The
Guide Positioning
System

About Us

(After all, this IS all about us)

The "Wild Geese," are a group of avid hikers, backpackers, climbers and kayakers who have spent literally tens of thousands of hours in backcountry locations all around the world.

Our Philosophy

(Uh, don't expect Kant, Nietzsche or anything really heavy)

Our organization prides itself on NOT being an organization. In fact, we believe that Groucho Marx got it right. None of us want to be part of any organization that would have us as members. As a result, our non-organization is largely unknown as "The Hiking Club for Non-Members Only." If we were organized enough to have a goal, it would be to seek to have a great time in the great outdoors, and to make each trip better than the last. To do that we blend planning, preparation, and gear selection with a backcountry experience focused on good humor, living in the moment and bringing along the best food and drink we can possibly carry. Oh, did I mention cigars? There must be cigars.

Why the Grand Canyon?

(Because it's there?)

Over the last 10 years or so, a collection of Wild Geese and goslings have been making frequent pilgrimages to Grand Canyon National Park. The Grand Canyon and its back-country is an extremely harsh environment. Backpacking travel there should never be taken lightly. Whether hiking the main corridor trails such as the Kaibab and Bright Angel or via the less traveled South and North Rim trails, planning and preparation are critical. And, much more so than in many other areas where a backcountry traveler might find themselves. We believe it takes a bit extra to travel in the Canyon, even if you happen to have a lot of back-country experience in other types of terrain.

Why a Backcountry Guide?

(Because we're sick of surfing!)

In planning our trips and assembling information for first-timers, it was amazing how much effort it took each time to gather pertinent information. Trail descriptions and current conditions, specific back-country use areas for permits, perennial versus seasonal water availability, expected weather and the like. These time consuming website visits and the inevitable relearning process as to which sites provided the most useful information suggested a need for better consolidation. So, this website was constructed to take advantage of all that surfing, not to mention the inclusion of our personal back-country experiences. The culmination, hopefully, is a one-stop shop for Grand Canyon back-country information.

We Need Your Help!

(The team of therapists assigned to us is maxed out)

Our goal is to keep the information provided in this Guide as current as possible. Feel free to visit The Info Exchange and provide any pertinent updates from your own recent experiences in the Canyon. Do You Need Help? (Our wives claim we're poor listeners. So, please submit questions at least 3 times.) Go to Contact Us, enter your question and contact information and we'll try to get a response back to you as soon as we can.

Travel Well!