Hiking the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim

September 6-7, 2016

Dianne and I arrived at Grand Canyon National Park and were promptly greeted by a herd of bison.

We checked in and inspected our cabin before setting out to take pictures, just like the tourists.  Looking out over the vistas, I was quick to realize the enormity of the task ahead, hiking the Grand Canyon from rim to rim.

On the horizon you can see the San Francisco Peaks towering over Flagstaff.  Grandson Osten and I plan to hike to the peak of Mt. Humphrey at 12,666 feet.

We had a nice meal at the lodge.  I am beginning to worry if I am taking on too much.  It looks so far to that other rim.

Now the work begins.  The first day will be a hike of 14.5 miles, all downhill to the mighty Colorado River.  The second day, all uphill for 9.5 miles, a killer hike indeed. 

Let's get started.  I am travelling as light as I can.  Most of the items in my pack are safety related.  Then there is the water, the constant need for water.  The 90+ temperatures by noon, and the steady breeze, siphon the water right out of you.

If the trail looks a little rough to you, it is.

 I am hiking down the Kaibab Trail and come to the first overlook.

You can see the trail below.

Note the cliffs below.  There are many, many areas where you do not want to stumble.

Be careful on the turns.  To keep a clear head you must manage your water intake, your heartrate, and avoid stumbling.

The road ahead.  I love the level path, but know I must go down a mile total to the Colorado River.

Note the winding path below.   I need to descend a mile today.

There are reminders that not everyone that hikes down into the canyon will be hiking back out.  I think to myself, drink some more water.

I see very few hikers, perhaps two per hour.  Here I come up on a couple.  Nice flat land here, but that does not last.

I reach the Cottonwood Campground.  I see just a few tents.  The temperature is 92 degrees at noon so I soak my feet in the very cold stream.

After 8 hours of hiking, I reach my destination for the day, the Phantom Ranch on the Colorado River.

The ranch is fully booked.  Most of the folks came in by mule.  They are the ones who are laughing and having a great time.  Then there are us hikers.  A solemn bunch indeed.  No joking about here as we know what we face tomorrow.  It is all uphill from the river.

I sleep in the bunkhouse, there are twelve of us.  I draw the short straw and have an upper bunk.  Imagine 12 men snoring, the single toilet being flushed throughout the night.  The first alarms begin sounding at 3:45 am.  Maybe I got four hours of restless sleep.  No jokes, no laughter in this bunch.  I never got the name of a single one of them.  I was the old guy in the bunch and some commented on how awesome it was that I was among them.

In the morning I had to cross the mighty Colorado.  Fortunately there is a bridge.  For a mile you hike the hike along the river.

Then you turn up.  You look up and know that the next nine hours are going to be a load.  Watch your water intake.  Watch your heart rate.  Watch the sky for the rare California Condor (yes, I saw one).  Watch the trail for rattlesnakes.

I stop to catch my breath often.  I look back with satisfaction as I view the path taken.  I am pleased that each step gets me closer to the South Rim.  Watch your water intake.  Watch your heartrate.

I also look up and am reminded of the task ahead.  The hours blow by.

I arrive at the Indian Gardens Campground.  There are folks here, most arriving by mule. 

Looking back.  From the point in the center of the photo you can see the mighty Colorado way down below.  Each footstep that I take represents 40,000 years in geologic time.  It took two billion years for the Colorado to wear the surface away to a depth of one mile.  Awesome comes to mind.

Looking back, once again, I take satisfaction in how far I have climbed today.  The legs are getting sore now.  Note the trail far below.

At times I am amazed how high I have climbed.  I spend a lot of time looking back with enjoyment, then looking ahead with anxiousness.  Am I taking in enough water?  Will the legs hold up?  Watch that heartrate.  Any telltale signs of heat exhaustion, like stumbling, losing concentration.  No helicopter for me, I think to myself, so slow down and take smaller steps.  Short steps save energy, and save the legs.

As I complete my ninth hour on the trail today, and my ninth mile, I look up and see my destination at the South Rim (Bright Angel Trail).  Dianne and Osten will be waiting. 

Osten runs up and gives me a big hug.  Dianne takes our picture at the trailhead.

Dianne presents me with a new shirt, "I hiked the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim"  I look around and see hundreds upon hundreds of people taking pictures of the canyon from the rim.  They believe they have seen the Grand Canyon.  I know better.  They can't even see the Colorado River from the rim.

I encourage you to watch the Ken Burns series "The National Parks".  It is a great story about America's best idea.

President Teddy Roosevelt stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon and gave a short speech.  In it he stated, "Leave it as it is.  There is nothing you can do to improve upon it."  And so it is today, wild. 

The Grand Canyon is over 200 miles long yet there are just a couple of trails across it.  Five million visitors will view the Grand Canyon this year, taking lots of pictures from the North and South rims.  Just a few of those visitors will do the crazy thing, hike across it from rim to rim.