Hiking the Grand Canyon

WGH · « **on:** 29 Mar 2011, 08:55 pm »

I have been hiking for over 20 years to keep my endurance up and weight down but one place I haven't been is the Grand Canyon even though I live in Tucson. Coming up in the beginning of April a few friends and I will hike the canyon. We're doing a combination sightseeing and endurance hike going down the South Kaibab Trail and up the Bright Angel Trail in a day. Why in a day? Because we can. Yes we really are in that good of shape, I've logged 40 miles over the last 3 weekends, my hiking buddy Kathy got a few more in at 50 miles.

Has anyone else hiked the canyon?

Wayne

ted_b · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 09:23 pm »

Yes, I've hiked it a few times. The first was back in college (mid seventies) and we did South Rim Kaibab to bottom, had lunch we carried in, then hiked back up. Holy !!!! Was a huge mistake in that we were not hikers, our legs were on fire, and we paid for it for like 2 weeks......but we did it.

Many of us (like 4 out of 6) lost that lunch coming back up the Kaibab btw.

Suffice it to say the remaining times we visited and hiked it we were much more educated on the right way to see the Canyon. One year we stayed at Phantom Ranch and came back up in the morning. On the way up though we threw the frisbee at a large plateau'd area and a buddy got a cactus thorn right through his knee. Ouch! Youth is wasted on the young.

werd · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 09:40 pm »

That looks awesome. Here is another hike worth mentioning. My wife and i did this years ago. Its was one of those hikes that encompass the entire gamut of human emotion. Yes you will laugh

and you will smile

. But you will also cry

and you will also curse

in agony. The kind of pain and torture that will no doubt be part of 5 mile incline hike up a side of a mountain (its like climbing stairs for 5 miles). And then of course there's the wildlife

I guarantee you will take the tram back down....

http://hikejasper.com/Hiking-Whistlers-Mountain-in-Jasper.html

rockadanny · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 11:47 pm »

My wife and I hiked the south rim in December one year. It got a little dicey as there was a few feet of snow in some places and my wife gets exercise induced asthma. She had to really take her time when the snow got up to our knees. I was in fantastic shape at the time (back then

) so could have given her piggy-back ride had it gotten necessary but she ended up doing fine on her own with frequent breaks. Absoultely beautiful to hike.

The night before was not as fun. We stayed in one side of a duplex cabin (they have several near the Lodge). I bought a six of beer on the way up from Phoenix. To cool it quickly I set it on the front porch of the cabin. Later that night I stepped out to retrieve it while in my tighty whities and the door closed on me. Unfortunatley it locked so I could not get back in. More unfortunate my wife had just slipped into the shower. I had to stand there bare foot in the freezing cold snow and darkness (thankfully, though the stars do shine quite brightly out there) for what seemed like forever until I got her attention pounding loudly on the front door. Only one person walked by and he just snickered. I didn't even look at him. It is a rule of mine - never make eye contact with a stranger if you meet by accident and you are in your underwear.

rockadanny · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Mar 2011, 11:56 pm »

Another funny (true) Grand Canyon story ...

Before we hiked we were watching the lunatics start the downward trail on mules - the first 1000' down was reportedly ice covered!! Then a few foreign tourists stopped the park ranger and began asking the ranger something unintelligable and pointing up in the air. None of us could decipher the person. Finally, the ranger said, "Faces? Where are the faces?" The tourist gleefully replied, "Yes! Yes, Faces!" Ranger pointed northward and replied, "You mean Mt. Rushmore? It's about 1,000 miles that way, son." We all broke into gut-busting laughter. OMG that was funny.

goldlizsts · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 02:24 am »

If you ask the rangers, they'd warn you not to do it in a single day.

I did that in my younger days, once. Let's say the uninformed, unprepared days. We went driving the country on a 6-week tour. At Grand Canyon, a friend and I went down at around 9, from Kaibab also. When we got down to the Colorado, I foolishly dipped my feet in the cold Colorado water. After that, it was "cramp" time. I toiled and struggled up, having to stop every 10, 15 or so to rest the cramp. Somehow, made it up around 7:30 (didn't have a choice kind of situation, so the incentive was there!).

