Hiked the Grand Canyon!

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09-27-2010, 06:36 AM
itself

Hiked the Grand Canyon!

One, tick one off the bucket list. We hiked rim to rim last Friday, starting at Bright's Angel Trail all the way to the North Kaibab Trail, a total of 24 miles on foot, 12 hours and 15 minutes later.

Thank goodness we hiked with folks that had done it as many as 10 times. I felt the pace was fast, with few breaks, but had we not kept that pace, we would not have dug out until 9pm.

I am in darn good shape. Kid yourself not, this is a tough hike. The first 19 miles were good, but the last 5 miles involves straight up climbing. Hiking poles were my friend all the way along, particulary at the end.

And a greater power intervened that day for me. I am TERRIFIED of heights. I had no idea that after the Artisans Gallery, we would be climbing on narrow trails with huge drop offs. By focusing only on the feet of the hiker in front of me, I got through it. Honestly, I don't know how I did it, I really don't.

The two guys that went with us trained far more than we did, and they still struggled at the end. So yes, prepare, but don't expect to feel fresh afterwards. Nothing that a good ale cannot cure!

I highly recommend it. We really had a blast!
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09-27-2010, 06:42 AM
bmccasland

At least you made it. I trained, with the intent of taking a gal from work who wanted to "hike the Canyon", but she didn't really train - and it showed. We wound up cancelling the grand plan, in the Canyon - so much for our 30 mile backpack trip. But I did see a terrific sunset and sunrise, and manage to lace her hot chocolate with rum, she needed the medicinal value.

I can't imagine doing a rim-to-rim in a day. But then I saw silly Park Rangers that ran it!

That canyon has whopped my butt on more than one occasion.
09-27-2010, 08:51 AM
Tri Girl

Congrats!! That's an incredible accomplishment for sure!!! :D I would love to do a rim to rim in a day, but I love the inner canyon so much that I never want to rush myself and leave without exploring to my hearts content.

We spent 4 days in the Canyon this summer. We went down and back up the North Kaibab. Going back up was TOUGH with a capital T (especially carrying a 35 lb pack). The last 2 miles out after Supai tunnel was the toughest by far- like walking uphill on the beach.

I trained like a maniac for it, and even though I'm in very good shape- it kicked my tail and took no mercy. I *DO* love that canyon, though!!! Next summer we're thinking of taking a far less-traveled trail and really being alone in the canyon. Woot! :)
09-27-2010, 10:14 AM
Pedal Wench

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tri Girl

Congrats!! That's an incredible accomplishment for sure!!! :D I would love to do a rim to rim in a day, but I love the inner canyon so much that I never want to rush myself and leave without exploring to my hearts content.

We spent 4 days in the Canyon this summer. We went down and back up the North Kaibab. Going back up was TOUGH with a capital T (especially carrying a 35 lb pack). The last 2 miles out after Supai tunnel was the toughest by far- like walking uphill on the beach.

I trained like a maniac for it, and even though I'm in very good shape- it kicked my tail and took no mercy. I *DO* love that canyon, though!!! Next summer we're thinking of taking a far less-traveled trail and really being alone in the canyon. Woot! :)

I agree with everything - especially the not-rushing part, but do wanna try it in a day, just to say I did it.

For your remote trails, I suggest either the trail off to Clear Creek out of Bright Angel - you can still have the main corridor comforts on the way down, but then branch off on your own. Or, we've done the Tonto Trail - doing long rim-to-rim-to-rim down Hermits to the Tonto, over to Bright Angel and North Kaibab, then back down to South Kaibab and the Tonto over and out up Grandview. Spectacular, and just remote enough.

Congrats on the one-day attempt! That is quite an accomplishment!
09-27-2010, 06:16 PM
emily_in_nc

Congratulations, itself - that's a huge accomplishment!

On May 1, 2006, DH and I did a rim to the river and back on the South Rim in a day hike. We had trained hard that winter and spring before attempting this. We went down the South Kaibab Trail and back up Bright Angel, not quite as long as your hike (9 hours), but still brutal from the river (HOTTTTTTT!) back up Bright Angel, especially since we ran out of water towards the end. They were supposed to turn on the water in the shelters that day (first day of "the season"), but did not, so we had to do the last several miles w/o any. Needless to say, the bar at the top was our friend. :D

And yes, so were hiking poles!
09-27-2010, 06:59 PM
badger

my boss wants to do it this coming spring. I wished her luck. She's not in that great a shape, just does yoga here and there. I think she'll be in for a shock by what you guys describe!!
09-28-2010, 06:17 AM
Pedal Wench

Quote:

Originally Posted by badger

my boss wants to do it this coming spring. I wished her luck. She's not in that great a shape, just does yoga here and there. I think she'll be in for a shock by what you guys describe!!

We've seen people airlifted out - to great expense and risk to the rescue workers. Please stress how important it is to train and be prepared. Once down in the canyon, there are absolutely no bailout options.

We do months and months of training, and we're very fit people, and it's still a really hard trip. I just hate to see people getting into trouble in a place I think of as paradise.
09-28-2010, 07:24 AM
bmccasland

The canyon can whip your butt

My last trip to the Canyon was to hike down to Indian Gardens, get some samples from a river trip, hike back out. On my birthday. As I recall it was 90 degrees at 9:00 AM at Indian Gardens on my way back out (I left the rim around 6 AM). At the time I was in great shape, did a lot of back country hiking (I was paid to hike :)). Got heat exhaustion anyway. An RN playing hookie from a conference hiked me out, the Parkies were looking for me - didn't help that I was in uniform. Finally crawled out at 3 PM. So instead of having a birthday dinner in Flagstaff, I was in the ER being treated for severe heat exhaustion. Lets say the ER Doc was not amused that I knew I drank 6 liters of water, but no electrolytes. No, I didn't drive myself to Flag, a colleague hitching a ride from the same river trip drove. If we were smart, HE would have had the samples and I wouldn't have had to hike down so far. I think the elevation change from the rim to Indian Gardens was 3800 feet in 4.5 miles.

Not the way I planned to spend my 40th birthday! The RN (my canyon companion) said she spent her 40th in the the first Gulf War, which wasn't her plan either.