Off the Beaten Path: Cross-Country the North Rim

By Tyler Williams

Imagine gliding across open spruce-lined parks reminiscent of northern Minnesota, and then suddenly bursting out onto the rim of Grand Canyon. At the canyon's North Rim, you can make this come true. This area receives nearly 150 inches of snow annually, and when you combine the white gold with the gentle rolling terrain of the Kaibab Plateau and blue skies, and you have a recipe for great ski touring. The standard trip here is for true hardcore skiers. It entails a week-long tour bisecting the plateau, followed with a rim to rim trek across the canyon.

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