340: Death-Defying Dreams: Grand Canyon’s Most Daring (and Foolish) Stunts
Update: 2025-12-08
Description
The Grand Canyon has always been a magnet for the bold, the reckless, and the people who look at a mile-deep chasm and think... yeah, I can take that. In this episode, we race through a century of jaw-dropping stunts, from a 1922 biplane pilot who somehow landed inside the park’s early boundaries to Nik Wallenda balancing across tribal land on a high-wire without a harness. Along the way we unravel how thrill-seekers dodged rules, rewrote them, or ignored them entirely in a quest to outdo nature itself.
Sources:
Grand Canyon Stunts Over the Years | National Geographic
Wallenda Survives Terrifying Grand Canyon Tightrope Walk
1922 - Into the Grand Canyon and Out Again by Airplane (U.S. National Park Service)
Attractions & Activities | Tourist Attractions | Grand Canyon IMAX
Park Statistics - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Filming, Photography and News Gathering - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Nik Wallenda completes tightrope walk across gorge near Grand Canyon - CBS News
Swiss ‘JetMan’ completes flight over Grand Canyon - Las Vegas Sun News
BBC News | Americas | Knievel cracks Grand Canyon
Scott’s World: Don’t Call Him Daredevil - UPI Archives
1922 - Into the Grand Canyon and Out Again by Airplane (U.S. National Park Service)
History & Culture - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Alex Honnold, the Free Solo Climber, Will Try to Scale Taipei 101 in Netflix Live Special - Netflix Tudum
10 Escape Acts and Daring Feats That Left Viewers Stunned - The Scroller
Grand Canyon Stunts Over the Years | National Geographic
The deadly cost of livestream culture: How pressure for views drives creators to extremes
Authorities investigate tragic death following tourist's illegal stunt at Grand Canyon
For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes
For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:
Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark
Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!
Thank you to the week’s partners!
Smalls: For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping, when you head to Smalls.com/NPAD.
Blueland: Use our link to get 15% off your first order.
Rocket Money: Use our link to get started saving.
Quince: Use our link to get free shipping and 365-day returns.
Against The Odds: Follow Against The Odds: Tsunami in Thailand on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge all episodes early and ad-free right now on Wondery+.
Sources:
Grand Canyon Stunts Over the Years | National Geographic
Wallenda Survives Terrifying Grand Canyon Tightrope Walk
1922 - Into the Grand Canyon and Out Again by Airplane (U.S. National Park Service)
Attractions & Activities | Tourist Attractions | Grand Canyon IMAX
Park Statistics - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Filming, Photography and News Gathering - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Nik Wallenda completes tightrope walk across gorge near Grand Canyon - CBS News
Swiss ‘JetMan’ completes flight over Grand Canyon - Las Vegas Sun News
BBC News | Americas | Knievel cracks Grand Canyon
Scott’s World: Don’t Call Him Daredevil - UPI Archives
1922 - Into the Grand Canyon and Out Again by Airplane (U.S. National Park Service)
History & Culture - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Alex Honnold, the Free Solo Climber, Will Try to Scale Taipei 101 in Netflix Live Special - Netflix Tudum
10 Escape Acts and Daring Feats That Left Viewers Stunned - The Scroller
Grand Canyon Stunts Over the Years | National Geographic
The deadly cost of livestream culture: How pressure for views drives creators to extremes
Authorities investigate tragic death following tourist's illegal stunt at Grand Canyon
For a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodes
For the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials at:
Instagram: @nationalparkafterdark
TikTok: @nationalparkafterdark
Support the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!
Thank you to the week’s partners!
Smalls: For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping, when you head to Smalls.com/NPAD.
Blueland: Use our link to get 15% off your first order.
Rocket Money: Use our link to get started saving.
Quince: Use our link to get free shipping and 365-day returns.
Against The Odds: Follow Against The Odds: Tsunami in Thailand on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge all episodes early and ad-free right now on Wondery+.
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