Almost everybody has seen the Grand Canyon, whether it’s on a road trip to northern Arizona or on a postcard. It’s one of the seven natural wonders of the world. 

It’s one thing to see the canyon from a distance, even if that is standing on one of its storied rims. But it’s a whole other experience when you step down into it... to hike deep inside and walk along its ancient ridges. Best-selling author Kevin Fedarko did just that. In fact, he walked the entire 750-mile length of it.

Over the course of his ambitious trek, Kevin faced serious heat exhaustion, dehydration, and had multiple near-death experiences, including almost running out of food during a snowstorm. But he lived to tell the tale.

On today's episode, I sit down with Kevin Fedarko in the woods of Bellingham, WA to hear the remarkable story of his relationship with the Grand Canyon, his journey to uncover the human-made threats it faces, and what he learned along the way - through pain, misery, humiliation and laughter.

GUEST:
Kevin Fedarko, NYT best-selling author of A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon

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THE WILD is a production of KUOW in Seattle in partnership with Chris Morgan Wildlife and Wildlife Media. It is produced by Matt Martin and Lucy Soucek, and edited by Jim Gates. Writing for this episode by Christopher Preston. It is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.

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