It's doable, but shoud start as early as possible. Down there, it could get very heated up during the mid-day hours. So, most, most people would take shade and rest at the rest stop the name of which I forgot (after crossing the river on the way up), and resume at 3'ish for the climb. Oh, it's Indian Garden. IF I did it, and I wasn't athletic, you should have nooooo problem I would say, based on your claim of fitness. Just make sure you're prepared with enough drinking water, etc. Of course, don't dip into the water down there.

satfrat · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 02:30 am »

Quote from: rockadanny on 29 Mar 2011, 11:47 pm

Only one person walked by and he just snickered. I didn't even look at him. It is a rule of mine - never make eye contact with a stranger if you meet by accident and you are in your underwear.

Thanks for that bit of wisdom, I'll have to keep that in mind for future reference.

Cheers,
Robin

WGH · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 02:33 am »

Great stories guys. Glad you made it out Ted, overexertion and dehydration is no joke, a person can't hike if they are nauseous and dizzy, I have seen it happen.

Whistlers Mountain looks like a great hike, it sound similar to the hike up Finger Rock Trail to Kimball Peak which has terrific 360 degree views too but no tram, I have been up there a lot. The first mile only climbs 480 ft then the trail make a sharp right turn and climbs almost 1000 ft per mile for the next 4 miles for a 4155 ft elevation gain. Linda Vista Saddle is half way so I took it easy and bopped up there last Sunday, it only climbs 2420 ft.

http://www.arizona.sierraclub.org/trail_guide/HIKE26.HTM

WGH · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 02:42 am »

Quote from: goldlizsts on 30 Mar 2011, 02:24 am

It's doable, but shoud start as early as possible. Down there, it could get very heated up during the mid-day hours. So, most, most people would take shade and rest at the rest stop the name of which I forgot (after crossing the river on the way up), and resume at 3'ish for the climb. IF I did it, and I wasn't athletic, you should have nooooo problem I would say, based on your claim of fitness. Just make sure you're prepared with enough drinking water, etc. Of course, don't dip into the water down there.

Thanks for the advise. We are all very experienced hikers, we'll be dressed in layers and carry a gallon of water each. Starting around 6:30 am at the trailhead, should be back up around 3:30 or 4:00 pm and at the bar by 5:00. Kat did the hike last year and that was how long it took her and I am stronger than she is, that is why I was invited this year, she knows I won't have any trouble.

Wayne

Elizabeth · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 05:17 am »

From reading books about the Grand Canyon, the problem is the opposite of climbing mountain. Easy going down, hard getting back out. Folks forget this and are happy as can be entering and do not worry about going to far, Then get in trouble when leaving climbing turns out to be much much harder.
(do not read the following if squemish!!)
I wish i never saw a set of photos on Google photos. Some guy jumping from a canyon wall to a small freestanding column. No problem, easy jump.. you can see the column five feet out is clean and flat. The photo of his jump back he was carefree.. and you know what happened. the final photo is very disturbing. The canyon wall was curved and crumbling. not a good outcome for a guy 'playing around' Now i shudder when I see photos of folks 'playing' on the canyon rim.
(Sorry if this is too disturbing a comment.)

WGH · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 06:01 am »

Quote from: Elizabeth on 30 Mar 2011, 05:17 am

From reading books about the Grand Canyon, the problem is the opposite of climbing mountain. Easy going down, hard getting back out. Folks forget this and are happy as can be entering and do not worry about going to far, Then get in trouble when leaving climbing turns out to be much much harder.

A lot of the summer hiking in Tucson is the same. Mt Lemmon outside of Tucson is at 9150' so we usually start at the top where temperatures are 25 degrees cooler than in the valley. New hikers get distracted by the cool temperatures and conifers and keep going down, most don't have a map, don't know where the trail goes, and only carry a pint of water. I check out everyone I meet and ask them if they know where they are and find out how much water they are carrying. It is very, very easy to get lost in the Catalina Mountains which can quickly turn life threatening during the summer. The mountains here are extremely rugged, off trail the drainage's are too treacherous to go down and the ridges are too steep to climb. Luckily we have excellent search and rescue organizations that can set up command posts and assemble teams in just a few hours.

Wayne

brj · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 06:21 am »

I've been to the GC 6 times total, although I've never done any of the rim-to-rim combinations. I've been to the South Rim twice, the North Rim twice, and twice to Toroweap (also called Tuweap). I liked the trails from the South Rim better than those in the North, but the views from the North Rim better than the views from the South. (This is all relative... it's all positively spectacular.) That said, I liked Toroweap best of all.

