Off Trail Hiking in the Grand Canyon (In-Person & Live-Streamed LAM Talk)

Join PEEC and the Los Alamos Mountaineers for the November Mountaineers meeting and presentation. There will be a mountaineers meeting at the beginning of the event (about 15 minutes), then we'll hear from Mike Fugate about his hiking trip through the Grand Cayon. You can view the presentation in person at the Los Alamos Nature Center or from home via Zoom (slides and audio only). Please register in advance. 

Mike Fugate's first backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon was in 1985. Before the trip ended, he was hooked on Grand Canyon hiking. After a few short backpacking trips on established trails, his interests turned to longer loop hikes in the remote backcountry, especially trips starting on the north rim.

In October of 2023, Mike and 5 others set out on a 10-day loop hike that began on the north rim near Tiyo Point. Their route did not follow any established trails. They bushwhacked through thorn bushes and cacti gardens, rock-hopped along creek beds, and scrambled through cliffs to circumambulate six massive geological features, such as Shiva Temple and Tower of Ra.

About the Presenter:

Mike has lived in Los Alamos for 27 years. He worked at LANL for 25 years as a statistician until he retired in 2021. He now spends his time playing tennis, rafting, hiking, backpacking, climbing 13ers and 14ers, mountain biking, skiing, and volunteering for the Park Service and the USDA.

Admission: Free (please select an in-person or virtual ticket).