. It's fun scrambling and very beautiful.

Can you hitchhike across the river going upstream on the Hayduke, past the confluence?

I'm pretty confident the east bank isn't hikeable north of the confluence — there's a big, scary "cliff meets water" section just downstream of Sixtymile that I think would be hard to figure out. On the west side, you might be able to hike upstream above that section, but I think it would be really shitty. Small cliffs in the Canyon can hide inside slope-angle shading more than, say, the Sierra, because of the sedimentary/layered structure. I hiked on top of a cliff 50ft above the river from Carbon to Lava once and it was the worst place I've ever been in GC.

If you really want to hike the Hayduke in the upstream direction, here's what I'd do: hitch across to Carbon and do the Butte Fault/Horsethief route as an alternate all the way to Nankoweap. It's a really cool route that goes behind Chuar and Kwagunt. You only miss the Confluence, but you could do a side trip to that, and otherwise it's way cooler than walking along the river.

Any advice for a solo section connecting Tonto Trail after S. Kaibab, since Silver Bridge and lower Bright Angel are closed?

The Tonto Trail could possibly be your favorite part! It's narrower and the bushes can be a little scratchy, but for that section it's definitely a real trail, easy to follow. It's quieter and has less mule poop. There will be water at the crossing of Pipe Creek.

Canyoneering & Packrafting

What's the best way for a total beginner to get into canyoneering?

Start by taking a class from a reputable guide, find an experienced friend to teach you, or be really diligent about practicing skills from videos. Then plan your own canyoneering trip anywhere besides GC to get familiar with the systems and travel on day trips. Grand Canyoneering is unique in that it's pretty much all expedition-style multi-days, and it's best to practice elsewhere before going deep backcountry. But feel free to buy the guidebook (they just started printing it again) and start dreaming!

Do you have a copy of Grand Canyoneering, and is it true the author stopped publicizing some routes?

I do have a copy, and no, I won't sell it to you — but luckily for you they've just resumed printing it and it's available online for $50 (the 2nd edition came out last year). And yes, that's roughly true: they wrote the book because they were willing to publicize the information within reason, but they've kept some more secret spots private that are probably amazing but not included in the book.

Any suggestions for someone with a lot of GC experience but who's never done a technical slot canyon here, or a good beginner packrafting trip avoiding the corridor?

Packrafting is actually more of a passion for me than climbing or canyoneering. The good news is in the GC they often go together, because permits tend to be issued to people who actually need them.

My first thought is Marble Canyon. 29-Mile and Tatahatso can be done without too much fuss in rapids, though there have recently been issues with Navajo permits being denied. I did 29 as a day trip anyway. Badger to Soap is a good one, but that's a viable day trip too — you could do a series of trips in Marble Canyon car camping.

Some of the classics that involve packrafting in the Central Canyon, like Cremation and Boulder, also involve the Kaibab Trail, so that's too bad — I did those as day trips as well. I'm going to do a trip soon down Hermit, UL packraft to Crystal, walk up Dragon and over Shiva Saddle, down Phantom Creek, and Corridor exit. That should be an awesome linkup.

The best linkup with packrafting and ropes is in the western Canyon — it's a lollipop from 150. If you do that first you'll probably be spoiled, so look further west for more fun opportunities.

Guiding Life & Safety

Have you participated in any SAR activities in the area? What's the most common issue you see?

I've participated in a guiding capacity, but haven't volunteered on the team. Heat-related illness is far and away the leading issue — that includes heat exhaustion/stroke, dehydration, and hyponatremia. Next would be mild musculoskeletal injuries (ankle sprains), but falls and animal encounters are rare.

How often do people have to get rescued? Sometimes it's over 300 per year. Most evacuations happen for hikers in the r2r Corridor, which has rangers present at each of the three campgrounds and occasionally patrolling the trails, which is another pathway for communication.

What's the craziest thing you've seen someone you're guiding do?

