Grand Canyon Hike Organizer Violated Covid-19 Restrictions, Officials Say
Prosecutors said at least 150 people showed up, astounding rangers and overwhelming visitors who struggled to steer clear of the hikers, many of whom were not wearing masks or social distancing.
At least 100 people from 12 different states had signed up on Facebook for a one-day hike in October that was organized in violation of pandemic restrictions, officials said.Credit.Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times
May 8, 2021Updated 1:17 p.m. ET
The organizer of a Grand Canyon adventure described it as a chance to trek along the South Rim, “one of the greatest hikes in the planet.”
45,000 people signed up for a chance to kill 12 bison in the Grand Canyon
Bryan Maul/AP
FILE - In this Sept. 13, 2019, file photo, provided by the National Park Service, bison enter a corral on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz. The National Park Service is opening a rare opportunity for skilled volunteers to help reduce the population of bison that are roaming the far reaches of Arizona. Thousands of people are expected to apply for one of 12 spots to lethally remove bison later this year at Grand Canyon National Park.
By: CBS News
and last updated 2021-05-08 01:03:36-04
May 08, 2021 09:00 AM EDT
BAD BERLEBURG, GERMANY - MAY 05: A herd of European bison roams through a forest in the Rothaargebirge mountain range on May 5, 2014 near Bad Berleburg, Germany. The herd is a project of Wisent Welt Wittgenstein, a government-funded initiative which last year released the herd in an effort to restock the bison in the wild. European bison were once plentiful across Europe and Russia, though their numbers were decimated to near extinction by hunting and habitat encroachment.
(Photo : Photo by Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images)
A dozen spot for bison shooters at Grand Canyon National Park has garnered multiple applications from up to 45,000 people.
Washington healthcare exec faces charges after Grand Canyon hike allegedly broke COVID-19 rules
Joseph Mount is accused of leading more than 150 people on a trip to the Grand Canyon last year. He now faces federal charges. Author: Michael Crowe Updated: 10:25 PM PDT May 6, 2021
SEATTLE The beauty and spectacle of the Grand Canyon draw people from around the world, but a hiking trip during the pandemic has landed a Washington healthcare executive in federal court.
Records filed in Arizona U.S. District Court alleged that in October 2020, Joseph Don Mount led a group of approximately 153 people on a hiking trip in Grand Canyon National Park. Hikers transited “rim to rim,” a popular route that takes hikers on a strenuous trek thousands of feet down into the canyon, then back up on the other side.
Man faces federal charges for organizing 153-person trip to Grand Canyon
Julie Jacobson/AP
FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2013, file photo, the Grand Canyon National Park is covered in the morning sunlight as seen from a helicopter near Tusayan, Ariz. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)
and last updated 2021-05-07 16:25:55-04
A man is facing federal charges for allegedly organizing a 153-person hike through Grand Canyon National Park in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
Having a group that large is not allowed inside the park even before pandemic safety measures. Tour groups were limited to 30 people prior to March 2020, to help preserve the natural beauty of the park and reduce foot traffic. During the pandemic, groups were limited to 11 people.