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Zeena Speciale, a shamanic Reiki master teacher, certified sound healer, and co-founder of hiKin—a community where hiking and kinship move as one—guides this weekly podcast into the heart of mindful movement and soulful connection. Sacred Steps offers walking/hiking meditations, breathwork, and nature-rooted reflections to help you find presence on the trail and clarity within. Find Zeena at Soul Collective, her spirit-based yoga studio in the heart of Cave Creek, AZ, or at soulcollective.love.
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Welcome to THE home of Grand Canyon hiking. If it happens below the rim—from short day hikes to Rim2Rims and beyond—you'll learn all the tips and tricks to have your safest and most memorable Grand Canyon experience. Host Brian Speciale brings you stories of triumph, tragedy, and trail-won wisdom—told by first-timers, seasoned vets, and Canyon insiders alike. But don't just take our word for it; here's what our listeners say: “I am continually inspired by the guests and the vulnerability of ...
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North Rim Fire Update | BREAKING: Manzanita, Roaring Springs Threatened | Tuesday, July 15
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In this urgent fire update, Brian and Zeena share troubling new developments from the North Rim: the blaze has now spilled over the rim and threatens Manzanita and the critical pump house at Roaring Springs. With no containment and growing danger deep inside the canyon, we break down what’s really happening—what’s confirmed, what’s not, and what it…
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North Rim Fire Update | Loss...And Hope | Monday, July 14
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What do you say when one of your favorite places in the world burns down? In this update on the devastating North Rim fire, Brian and Zeena sit down to reflect on the Dragon Bravo Fire that consumed Grand Canyon Lodge and much of the North Rim. But this isn’t just a story of loss—it’s one of love, memory, and the spirit that refuses to die. With fi…
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Ep3: Kaibab—The Wisdom Of The Upside Down Mountain
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In this powerful walking meditation, Zeena Speciale explores the meaning of the word Kaibab—a Paiute word that translates to “mountain lying down.” As you walk, you’ll be invited to consider what it means to descend instead of climb, to find wisdom not in the striving, but in the surrender. Step by step, breath by breath, this episode guides you in…
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Sacred Steps (Hiking/Movement Meditation): Kaibab—The Wisdom Of The Upside Down Mountain
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To subscribe on Apple Podcasts, click here. To subscribe on Spotify, click here. -- In this powerful walking meditation, Zeena Speciale explores the meaning of the word Kaibab—a Paiute word that translates to “mountain lying down.” As you walk, you’ll be invited to consider what it means to descend instead of climb, to find wisdom not in the strivi…
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Tales From Below (Ep7): Humbled By The Canyon
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Ashley Handschke and her fiancé weren’t new to pushing their limits. As endurance athletes and seasoned hikers, they thought they were ready for a two-day Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim of the Grand Canyon. But the Canyon has a way of humbling even the strongest. With temperatures soaring past 100 degrees and the climb up South Kaibab feeling endless, their fir…
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Ep87: The Boston Marathoner Who Died in the Grand Canyon: The Margaret Bradley Story
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Margaret Bradley was young, brilliant, and unstoppable—an All-American runner and Boston Marathon finisher who thought she could handle anything, even the Grand Canyon in July. She was wrong. In this powerful and cautionary episode, we revisit the tragic story of Margaret’s final run, exploring what went wrong, how it could have been prevented, and…
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Sacred Steps (Hiking/Movement Meditation): Mending The Cracks: A Meditation On Wholeness
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To subscribe on Apple Podcasts, click here. To subscribe on Spotify, click here. -- In Japan, there is an art called kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with shimmering gold, turning cracks into beauty rather than hiding them away. In this meditative walk, Zeena guides you to honor the places within you that feel tender or fractured, filling…
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Ep2: Mending the Cracks: A Meditation on Wholeness
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In Japan, there is an art called kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with shimmering gold, turning cracks into beauty rather than hiding them away. In this meditative walk, Zeena guides you to honor the places within you that feel tender or fractured, filling them with breath and light as you move. Each step becomes a gentle repair, remindin…
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Tales From Below (Ep6): Heat, Humility, And The Perfect Rim2Rim
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Not every Grand Canyon tale is about survival. Some are about knowing when not to push. In this episode of Tales From Below, Dave Skierkowski and his seasoned hiking crew swap ambition for wisdom—canceling a planned double-crossing in favor of a single, dialed-in Rim-to-Rim. Through early starts, smart pacing, and well-timed cooling breaks, they co…
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Ep86: Hiking The Length Of The Grand Canyon With Dr. Tom Myers
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What does it take to hike the entire length of the Grand Canyon—800 miles of brutal, unforgiving, awe-inspiring terrain? In this episode, Dr. Tom Myers, longtime Grand Canyon physician and author, shares the story behind his new book The Grandest Trek, chronicling his end-to-end Canyon journey with his son, the lessons they learned, and the powerfu…
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Introducing Sacred Steps: Hiking/Walking Meditations By Zeena Speciale
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Introducing Sacred Steps: Meditations In Motion, a weekly meditation for your hikes or walks by my wife, shamanic Reiki master teacher and certified sound healer Zeena Speciale. Try them on your hikes—I think you'll love them! (These will be released separately on Sundays, so please subscribe to Sacred Steps: Meditations In Motion wherever you get …
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Tales From Below (Ep5): Live To Hike Another Day
