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The Grand Canyon, Rim to Rim
One of life's memorable hikes
The Grand Canyon is, quite simply, one of the most amazing places on earth. So, why do so many people race through it? Slow down, take your time, and immerse yourself in your surroundings!
The Grand Canyon is, quite simply, one of the most amazing places on earth. So, why do so many people race through it? I know people who hike rim-to-rim in a day. I read about people who hike rim-to-rim-to-rim (South Rim to North Rim and back again) in under 24 hours. Okay, if you can hike rim-to-rim in a day, you have earned some bragging rights. But what have you seen?
There is another way to hike the Canyon from rim to rim--take it easy! It's much safer, and it's a far more enjoyable way to get from one side of the Grand Canyon to the other. Plus, you will actually get to see the Canyon, something that the hurry-up-and-finish crowd doesn't do.
The Corridor TrailsThere are dozens of hikes in the Grand Canyon, but the most popular rim-to-rim hikes follow what the National Park Service refers to as the Corridor Trails. These are well-maintained trails that are frequently traveled and often patrolled by the Park Service. In addition, two out of the three trails have ready access to water:
- North Kaibab Trail: This trail runs from the North Rim to the Colorado River. It is the de factoroute to and from the North Rim, and it has pretty good access to water, except in winter.
- Bright Angel Trail:This trail runs from the South Rim to the Colorado River. It is considered the easier of the two South Rim trails, and like the North Kaibab trail, it has good access to water, except in winter. If you are hiking North Rim to South Rim, this is the trail to use for the hike up from the River.
- South Kaibab Trail: Like the Bright Angel Trail, this trail runs from the South Rim to the Colorado River. It is more difficult than the Bright Angel Trail, and there is no water on the trail, but the hiker is rewarded with spectacular vistas of the Canyon. This trail is worth considering if you are hiking from the South Rim to the North Rim, and you don't mind a real workout going downhill. Just be sure you carry plenty of water!
The oldest person I have met on the corridor trails was eighty years old, but he was in pretty good shape. I see a surprising number of seniors on the trail--but they are also in pretty good shape. In short, just about anyone can do the hike--if you're in pretty good shape! So, how good shape is that? Thy this: Go to your local sports stadium and climb the stairs a bunch of times without stopping. If you can do about 2, 000 steps, then you can probably do the itinerary that is listed below. If you don't have a sports stadium, a five-story office building will do in a pinch.
Remember that you will do the hike with thirty-five pounds or so on your back. So, train with weight. If you are going with an outfitter, buy a weight vest for training. In a pinch, you can take a cheap day pack and load it up with gallon milk jugs filled with water. I don't really recommend this approach, though, because most overnight backpacks have an internal frame and a number of features to ease the burden of carrying that weight. If you do take the day-pack approach, don't load it to the full weight. Twenty to twenty five pounds (roughly equal to your kids' schoolbook load...) should give you some idea of how the weight is going to feel. But keep in mind that the day pack will hurt a lot more than a decent overnight pack.
When to Hike?The Grand Canyon is an unforgiving environment. In July and August, temperatures at the bottom routinely reach 110 F. That's hot enough to kill you if you aren't prepared, and it can be very uncomfortable for even the well-prepared. So, most experts recommend staying away from the bottom from mid-June to mid-September.
Can a rim-to-rim trek by done in the summertime? Sure, but it's risky. If you haven't done a lot of desert hiking, don't try it. If you do try it, plan on breaking camp a couple of hours before sunrise and getting in all your day's hiking before about 10 AM. And carry lots of water, as much as you can manage.
To complicate matters further, the North Rim is about 1, 000 feet higher than the South Rim, and it gets heavy snowfall in the winter. As a result, most facilities on the North Rim close around mid-October and don't reopen until mid-May. So, if you plan on staying at the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim the night before you head down into the Canyon, you are pretty much limited to May 15 to June 15, and September 15 to October 15.
There is a campground at the North Rim, which is available before the Lodge opens for the season and after it closes. However, during those times, you can count on it being cold at the North Rim, which means you have to double-pack--for cold weather on the North Rim, and for moderate weather down in the Canyon. That means extra weight, which you are really going to feel on the way out. If you stay at the Lodge, you can pack fewer clothes and fewer meals, which can lighten your load noticeably.
Keep in mind that there are very limited facilities on the North Rim. The Lodge and the campground are pretty much it--the South Rim is Disneyland in comparison. The solitude and the forestambianceof the North Rim are refreshing, but make sure you have everything you need before you get there.
