In the late 1800s, numerous dreamers and schemers made their way to the Grand Canyon to carve out a living. One of the more famous of these pioneers was Louis “The Hermit” Boucher. This stoic gentleman of French-Canadian descent mined, farmed and guided tourists from rim to river in a network of canyons that now bear his name.

This rugged corner of the canyon just west of Grand Canyon Village will serve as the setting for participants to develop skills in desert backpacking, Leave No Trace camping, water management, food storage, and the proper use of map and compass. Practice sessions will be conducted along lushly-vegetated Hermit and Boucher creeks, the sandy banks of the Colorado River, and the steep cliffs and windswept ridges that cradle Boucher’s namesake trails. In addition to the wilderness skills primer, participants will learn basic geology, and consider the modern and historic forces that are shaping the grandest of canyons.

This class is ideally suited for experienced backpackers looking for the next step up in difficulty from the more heavily-travelled Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails.