Plans Change. Missions Don’t.
We’ve always known that nature doesn’t care about our plans. That’s part of what draws us out there in the first place: the unpredictability, the challenge, the reminder that we’re not in charge.
Originally, we mapped out a full North Rim to South Rim Grand Canyon push: a test of fitness, planning, comms, gear, and grit all aligned with the launch of Fit to Fire. But nature had other plans.
Due to wildfires, the North Rim is fully closed, and access to our original route has been cut off entirely. We tried to adapt with a loop on the South Rim, linking up several trails that would’ve still given us a solid 20+ mile overnight effort. But a new curveball dropped.
The River Trail, critical for connecting Pipe Creek to South Kaibab, was originally scheduled to reopen by October 1st. That’s now been pushed to November 1st due to delays on the Transcanyon Waterline Project of course these delays are caused by the fires and even that date of Nov 1st is tentative.
Then came the bigger hit.
The North Rim water treatment plant was destroyed, releasing chlorine gas. Phantom Ranch had to evacuate, and it won’t reopen until at least November 1st. Add to that the seasonal shutdowns of water sources along the trail, and you’re suddenly looking at hauling several gallons on your back just to stay hydrated. Factor in early snow and ice at elevation, and we’re officially in mission abort territory.
We Adapt. Then We Launch.
What does this mean for Fit to Fire?
It means we now have a few more weeks to finish final revisions on the manuscript, dial in the layout and design, and get the book exactly where it needs to be.
We’re still on track to open pre-orders October 1st, with shipping starting October 31st. This isn’t a delay, it’s an opportunity to go into launch with even more precision and clarity.
We’ll find another challenge to test ourselves soon. And we’ll bring the same grit and mindset we bring to every mission, whether in the field or at the desk.
Because that’s what Fit to Fire is really about.