Guided or Self-Guided?There are several outfitters in Flagstaff that offer guided rim-to-rim treks. Do you need to go with a guide? If you are an experienced backpacker, probably not. The trails are well marked, and most people who hike the trails do it on their own. However, if you do go on your own, take a map and a compass! I would also recommend a good GPS unit. Cheap units can't get a signal in the Canyon, but most 'high sensitivity' receivers (SIRF3 chipset or equivalent) should be able to hold a signal at most places.
Note that even with a good GPS, you will experience periodic dropouts, particularly in the area north of the Colorado River known as The Box. These dropouts affect a GPS recorded track--on a recent hike, my Garmin 60 CSx reported the total distance as 35 miles (it's actually closer to 25). But its dropouts were intermittent. To get a fix, I typically need to walk no more than a couple of hundred yards.
If you do take a GPS into the Canyon, do not omit the map and compass! GPS units fail, their batteries die, and they get dropped or lost. A good map and compass add only ounces to your load, and they can quite literally save your life. The most important lesson to learn about the Canyon is that it is a harsh and unforgiving environment. If you screw up, it could kill you before you ever realize you are in trouble. Seriously. If you have any hesitation, heed the words of Mel Brooks: "Don't be stupid, be a smarty--sign up with a guided party!"
North to South, or South to North?Yourfirstdecision will be "Do I hike from the South Rim to the North Rim, or vice versa? And how do I get back to my original starting point when I am done? The North and South Rims are only about twenty-fivemiles apart, but you have to drive around the Canyon to cover that distance, which transforms the journey into a 212 mile drive that takes four to five hours. There are several solutions to the problem:
- Shuttle:There is a trans-canyon shuttle, which costs about $75. It leaves the South Rim at 1:30 PM each day and arrives at the North Rim at 6:00 PM. It leaves the North Rim at 7:00 AM, and arrives back at the South Rim at 11:30 AM. So, no matter which way you are traveling, you will end up spending the night at the top of the North Rim.
- Key swap:If there are several people in your group, split into two groups. One group drives to the North Rim and starts there. The other group starts at the South Rim. Both groups meet and Phantom Ranch, have a couple of beers and steak dinners, and thesouthboundgroup hands the car keys over to the northbound group. The northbound group drives the car back to the South Rim.
- Expensive gifts for your spouse or loved one:If your significant other isn't joining you on the hike, talk them into driving you to the North Rim. This is also known as the LOL Gambit. I'm told that expensive gifts figure prominently in the strategy.
Water, Water, Water!I can't emphasize it enough--take more water than you think you will need--a lot more. I take three liters of water and a quart bottle of Gatorade, which I replenish from powdered Gatorade that I carry. If you carry a water filter, then you can take water from the creeks along the trail, which will lighten the water load a bit. But before you go into the Canyon, verify that the creeks are running! It can be fatal to assume you will draw water from the creeks, only to discover they are dry.
By the same token, take extra snacks for the trail. Avoid sweet snacks, in favor of salty ones. You will burn off an incredible amount of electrolytes (and carbs) as you hike, and you need to replenish them periodically. I have also used power gels in the Canyon with good results. However, if you use a gel, use one that is heavy on electrolytes and light on sugar. Sugar doesn't help you very much, and it will leave you feeling terrible after the initial rush wears off. Electrolytes and non-sugar carbs will help you keep going when it gets hot.
What to WearI am amazed at the number of people I see hiking the Canyon in t-shirts and shorts. Yes, some of those folks are seasoned locals, but most of them are sunburned tourists. If you haven't hiked the desert before, don't underestimate the sun's ability to fry you to a crisp. Here's how to avoid sunburn and potential heat stroke.
- A long shirt:Yes, I know this sounds crazy, but it is absolutely true. you've got to keep the sun off of your upper torso. Get a very lightweight, white, polypropylene, collared shirt, with an SPF rating of 30 or better. The material will wick moisture away from your skin, and I find it keeps me cooler than a t-shirt.
- Long pants:Wear light-colored, light weight polypropylene pants. My favorites are convertible pants with legs that zip off. Again, they keep the sun off and they wick moisture away from the body.
- A desert hat:I have a bush hat with a wide brim that I love for desert hiking. I typically wear it with abandanna that I soak in water and wear under the hat, falling across the back of my neck. I have tried a desert hat that is similar to a bush hat, but with a large flap like aLegionnaire'scap to cover the back of the neck, and I like that too.
- Wool socks:Leave the summer weight socks at home. Your feet are going to get a real workout, particularly on the first and last days. Give them all the cushioning possible (and don't forget to pack moleskin for the inevitable blisters and hot spots).
A Recommended ItineraryAt the beginning of this article, I recommend slowing down and taking things easy. Here is a four-day itinerary that will keep your daily hiking distance manageable and give you plenty of time to take in the environment as you cross the Canyon.
