Anyone ever backpacked in the Grand Canyon?

Ok, so next summer DH and I are planning a 4-5 day hiking trip in the Grand Canyon. We are planning it for just the two of us- not with a group (we like to do our own thing- and group tours are crazy expensive). I'm SO excited (and it's still soooo far away). :D I know summer is the worst time to hike the canyon, but seeing how I teach, and that's the only time I can do it- it will have to do. ;)
We went to the Canyon last summer and hiked 3 miles down and I knew I had to go back to see more of the canyon. It's beauty is amazing/scary/intimidating.
I've already bought him an internal frame backpack, and am keeping my eye out for one for me. We've climbed a few 13,000+ ft mountains, so the logistics of hiking/backcountry camping aren't new or scary to us, although I know that canyoneering and mountaineering are VERY different birds. ;)

I've been scouring the internet for training programs, but have only found mountaineering programs to use (a training program for climbing Denali will work for conditioning/strengthing). I've purchased numerous books about hiking the Canyon and am reading them all the time.
We'll be carrying lightweight camping gear (tent/sleeping pads/sheet), water purification system, dromedary, stove, etc.

I'm just wondering if anyone has done it, and what your experiences were like. I'm nervous about getting a backcountry permit (need to apply 4 months in advance), but hoping we'll be approved. That will determine if we get to do it or not.

Any tips, advice, etc are warmly welcomed! :)

Oh! ME, ME, ME!!!!

It's my favorite place in the world, and we've done quite a few backpacking trips. I'm super-jealous - I haven't been there in two years and I feel homesick!

Trips we've done - rim-to-rim-to-rim, starting on both sides. We prefer the South Kaibab trail - I think it's prettier, but because it doesn't have water, so you shouldn't hike up in any kind of heat.

We've also done some hiking on the Tonto Trail, combined to make a really big rim-to-rim-to-rim, again in both directions. Trailheads: Hermit's Rest, Grandview, and then the North Rim again. Oh - spend as much time on the North Rim as you can. SO much nicer than the South Rim - quiet, cooler, greener. The Tonto Trail is much more primitive, and water sources are harder to find in some locations. We had a scare one trip, and had to get our water out of a tiny little puddle with tadpoles. Yuck.

And, we've also hiked to Clear Creek from the South Rim.

When you get your permits and if you're planning on camping at the Bright Angel campground - at the Colorado River - try to book meals or even a cabin at Phantom Ranch.

Hmmm. Too much info??? :cool:

Too cool!!! Oh, and it' not too much info, PW- do you have more???;)

We actually have 3 plans to submit when we apply for our backcountry permit: rim to rim, South Kaibab to river then back up to Indian Garden to top, and some form of the Tonto trail. I want to provide as many options as possible so that our odds of getting a permit are greater. I'm SO excited!

Mmm... tadpole water. Sounds yummy! :) I'm actually reading (right now) Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon and read about a couple that passed up a puddle with tadpoles in it (proved to be fatal for them).

I've heard that North Rim is so much prettier, but it's so hard to get to. Would you recommend hiking down to the river and back from the North Rim? I know it's a LOT less traveled, and we can camp at Cottonwood Camp halfway back up. It's a lot further down (and back up) from the North Rim, but if you think it's worth it then we'll totally consider it. I'm all about avoiding the crowds and seeing a different side of the canyon (we were all South Rim last time).

Please, tell me more!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Tri Girl

Too cool!!! Oh, and it' not too much info, PW- do you have more???;)

Please, tell me more!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D Thanks!

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You want more? I got more!!!

DO read all of Over the Edge. It's a cautionary tale, and we've seen people making many of the same mistakes. I can't remember if it's in the book, but we followed the path of the marathon runner who died going from Grandview to S. Kaibab shortly after she died, and it drove home how treacherous it really is - especially off the main trails. For your first time (or two) I would recommend sticking to the main "corridor" trails. Stopping at Cottonwood is a good idea. For us (kinda quiet, loner-types) we prefer the laidback North Rim - a rim-to-rim lets you see both sides. Oddly, we find it better to stop at Cottonwood on the way down. On the way up, we usually hit it so early that it's just easier to hike all the way up. Stopping there on the way down lets you get an early start the next morning heading into The Box, which can get brutally hot.

You're smart to go down S. Kaibab and up B.A. You could stop at Indian Garden, then maybe do one night out on the Tonto. It would still be doable to then hike back to the rim in one day.

You had asked about training --- another cautionary tale... as fit cyclists, you would think it would have been no problem. It seems the more we cycled before the trip, the tighter our calves were after we hiked - literally hobbling around for days after our last rim2rim2rim because our calves were trashed. So, start stretching NOW. I mean it, step away from the laptop and stretch! I usually put on a weighted backpack and hit both the stairs in my house and my treadmill, designed for hikers with a 25% grade. And, don't forget the downhills. Be careful training for them - it's tough on knees, but work up slowly, especially since no matter how light you pack, you must carry all the water you'll need on trails like S.Kaibab.

My BF was a college professor, so we understand the scheduling problems - but, the North Rim doesn't open until May. It will be HOT in the inner gorge, but drink, wear hats, rest in the shade (yeah, hiked it enough that I could tell you where all the shade is!) and put your feet up for a few minutes every time you stop.

