...and leads 153-person maskless conga line straight into the waiting arms of park rangers after posting all of his plans to evade them on Facebook.
[quote]Mount reassured the ranger that he only planned to bring a small group of 10 into the park, made up of his former rugby teammates, close friends and family. The next day, he logged onto Facebook to tell the dozens who had paid for the hike that he needed to make it appear that he would no longer be leading them.
[quote]"Ranger Hopp - this is my plausible deniability," Mount wrote on Facebook, according to the affidavit. "I am no longer leading a group through Grand Canyon on 10/24. I am simply going with my 10 (or less) closest friend[s] and family."
[quote]Even after park officials warned him that his plans would break the rules, Mount encouraged people to show up and obscure the fact that they were with his group, park officials alleged. He also reassured the Facebook group that their hotel rooms were still booked and that chartered buses would be on hand to take hikers back to their cars, according to the affidavit.
[quote]"Remember - there is nothing stopping you from hiking the Grand Canyon on this day," Mount wrote to the group. "However, there is now a target on my back and this is the best way I know how to still hike R2R and not be tied to any of you. I hope you all recognize the position I'm in. I've spent countless hours organizing this, but when Ranger Hopp calls up . . . I must separate myself from all of you."
[quote]Now, Mount faces five federal charges and is accused of lying to park officials, doing business in the park without a permit and violating coronavirus restrictions.