Group Readies Grand Canyon Hike

It’s 5am in Brooklyn on a recent morning, and as most of New York City catches its last bit of sleep, a few men are strapping on forty pound backpacks and going out for a hike, as they prepare for the adventure of a lifetime.

Welcome to Hike 4 Friendship, a small group of dedicated men preparing for a grueling yet beautiful five-day hike through the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona to raise awareness for the Friendship Circle.

Each of the palpably excited team members has their own personalized and demanding training regimen. Down Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights one of them briskly walks, turning up towards the Brooklyn Museum, where he’ll run up and down its iconic steps, imagining the steep inclines he will face under the scorching desert sun in just a few short weeks.

“The only thing that can really prepare you for the Grand Canyon is the Grand Canyon itself,” says Pinny Lew, an avid Grand Canyon backpacker and the Hike 4 Friendship group leader and coach.

Of the five million tourists who visit this most famous of the Natural Wonders of the World, the vast majority experience the awesome views from near their cars on the South Rim of the Canyon. The Hike 4 Friendship trip, however, allows the participants to witness the Canyon’s greatness from a different, more intimate perspective, and providing an unmatched level of solitude, wilderness, and silence.

“However,” cautions Lew, “we are being selective in who we will take which is how two spots have recently opened. We leave in just six weeks, but for someone who takes it seriously, I am willing to guide them and help bring them up to par for the hike. It can be done.”

While it is not the deepest canyon in the world, the Grand Canyon is known throughout the world for its awe-inspiring size and its complex and colorful landscape. The air quality in the Grand Canyon is so pure that average visibility can be up to 100 miles, allowing crystal clear views of the varied and unique geological formations. It’s a sight that those who have descended its steep and rocky trails say is a wonder that one must simply see to believe.

“While an average person walks about four miles-per-hour, in the Grand Canyon, due to the heat, the terrain, and the weight of the backpack, we hike around one mile-an-hour,” adds Lew. “Still, if you take the proper precautions and train beforehand – and that is what we’re doing – almost anyone can do this.”

Mendel Groner, the Hike 4 Friendship coordinator, explains, “We’re looking for two men in decent shape who are looking for a great opportunity to really connect on another level with the majesty of Hashem’s creations, while at the same time raising money and awareness for an amazing cause: the Friendship Circle.”

The Friendship Circle is a non-profit organization that assists children with disabilities and their families. Addressing the often overlooked needs of special needs children, the Friendship Circle has rapidly developed and today includes 82 branches worldwide.

With no electricity, working phones, roads, paved paths, beds or buildings in the Grand Canyon, Hike 4 Friendship promises to be a one-of-a-kind experience for those involved, and not something they are ever likely to forget.

For more information and to apply for the Grand Canyon Hike 4 Friendship, visit Hike4Friendship.org or email mendel@friendshipcircle.com. Applications will be accepted till Thursday evening, Ches Iyar.