Helen Ranney
Helen first saw the Grand Canyon as a child on a family road trip. During her professional career she worked for Arizona Highways magazine, which gave her the unique opportunity to learn about the Grand Canyon from numerous photographers and writers. After several years of driving between Phoenix and the Canyon just to complete a day hike, she took a job with the Grand Canyon Association as Director of Marketing and Outreach and later as the Associate Director of Philanthropy. Living and working at Grand Canyon National Park allowed her to gain a deeper understanding about the Canyon’s human and natural history. Helen has trekked internationally completing a 15-day trek to the Everest Base Camp in Nepal, and summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa at an elevation of 19,341 feet. In 2016, Helen completed a 21-day, 240+ mile backpack on the John Muir Trail. The Sierra kept calling Helen so in the summer of 2018, she and some friends went back into the Sierra for a 12-day 100+ mile backpack to explore new areas of that beautiful mountain scenery. Helen lives in Flagstaff with her husband Wayne Ranney, geologist, trail guide, and author of Carving Grand Canyon.