Back Home to Cibecue
Returning to Arizona to guide Cibecue Canyon with my friend, Gregg Henry, always feels like going home. Cibecue is a very nice canyon. Maybe not the best one on earth, but it will always be special to me. From the mid ’90s until I moved to Utah in 2002, I had the privilege of guiding the canyon under an exclusive arrangement with the White Mountain Apache Tribe. The agreement included a provision for me to train my replacements through the Apache Tribal Guides program, funded by a grant from the EPA. Don’t ask. I have no idea why the EPA was involved.
Over the years I trained a number of guides, rangers and rescue team members. Gregg was a natural born guide with a solid aptitude for technical rope work. He ultimately became the first canyoneering guide certified by the ACA. We became close friends. He brought his son, Miles, on a number of canyoneering trips with us. Around 10 years old the first time I met him. He’s grown, married, has a 2-year-old daughter, and is showing the same aptitude for guiding that I saw in his dad.
I was back in Arizona a couple weeks ago, guiding a group of teenage girls and their adult leaders. Side-by-side with Gregg again.
Pleased to announce that Gregg and I have entered into a joint venture and together have an exclusive arrangement with the Tribe for guided canyoneering trips and courses on the rez. I will handle the business and marketing from here in Cedar City. Gregg will do most of the guiding. We will work together with larger groups and I will teach courses. Intent is to involve more Apaches and to include Apache culture in most of our trips — canyoneering during the day, followed by a BBQ and Apache Crown Dancers.
Keep your eye on the calendar for upcoming programs or contact me about arranging a private program for you and your friends.