Oh -- one more tip. Put in as many variations for your trip on the permit as you can. Forwards, backwards, moved one day forward, one day back - every option that you can.

Haven't hiked it (with a backpack and all) but I did climb out from Bright Angel Campground to the south rim starting at noon, and man, was it hot! (I rafted halfway down through the canyon, then hiked out, but the mules carried my gear.) A shower never felt so good.

But I did want to second Pedal Wench's recommendation of spending some time at the North Rim. Sooooo much better than the South Rim. South is like a city, North is like the country. Hotels vs. cottages. Frantic vs. laid back. Love love love it there.

Thanks, PW, for all your wisdom!!! My DH was appalled that I was reading the "death" book, but I'm looking at it as a way to read what NOT to do and to gain some knowledge on what to do right so I don't wind up in a book like that one day. I'm off to go stretch, now. :)
About the permit- can we just say: we want to do a 5 day, 4 night trip any time within this two week period- and they can tell us the dates that are open- or do we have to be specific with dates? I want to put as many options as humanly possible because I WANT to do this trip!!! :)

Divingbiker- thanks for the tip! I think we're for sure going to visit the North Rim this time- it just seems so out of the way and like a different crowd might be there. :) Plus, I've heard there are some great mtn bike trails on the N. Rim and we'd like to check those out after we've done our hike.

I'm pretty sure you have to be specific with the dates on the permit, but it can't hurt to add that as a note. We haven't had to apply for one since 2006, and it might have changed. Our last hike in 2007 was a luxury trip. The day those dates opened up to book Phantom Ranch, we called and while my BF was on the phone, the computers all went down - he was able to book whatever he wanted and everyone else was locked out. So, we did a r2r2r staying at the cabins down at Phantom Ranch. Felt like rockstars. :cool:

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Originally Posted by Pedal Wench

So, we did a r2r2r staying at the cabins down at Phantom Ranch. Felt like rockstars. :cool:

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VERY cool!!!
I just spent 2 hours at the hiking/outdoor store that I trust the most trying on packs. HOLY MOLY!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek: They are HUGE and really expensive. Of course, the one that fit me the best was the cadillac of packs (Osprey $250). :eek: I had no idea...
I guess I'll be saving up. There's two things that I won't compromise on: my hiking boots and my pack. Being chintzy on either one could make a good trip turn bad in a hurry. C'mon Christmas bonus... :)

The best hiking advice that I have ever ever ever ever had :) is to wear nylons under hiking socks. The nylons take the frictions, not your feet, which eliminates blistering.
Enjoy the trip - it is hot in that part of the world, I'll stick to mountains and look at your pictures!! :cool:
I am going to go stretch now, too, even though I have no hikes planned!!!

Ooooo thanks for the great info. I've always wanted to backpack down the canyon too. It's such a spectacular location. I'm jealous! I agree Tri Girl you don't want to be cheap on those items especially shoes. Maybe one day I'll bug my other half that I want to hike down too.

nylons under socks. Who knew? I'll definitely try that- thanks for the tip!

Thanks for your help, everyone!

sunlightbrite- you gotta try to talk him into it!

We love the GC. We have backpacked it the last 3 Springs. Last Spring we spent the 1st night at Bright Angel CG, the 2nd and 3rd nights at Cottonwood, and the 4th night back at Bright Angel and then out the next day. Have fun!
We will be going again this Spring.

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Originally Posted by Tri Girl

nylons under socks. Who knew? I'll definitely try that- thanks for the tip!

Thanks for your help, everyone!

sunlightbrite- you gotta try to talk him into it!

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I wear "liner" socks sometimes. Basically the same idea as nylons (they help with friction) but a little thicker and designed for hiking/backpacking. Honestly, with GOOD wool socks (read: Smartwool) I haven't needed them and found them a burden (they inhibit the wicking of good wool socks and then I get heat/sweat related issues between my toes, especially in hot areas, so I feel like I'm trading one evil (blisters) for another. Smartwool is enough to keep the blisters at bay 90% of the time, so I tend not to bother with the liners anymore). With mediocre wool socks they are a Godsend though.

Best bet: Know your equipment beforehand. Break in your boots, wear the socks, etc. Find the problems and adjust before you go.

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next summer

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:eek::eek::eek:

Summer? Are you sure you want to do that? Temps can exceed 115 or more in the main canyon, and it does not cool off much at night.
November through April are the "temperate" months.

Our river permit is for June of '11, and we are planning for 100+ degrees every day.

for best months and temperatures,
http://www.grandcanyonhiker.com/plan...er/index.shtml has very good info.

On other notes, you might look into some of the info on such sites like Lightweight backpacker. http://www.backpacking.net/
While you don't need to go the way of fanatical ultralight backpacking, there are many good things you can do to get your baseweight down. Especially for women who are smaller, this is really important. Some of the internal frame packs out there ( you cite an Osprey) that you like, are really heavy just to do so many buckles, webbing straps, and other doodads built in. You might compare that to some of the gear made by Go-Lite, for example.
Boots is another area where the lightweight offerings are just amazing. Nothing like the solid leather pivettas and asolo's I strarted with years ago.