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What do you do when your heart rate won’t come down, the sun is climbing fast, and the Canyon stretches endlessly in both directions? For Alan Fletcher, the answer was clear—listen to your body, not your ego. In this episode of Tales From Below, we follow Alan’s solo Rim-to-Rim hike in May 2025, a journey marked by wisdom, self-awareness, and the c…
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Ep85: The Hardest, Coolest Thing We've Ever Done With Laurie Bertani
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When 12 women—mothers and daughters, best friends and lifelong training partners—set out to cross the Grand Canyon together, they didn’t just take on the heat, the elevation, or the fear of heights. They took on the challenge of staying united. In this episode, we talk with Laurie Bertani, a former college soccer player who came in doubting whether…
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In this debut episode, Zeena guides you through a grounding walking meditation to honor your very first step. With breath awareness, presence practices, and reverence for the land, you’ll remember that you are exactly where you need to be—and every step forward is sacred. Sacred Steps is brought to you by hiKin, a community where hiking and kinship…
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Tales From Below (Ep4): Distress On South Kaibab
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Distress on South Kaibab isn’t just a story about a well-planned rim-to-river hike—it’s a real-time reminder that in the Grand Canyon, conditions can change in an instant. Sharon Spruill and her group set out with preparation, training, and intention. But halfway through their ascent, they encountered something no one plans for: an emergency unfold…
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Ep84: The Blueprint: How Two Sisters Mastered Rim2Rim On Their First Try
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Anne and Alexis Keyworth didn’t just survive their Rim2Rim—they thrived. Two sisters, a Canyon adventure, and a perfectly executed plan that turned one of America’s toughest hikes into a joyful, pain-free experience. In this episode, they walk us through the smart training, strategic timing, heat mitigation, and mindset that made it all possible. I…
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Tales From Below (Ep3): No Such Thing As "Just"
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Lori Anne wasn’t out to break any records. In her mid-60s, recovering from health setbacks, she set a goal that felt both “crazy” and deeply necessary: to move, to grow, to see if she belonged below the rim. What followed was a full-day South Kaibab–Tonto–Bright Angel hike taken with intention and joy. This story is a reminder that not every Grand …
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Ep83: The Boss Below The Rim: Ranger Lisa Hendy On Rescue, Respect, & Responsibility
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She’s the boss of everything below the rim—and one of the most respected rangers in the National Park Service. In this raw, revealing conversation, Grand Canyon District Ranger Lisa Hendy takes us inside the mechanics of a rescue, explains how heat and hubris turn hikes into helicopter rides, and shares her thoughts on the controversial River Trail…
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Tales From Below (Ep2): The Brotherhood Trek
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When Scott DeBergh reunited with three college friends for their first-ever trek below the rim together, they expected a challenge—but nothing could’ve prepared them for what the Canyon had in store. From dehydration and a bonk in The Box to redemption at Ribbon Falls, this five-day journey tested limits, strengthened bonds, and reminded them why t…
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Ep82: When It's OK To Quit: Caleb Metzger's Rim2Rim Wakeup Call
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Caleb Metzger has hiked Rim2Rim multiple times, including one-day crossings with his teenage son. But this spring, on a planned two-day Rim2Rim2Rim, everything felt... off. Despite being well-trained and well-prepared, the Canyon delivered something he didn’t expect—forcing a decision most hikers try to avoid. In this episode, Caleb opens up about …
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Tales From Below (Ep1): The Secret Rim-To-Rim
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In the premiere episode of our new series Tales From Below, Gordo Barcomb crosses the Grand Canyon with a team of six—four unforgettable days from South Rim to North. But what no one knew, not even his wife or daughter, was that he had one more hike planned. This is the true story of a secret solo Rim-to-Rim, years in the making, decided quietly, a…
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Ep81: Going Down: Punishment And Payoff On North Kaibab
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Every Rim2Rim hike begins with a drop—and North Kaibab's can be a rude awakening to your legs. In this episode, Brian takes you step-by-step through the 14-mile descent from the North Rim to Phantom Ranch and the Colorado River. You'll hear what to expect, what to look for, and what mistakes to avoid. This is your unofficial audio trail guide for o…
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Ep80: Jackie & The Crazies: A Rim2Rim Masterpiece Marred By Sudden Tragedy
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What started as a joyful Grand Canyon crossing for Jackie Kunkel and her crew—“The Crazies”—turned somber in the final stretch when they encountered the season’s first hiking fatality just 0.3 miles from the top of North Kaibab. In this raw and heartfelt conversation, the group reflects on the shock of witnessing a life lost on the trail—and the de…
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Ep79 – The R3 Reality Check: Why Rim2Rim2Rim Isn’t Just Another Hike
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Thinking about hiking Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in a single day? Hold up. In this episode, Brian lays down a no-nonsense warning for anyone dreaming of the Grand Canyon’s vaunted “double crossing.” Even ultra-fit hikers have been humbled—or worse—by the brutal demands of this 42+ mile trek with 20,000 feet of elevation change. It’s not just long. It’s rele…
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Ep78: Day Hiker Vs. Backpacker With Jerry Crank And Scott DeBergh
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They met below the rim, at the start of their separate bucket-list adventures. One was out for a day hike, the other a long backpacking trip. Today, Jerry Crank and Scott DeBergh reunite and reminisce—about what the Canyon taught them, what they wish they'd done differently in their training and preparation, and ultimately the lasting impact of the…
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