I just spent 30 minutes trying to answer some of the questions about hiking the Grand Canyon. I am on the air port wifi. Something blinked and my 30 minute post disappeared. I will try again and put each answer in a separate post. That way, I will just loose one question and answer.
Post Thanks / Like - 1 Thanks, 0 LaughingJohn Reilly - "thanks" for this post
Linda and I have hiked 5 trails and part of two more:
1. Bright Angel Trail -- It runs from the South Rim to the Colorado River. It is the most used trail.
2. South Kaibab Trail -- It also runs from the South Rim to the Colorado River. It is the shortest and steepest of the trails.
3. River Trail -- The River Trail runs along the Colorado River and connects the Bright Angel Trail with the South Kaibab Trail and both trails to Phantom Ranch/Bright Angel Campground.
4. North Kaibab Trail -- It runs from the North Rim to Phantom Ranch/Bright Angel Campground.
5. Clear Creek Trail -- It runs from Phantom Ranch/Bright Angel Campground east along the north side of the Colorado River to Clear Creek.
We have hiked part of the Tonto Trail that runs along the Tonto Plateau on the south side of the Colorado River. We also hiked down part of the Hermit Trail. It is little used trail that connects from the South Rim to the Tonto Trail.
There is also a Grandview Trail that connects from the South Rim to the Tonto Trail at the east end of the park.
I have also hiked the Supai Trail which is in the Grand Canyon but outside of the National Park.
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The hardest part of hiking the Grand Canyon is getting a permit to stay below the rim overnight. Less than 1% of the people who visit the Grand Canyon go more than 1/4 mile below the rim. Of those, only a small percentage actually stay overnight.
No permit is required to do a day hike. We met several people who hiked to the bottom and back out the same day. The NPS doesn't recommend it, but for those in top shape, it is possible. We even met one man who was running rim to rim to rim in one day. As long as one doesn't stay overnight, no permit is required.
It is also possible to stay at Phantom Ranch without a permit. Ten people a day ride mules to the bottom. Part of their package is staying in a cabin at Phantom Ranch. We have never done that. I hear that reservations are very difficult to get. Besides that, their strict weight limitations leave me out. Some of you lighter folks might check out the mule reservations.
Another option that doesn't require a permit is hiking to Phantom Ranch and staying a dorm or cabin. Those reservations are also difficult to get, but are in a different system. Some of the peple I have talked to say that reservations for the cabins have a 2 year wait.
Doing what we do requires that we get a backcountry permit. The system is designed to be fair, but like all systems, those who know the system best are the ones who are most likely to get the permits. I usually have success because I understand the system and because I am flexible. If you are flexible regarding dates and which camps you have a better chance of getting a permit.
After you have read the information in the NPS web site, if you have questions about the permit system, I will be glad to try to answer.
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The Bright Angel Creek starts near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and flows to the Colorado River. At the junction of the Bright Angel Creek and the Colorado River there are two facilities. Phantom Ranch is a complex with cabins, dorms and a canteen. Phantom Ranch is operated by Xanterra, a contractor. The canteen serves as a snack bar and serves breakfast and dinner. Reservations are hard to get, but not impossible. This week, our entire group was successful in getting steak dinners in the canteen.
The Bright Angel Campground is immediately adjacent to Phantom Ranch. It is hard to know where one starts and the other leaves off. The Bright Angel Campground has 33 camp sites which are available to those who have permits.
Every day Rangers conduct two seminars/lectures at Phantom Ranch. They are educational about Grand Canyon topics.
In addition to the trails that lead to Phantom Ranch/Bright Angel Campground, there is a "boat beach." Most of the people who travel the Grand Canyon by raft make a stop at the complex.
When we refer to "the bottom of the canyon" we are referring to Phantom Ranch/Bright Angel Campground.
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Linda and I walk 10,000 steps a day, six days a week. That is approximately six miles. Fortunately, we live half way up a fairly steep hill, so each time we walk, we get some uphill and some downhill. You may have read Linda's facebook where she says it is all uphill. Sometimes it seems that way. Linda always wears a backpack when we walk.
In addition, Linda exercises at the YMCA or health club about 5 days a week.
We both increase our exercise in the two or three weeks before each hike.
Based on our experience, there are three issues of concern: knees, feet and overall fatigue. The solutions are properly fitted boots, conditioning and minimizing the weight of the backpack.
I cannot more heartily agree with the boots comment. I used my smartwool socks and a really great pair of boots when I did 21 miles roundtrip on Mt. Whitney in one day. I felt no pain or soreness at all the entire way. My feet felt like they'd been through a meat grinder when I took the boots off, but that's way, way better than the typical shooting pains with every step that would normally accompany such a hike.Originally Posted by Dave McClung
Good boots can mean the difference between finishing a hike and turning back early.
Last edited by Ryan Scott; May 13th, 2012 at 01:33 PM.
...just my $.02.
I know that was a typo, but it made me laugh out loud at the image of a person not continuing their hike because the book they took to read on breaks wasn't interesting enough.
Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 1 LaughingKatelynn Scott - thanks for this funny post
Great posts Dave!
Do you always stop and camp, or have you ever tried to do it in a day? I mean a single rim-to-rim, not a rim-to-rim-to-rim.
Kevin, I have never hiked rim to rim in a day. I also have not hiked from the rim to the river and back in one day. Those hikes are realistic for a person in excellent health, but I don't consider them reasonable for me. One of the key principles of safe hiking is knowing your own limits. My limit is somewhere in the 15 - 18 mile range per day when there is significant change in elevation.
My range is also very dependent on the weight of my pack. When I was young, I often hiked with 70 lbs or more in my pack. Now, if I carry more than about 25 lbs, I find my range is limited.
The hikes I enjoy most are limited to 10 miles or less a day. That is one reason I love hiking in the Grand Canyon.
If any of you have questions about hiking the Grand Canyon, I will be pleased to respond.
One of the frequent questions is "What do I need to take in my backpack?"
I recommend the discussion on REI's web site: http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/arti...ssentials.html
It applies to all hiking, not just the Grand Canyon. In the Grand Canyon, the "most essential" item is water. Dehydration is a major risk. Even after all of the times I have hiked it, I am still amazed at how much water I drink. On the hike down the South Kaibab Trail, I drank 60 oz of water and was out of water when I reached the bottom.
I didn't keep track of how much I drank on the hike out, but I would estimate 100 oz or more. When one drinks that much water, he or she needs to also be concerned about electrolites. Adding Propel or a similar packet to the water helps replace the electrolites.
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The other thing for me is that while a hike rim to rim or down and back might be good if you needed to prove something to yourself, it doesn't seem like it would be much fun. No time to stop and look at the view, or dip a finger in the water. I think the way you do it sounds much more enjoyable.
There is a saying in the hiking community, "HYOH!!!" which stands for "Hike Your Own Hike!!" (Pronounced "YO.") What Linda and I do is perfect for us, but isn't the right way for others.
Last year in October, we met a bus load of hikers. They all boarded a bus in Los Angles, CA and drove to the North Rim. They arrived just after day break and started down the North Kaibab Trail. They hiked all the way across the Grand Canyon while the bus drove around to to meet them on the South Rim. A few of them said they were really enjoying the hike, but most of them said, "This is the craziest thing I have ever done."
I meet a lot of people who say, "You are crazy for carrying that big camera", but for me taking pictures is at least half the fun.
Hike your own hike!!
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