Four days may seem like a long time to spend hiking twenty-five miles. Believe me, it's not. Between the heat and the stair-climbing, a Grand Canyon hike can turn into a death-march long before you realize you are in over your head. Ask yourself this: How long would you take to do a seventy-five mile hike? Remember, a Grand Canyon mile is worth three miles anywhere else. Four days starts looking pretty good.
First Day: North Rim to Cottonwood CampThe first day's hike is about five-and-a-half miles, but it's no walk in the park. You'll start out at about 7, 900 feet in a pine forest, and you will drop to about 4, 000 feet in a desert. That's a roughly 4, 000 foot drop, or about 700 feet per mile. Even on the downhill, that can be tough on the knees. This hike is the world's best reason to own a pair of trekking poles. If you aren't familiar with them, trekking poles look like ski poles, but have an adjustable length. On this part of the hike, you put your poles out in front of you, and you lean slightly forward onto them. That transfers some of your weight to your upper body as you step down, taking pressure off your knees. After several hours of climbing down, your knees will definitely be able to tell the difference.
From the trailhead (a parking lot about a half-mile from the Grand Canyon Lodge) you will descend a mile or so into Roaring Springs Canyon to the Supai Tunnel, a short portal cut through the rock. There is a water station(with tap water) just above the tunnel--stop there and load up on water. From there, you continue another couple of miles to Roaring Springs, where there is another water station with tap water.
Oddly, there is a small house there. For years, it was a caretaker's house. You might wonder why there would be a caretaker in the middle of the Grand Canyon. It seems that the State of California has legal rights to the water running in the Colorado River, so the Grand Canyon cannot draw from it. The nearest water to the South Rim that the Canyon can use is the water coming up from Roaring Springs. So there is a pumping station at Roaring Springs, which pumps water down and across the Colorado River, then up to the South Rim. In other words, theSouthRim gets its water from the North Rim!
Until a few years ago, the pumping station required a caretaker, who lived in the house with his family. Eventually, the pumping station was automated, and the caretaker retired with his family to a more conventional life topside.
At Roaring Springs, the mouth of Roaring Springs Canyon, the trail turns right and follows Bright Angel Canyon down to the Colorado River. Cottonwood Camp is about two miles down the trail, and it isn't nearly as steep as the trek through Roaring Springs Canyon.
Cottonwood CampCottonwood Camp sits on the banks of Bright Angel Creek, which the trail follows all the way to the Colorado River. Cottonwood Camp is literally a wide spot in the trail, but it has tap water and compost toilets, socomparativelyspeaking, it's got all the comforts of home. Each campsite (like all the campsites on the corridor trails) has a picnic table and ample space for laying out three or four backpacking tents. The surface is dirt--no gravel to tear up the bottom of your tent. A lightweight sleeping pad does fine--no thick air mattress is really required. I use a Thermarest ProLite 4, with good results.
There is very little natural shade at Cottonwood Camp, so make sure you can provide some of your own, particularly if you plan on arriving at midday. I generally carry a footprint for my tent, and it is pretty easy to rig up a sunshade using that, my trekking poles, and stakes from my tent. Bright Angel Creek is only about twenty-five yards from the campground, and it is a great place to soak tired feet and get away from the heat if you arrive early.
Cottonwood Camp, like the other campgrounds on the corridor trails, follows the sun. People bed down for the night about 8:00 PM and get up anywhere from 4:00 to 6:00 AM. It's not unusual to see folks up a couple of hows before sunrise, making breakfast and breaking camp by the light of their headlamps. Most people are polite and considerate, and they don't seem to disturb the late sleepers.
The most striking thing about Cottonwood Camp happens after dark. If you have never experienced a desert breeze at night, you are in for something you will remember. The breeze kicks in about an hour after sunset and runs until around midnight. It is a steady, constant breeze that you can actually hear. It's a lot like having an air conditioner blow over you as you sleep. It is actually very pleasant, once you get used to it.
Second Day: Cottonwood Camp to Bright Angel CampgroundThe second day is somewhat easier than the first, because it isn't as steep. But it's tougher, because it's a bit longer--about seven miles. You should plan on making an early start, for three reasons. The first is to allow yourself some time at Ribbon Falls, an amazing waterfall about a mile down the trail. The second is to get through The Box before it gets really hot--in the midday heat, The Box can literally be an oven. And the third, and most important, reason for leaving early, is to give yourself time to grab a beer or two at Phantom Ranch at the end of the day.
Ribbon Falls is a must-see a mile or so down the trail from Cottonwood Camp. It's a short detour from the main trail, easy to get to and easy to get back from. Make sure you pack a pair of hiking sandals, because you will need to cross Bright Angel Creek at one or two points.