Fun answer: I was walking in front of a group of five. The two guys in the back — I'll call them Don and Steve — fell behind and called ahead that they were watching a snake. "Is it rattling?" I called back. "No," they said. Soon Don walked up to meet me and showed me a photo. I immediately yelled back at Steve to leave that thing alone. He actually lived in the desert; I expected him to know better. (For the record — it was a Grand Canyon pink rattlesnake, evolved to camouflage in the red, purple, and pink rocks.)

Not fun answer: I had a hiker who was wildly underprepared for the terrain of a trip and was pretty wobbly, but I hadn't yet found a way to disqualify them. I was hiking about 15ft in front of them when I turned around to check on them. Before I could say anything, I watched in horror as they specifically chose to take the outside line on a section of trail rather than the inside line, got a little wobbly, and stumbled off the edge. The drop was only about 8ft, but they sustained a tib/fib twist fracture.

What's your vetting process for guests, and how does the ADA factor into it?

I work for a large company and don't handle any of that personally. In summary, it's very complicated, because we have to step carefully around the ADA. But I think they do a great job — they encourage people to choose reasonable itineraries and to plan far enough in advance that they can follow the training guidelines we provide.

To expand on the disqualification question above: we've always been able to DQ guests based on safety concerns, but at the time of that incident, our company was actually rolling out a system called "essential eligibility criteria" — if a guest doesn't meet those criteria, our decision to DQ them is easily defensible in the rare circumstance an ADA issue arises. It also gives guides a framework to make those decisions based on policy rather than just vibes. That was just about to launch when the incident happened, so it ended up serving as a defining example of why it mattered.

To be clear on the ADA piece specifically: it legally requires us to at least be willing to provide a trip for someone if they can prove they have a disability and we can customize a trip that's safe for them. It doesn't require us to allow unfit hikers to join standard trips and potentially compromise safety or the experience of other guests.

What company do you guide for, does guiding steal the passion from the Canyon, and any companies to avoid?

I've decided not to associate work and Reddit, so I won't disclose that here. But I will say Four Seasons Guides and Wildland Trekking are the best. Neither operates in a UL or instruction-focused style like, say, Skurka does — Skurka doesn't work in the Canyon, I presume because GRCA CUAs have a mandate that we stay on official trails and the permitting limits flexibility. I think there's room for a hybrid company that's more lightweight, ambitious-itinerary-focused, and teaches skills like cooking and desert shelter setup. Maybe someday.

I haven't found guiding to steal my passion for the Canyon at all. I love spending time there, and being there for work doesn't make me want to go less — it just makes me want to go back with my friends. The pros are numerous and obvious; for me the primary downside is being away from my partner for multiple days at a time. Everything else about the job is very tolerable if not amazing. I won't name names, but avoid any company that makes you carry their heavy predetermined menu and cooking equipment.

How much does a guided trip cost, and can you recommend a company?

It depends on the length. Look into Four Corners Guides and Wildland Trekking — I won't say which of these I work for here, because they're both good and I don't care who gets your money.

Do you have experience with guided rafting trips, and would you recommend one for someone who can't swim?

I don't personally, but I'm quite familiar with them. A person who can't swim would probably be fine — the boats flip so rarely, and the PFD does most of the work of "swimming" for you.

Wildlife, Geology & Fun Stuff

How could someone prepare to understand the Canyon's geology, history, and ecology before a trip? Any books or resources?

For Grand Canyon specifically, the best thing you could do is read books like Grand Obsession, The Emerald Mile, and A Walk in the Park. Then, before your hike, visit the Yavapai Geology Museum for an hour, take pictures of the best exhibits, and reference them on your trip to figure out what's going on. Other places seem to have fewer, or harder to find, resources.

How do you learn enough about the Canyon to start creating your own unique itineraries?

The only answers I've found are reading trip reports, the George Steck or Todd Martin guidebooks, or talking to rangers who are willing to share. It's really hard to create DIY beta using maps in the Canyon, because cliffs can hide between topo lines — if you're planning a thru-trip you really need real beta. If it's an out-and-back, you can just explore until you find the limit.

