Grand Canyon Hikers & Backpackers Association

10/07/2025

During the federal government shutdown, this account will continue to share critical information about park access, safety, and resources.

Grand Canyon National Park is open; however, some visitor services may be reduced. https://go.nps.gov/C19 (73009)

For more details, visit: https://www.doi.gov/shutdown

09/16/2021

UPDATE 9/17/21: Beck Located near Roosevelt Point on North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

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News Release: Missing Person Search Initiated on the Walhalla Plateau of North Rim

On Tuesday, September 14 at approximately 9 p.m., the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report of an overdue backpacker in the vicinity of the Walhalla Plateau on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

The backpacker, 66-year-old Clifton “Cliff” Beck of Mount Airy, Maryland was reported overdue and obtained a backcountry permit to spend two nights on the Walhalla Plateau from September 10-12. Beck was expected to exit the backcountry of Grand Canyon National Park on September 12.

On Wednesday, September 15, rangers conducted a comprehensive hasty search and performed aerial searching and were unable to locate Beck. Today’s operations include deployment of nine ground search teams as well as aerial searches via helicopter and fixed wing aircraft in the Walhalla Plateau area.

Beck is described as 5’10” tall, 160 pounds, balding, with a gray beard. He is believed to be carrying a backpack, wearing hiking boots, and travelling alone.

In addition to the search and rescue operation, the NPS is also conducting a missing persons investigation. Any individual with information on the location of Clifton Beck should call or text the NPS Investigative Services Branch Tipline at 888-653-0009.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/missing-person-search-walhalla-plateau-sep-2021.htm

NPS File: Clifton Beck missing person poster, 9/16/2021

04/02/2020

Grand Canyon National Park is officially closed.

02/27/2020

Get ticket reservations - join the fun!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grand-canyon-hikers-symposium-2020-tickets-90255926907

02/08/2020

01/30/2020

You are invited to attend the 5th Grand Canyon Hiking Symposium! Get your tickets at tinyurl.com/gchba2020 today!

01/21/2020

Get your free tickets now for the 2020 Grand Canyon HIkers Symposium!

Fifteen Grand Canyon Adventure Stories - brought to you by the Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association

11/01/2019

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: GRAND CANYON HIKING AND BACKPACKING SYMPOSIUM

The Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association is pleased to announce the Fifth Grand Canyon Hikers Symposium, to be held Saturday April 4, 2020 at the Cline Library in Flagstaff, Arizona. The hiking symposium is open to the public free of charge.

The purpose of this symposium is to share hiking, climbing and backpacking exploits and explorations in the Grand Canyon, defined by the geographical region from Lee's Ferry to the Grand Wash Cliffs, in and near Grand Canyon National Park.
Presentations may include day hiking, climbing or overnight backpacking, on the corridor trails and other named trails such as North and South Kaibab, Bright Angel, North and South Bass, Nankoweap, Tanner, Grandview, Hermit, and Tonto; historical trails; or off-trail canyon routes including Marble Canyon and the western Grand Canyon area.

Following the successful format of previous GCHBA Symposiums, presentations will be 20 minutes in length, typically including a 15 minute presentation and 5 minutes of question and answer time. Presentations may use slides or PowerPoint, but PowerPoint is preferred. Audiovisual equipment will be provided, and presentations will be video recorded. Presenters may optionally volunteer a written paper or slide deck for later posting to the event web page.

To submit a presentation proposal, please send a 200 word (maximum) description of your proposed topic, including the length of the hike, area visited, and time of year the hike happened, along with your contact information, to [email protected] before January 15, 2020. You will be notified on or before February 15, 2020, if the selection committee has selected your presentation.

Thank you and we look forward to sharing information about the Grand Canyon with you next April.

01/12/2019

When you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate to Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association Inc. Support us every time you shop.

04/22/2018

Voting is now open for the board of directors of The Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association. Nine positions are open on its Board of Directors. These positions are two-year terms, however in order to stagger the board seats, the five highest vote totals will serve two year terms and the next four highest will serve one year terms.

Members that wish to vote in the Board election must be GCHBA dues paying (“Backcountry”) members.

Voting is underway now through June 10th, electronically at the organization’s website gchba.org.

GCHBA Board Election – June 4-10, 2018Posted on April 22, 2018 by Chris Forsyth • 0 Comments GCHBA Calls for Candidates for Board of Directors The Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association is soliciting candidates to fill up to nine positions on its Board of Directors. These positions are ...