The Falls themselves are gorgeous. If you are a photographer, there are dozens of pictures to take, and if you aren't, there is a lot to be said for setting down your pack and just hanging out for a while. When you finish, you can hike back out to the trail the way you came in, or you can hike along the creek for another quarter-mile or so and skip Heartbreak Hill on the main trail, just past the Falls cutoff trail. If you decide to hike along the creek, make sure you have a map and compass, in case you miss the main trail.
The Box isn't as bad as it sounds, but it's bad enough on a hot day. Temperatures of 100 or higher are routine. It is much better to hike it in the morning, before 10:00 if possible. By noon it's a broiler. The sooner you get through the better.
Your reward for getting an early start can be found at Phantom Ranch. This small cantina/lodge was originally built by the Santa Fe railroad nearly a hundred years ago. The cantina is air-conditioned, which makes it an excellent place to spend an afternoon. And they sell beer, which makes it even better. Finally, Phantom Ranch serves a steak dinner, for hikers as well as overnight guests. You have to sign up well in advance, though.
There is no cell phone service north of the Colorado River, but there is a pay phone at Phantom Ranch. If you plan to use the phone while you are there, make sure you take a telephone 'calling card' (credit card). The phone takes Visa and MasterCard, but it charges $20 for a ten-minute call!
Bright Angel CampgroundBright Angel Campground is about a half-mile down the trail past Phantom Ranch. The setup is about like Cottonwood Camp, with slightly better amenities. The Colorado River is about a quarter mile from the campground, and it is well worth the short hike.
One of the most amazing sights I have seen in the Canyon was a moonset over the South Rim around 4:00 AM one morning. The moon was bright enough to cast vivid shadows, and the cliffs on the north side of the river shimmered in moonlight and shadow as the moon went over the rim. It's a sight I'll never forget. I only wish I'd had the equipment to photograph it!
Third Day: Bright Angel to Indian GardensThe third day is a short day, but it's not an easy one. It starts out as a walk along the Colorado River for a couple ofmiles, then it turns up Pipe Creek:
That's when the hike starts to get really interesting. There is a series of switchbacks known as 'The Devil's Corkscrew' that give a pretty good preview of the hike out. After doing it, you will appreciate the wisdom of doing the climb out over two days. Once you make it to the top of the corkscrew, its another mile or so to Indian Gardens campground.
Indian Gardens CampgroundIndian Gardens is a real treat after climbing up from the Colorado-- it feels a lot like an oasis. I think it is my favorite of the three campgrounds on the corridor trails, mainly because it has a lot of natural and man-made shade. After three days in the sun, it's nice to be able to stretch out and read a book in the shade.
Plateau PointOkay, so maybe you are young enough and fit enough to climb out of the Canyon in one day. Don't do it--if you do, you'll miss one of the most amazing sights in the Canyon: Sunset at Plateau Point. It's about a mile and a half hike from Indian Garden out to Plateau Point, but it's pretty flat, and you don't need to head out until late in the afternoon. So, it's a pretty easy walk. Be sure to take a headlight--you'll need it on the way back.
The show starts about a half hour before sunset. It's different from all other sunsets in that the view is not the sunset itself--it is opposite the sunset. The Canyon takes on an other-worldly quality as evening shadows fall over it. This picture doesn't really do it justice, but it will give you some idea of what it is like:
Catching a sunset at Plateau Point is the #1 reason to climb out in two days, and it's what takes me back to the Canyon.
Day Four: Indian Garden to South RimThis is the part of the trek that people look forward to even as they dread it. Relax--it's not that bad. In fact, if you get an early start, it's not bad at all.
The trick to the climb out is to take it easy. Hike a little, rest a little. Don't push yourself. That's easy to do if you get an early start. I like to hit the trail at Indian Garden before 6:00 AM. That way, I can take a nice easy stroll, lounge around at the water stations every mile and a half, and still be out of the Canyon by 10:30 AM or so, before the midday sun begins bearing down. Since tap water is available at regular intervals, you can probably lighten your water load just a bit. I generally fill a liter bottle and my Gatorade bottle, and that's plenty.
Snacks are important on the climb out, particularly if you are climbing out at midday. You will burn up more electrolytes and carbs on this climb than on any other part of the trip, so make sure you load up on carbs the night before and have a good breakfast before you leave. You will be surprised that the climb out, while strenuous, isn't nearly as tough as you thought it would be.
When you get to the top, don't forget to trot over to the Gift Shop in the El Tovar Lodge on the South Rim and buy yourself a cheesy "I Hiked Rim-to-Rim" t-shirt. You've done it; you've get every right in the world to flaunt it! And I bet you'll start thinking about a return trip before the day is done. The Canyon really is an amazing place.
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composting horse manure
25 May 2010 at 12:50am
Hot composting horse manure revisited
25 Jun 2011 at 7:36pm
Mulch & Manure
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