What question do you wish people asked, but never do?

Questions about how specific geology influences off-trail travel, or specific questions about water sources and weather patterns. Also — questions about which music albums I pair with which terrain.

On that second one: for lounging by the river, "Swimming" and "Circles" by Mac Miller. For moving fast on the Tonto, "The Last Goodbye" by Odessa. For grinding up an exit, something by Cardi B or Kendrick. These are unpopular choices, so I always use earbuds unless it's rattlesnake season and there's nobody around.

Best area to see UFOs out there?

Remote places on the north rim. Skies are dark anywhere in the park away from the village, but a high-elevation spot with an expansive view of the sky, like Cape Royal, would be best.

Have you explored the crash sites from the 1950s Grand Canyon mid-air collision?

I have not! I know generally where it is and have hiked near there on the Butte Fault/Horsethief route, but we didn't make the side trip. Sorry!

That covers the bulk of it. Thanks again to everyone who asked such thoughtful questions — I hope this sticks around as a useful resource for anyone planning a Grand Canyon backcountry trip. And seriously: be patient with the permitting process this year, and be extra diligent about Leave No Trace. If you're genuinely an expert in something else, consider doing your own AMA — place-specific knowledge like this deserves to be shared more.

Where's the Mogollon Monster?

From Aravaipa: the Mogollon Monster 100 is a rugged, challenging trail race about 90 minutes northeast of Phoenix, just outside the small town of Pine, Arizona. It includes the 100-mile race plus a 42km race on Sunday, navigating up, down, around, and through the Mogollon Rim (pronounced mug-ee-yun or muggy-own by locals).

What are the three best places to eat before or after a Hermit-to-South-Bass trip?

Tusayan is the closest. My favorite has become Plaza Bonita, because the food is on par with other Mexican food in the state and they give unlimited chips (salt!). We Cook Pizza is okay — definitely below Flagstaff pizza quality, but a good option if you need something fast and easy to take on the trail, because the staff there seem happier than at McDonald's or Wendy's. I've been to the Canyon Star steakhouse once, and that's fine if you want fancier food.

Flagstaff options are way better. My favorites are Fratelli, Pizzicletta, Delhi Palace, or Salsa Brava. We have loads of great Thai food too, but that's not my top choice post-hike.

What have your interactions with the Havasupai tribe been like, and does guiding ever feel like it invades their privacy?

I've actually had limited interactions with the Havasupai, because they closed their reservation to commercial guides at the end of 2019. Before that it was a mainstay destination for my company, but we've since figured out how to operate just fine without it. Personally, I fully support this decision, and if they do decide to allow guides in again, I'd advocate within my company for us to stay out. I believe white guides are already operating on enough of their historic land (forcefully taken by NPS in the early 1900s), so they deserve to have their reservation to themselves.

In general, if you're paying attention, a visit to their reservation is a window into rural poverty — there are problems with public health, substance abuse, and mistreatment of animals. I don't believe this poverty is their fault, given the land-ownership violence they've had to endure. But I dream of a world where all tribes are able to take outdoor recreation and the beauty of their land more seriously, and roughly half of guides operating in the entire Canyon are Native. I don't know how to make that happen, though.

Step one, I think, is making sure basic needs are met (about a third of Navajo people live without running water because their land is so rural and dry). Next would be education, so there's more opportunity and awareness of career pathways. Two problems complicate that plan: the land they're currently allotted has inherently limited economic opportunity, primarily because of the lack of water — if a way could be found to distribute their allotted portions of the Colorado and San Juan rivers across their reservation, the way it's been done for other desert cities, agriculture might become viable. Without that, economic opportunities are few; art and tourism are some that come to mind. The second problem is that federal investment in their education and infrastructure is currently being pulled back.

Do you think Grand Canyon will still be around, as a functioning protected wilderness, by 2030?

As terrible as things have been, I think the Canyon will be one of the places that's more okay, because it's so well known and loved. But it's definitely not immune from impacts — this year there will be a lot fewer people working in visitor management than there used to be.