Guilty plea for man who led outsized Grand Canyon hike group

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A Washington state man who admitted organizing a rim-to-rim hike at Grand Canyon National Park for 139 people when the size of groups is limited has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from the 2020 trip. Joseph Don Mount pleaded guilty to violating the limit on group size and was sentenced to two years of probation. The park about five years ago started limiting the number of visitors in hiking groups to 11 people because of an increase in hikers. Mount was warned about the size limitation, but investigators say he kept organizing the trip anyway.