Toroweap lies on the North Rim, West of the main site and situated on the rim of the inner gorge with positively breathtaking views both up and down canyon. It is accessible by 3 different roads, each in the 60-90 mile ballpark and unpaved, which makes for some wonderful isolation. (Unfortunately, I believe they closed the two campsites that were right on the canyon edge.) Absolutely stunning scenery. The hike down to Lava Falls starts in that area, which is the shortest route to the Colorado River in the canyon. Going from memory, I believe that it is 2480 ft in 1.5 miles, and it can be absolutely brutal, especially in the warmer months. The top half is (quite abrasive) volcanic scree and the bottom half is more like (rather sharp) volcanic glass. Great hike, but I'd strongly recommend trekking poles to relieve your knees while descending the scree and gloves to protect from the rock. I have yet to visit the CO river near Phantom Ranch, but I can't imagine how it could surpass the area heading down to Lava Falls.

It's been a few years since I last visited the Grand Canyon, as my yearly hiking trip to the Southwest with a former college roommate has branched out to other areas in that spectacular part of the country, but a return trip to Toroweap (and a visit to Phantom Ranch) is on the list for some future year.

While possibly somewhat morbid, a fascinating book that might be of interest is "Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon", which is a summary of every known death in the Grand Canyon up to the time of publication. It isn't always cheery, but it is well organized and educational, as they break down contributing factors and provide other analysis and lessons learned. The categories are dominated by hiking and rafting situations, but it includes many smaller categories as well, including air traffic accidents such as the mid-air collision over the GC in the 50s that led to the formation of the FAA. (Although a large percentage of the unfortunate deaths can clearly be attributed to poor preparation and decision making, and even downright stupidity.) Anyone hiking in such terrain can benefit from some of the lessons covered in the book. (It's amazing how fast human decision making processes break down in the face of even mild dehydration.)

By the way, I'd also strongly recommend Havasu Canyon as anther option. Stunning waterfalls in a tributary canyon to the GC, though I don't know how much it has recovered since the Supai Dam burst a couple of years ago. I managed to hike it the year before that happened, though supposedly all of the falls have changed significantly from the resulting flood. (I think Navaho Falls is gone completely, replaced by a new set of falls further upstream.) Definitely plan for some time to swim in the pools and play in the water if you pursue this hike... it's far too stunning not to.

I realize that none of this may be what you're looking for, as you seem at least as interested in the physical challenge of the rim-to-river-to-rim route as you do the scenery itself, but I've been nothing but impressed by every nook and cranny of that corner of the US since I started my yearly excursions there 11 years ago, and I can't help but get excited by each of them in turn.

Quote from: goldlizsts

It's doable, but shoud start as early as possible. Down there, it could get very heated up during the mid-day hours. So, most, most people would take shade and rest at the rest stop the name of which I forgot (after crossing the river on the way up), and resume at 3'ish for the climb.

I'm not sure if you mean Indian Gardens or Phantom Ranch...

goldlizsts · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 01:04 pm »

Amended my posting; inserted Indian Gardens, to note.
Thanks. It's one of those senior moments. It came back to me a bit later. That down the GC hike was 30+ years ago, that's why.

WGH · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 03:35 pm »

The only way to get in shape for a long hike is to hike long hikes. We started with the Bear Canyon Loop, a moderate 14 mile hike that starts in Sabino Canyon. The trail goes by the spectacular 7 Falls, the back side of Thimble Peak, Sycamore Canyon, and ends up at the top of Sabino Canyon.

The following weekend we hiked up Tanque Verde Ridge to Juniper Basin in the Rincon Mountains. This is a strenuous 14 mile hike that climbs 3000 ft. though with the rolling hills it feels like a lot longer and higher. I found a web site with photos here: http://ineomons.com/rincons/tanque-verde-ridge

Give me a call if you are visiting Tucson and we'll go for a hike, I'll pick a trail that matches your physical condition, turning people into a whimpering lump of protoplasm is not fun for anyone.

Wayne

maxwalrath · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 03:39 pm »

How do you guys use Google Earth to display your trail maps? I'm going on a GC hike in April-May and would love to show the route we have planned.

WGH · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 04:14 pm »

Once I get a dramatic view in Google Earth I use a screen capture utility. I use PrintKey2000 v 5.10, the last free version, it works with XP and Vista, never tried it with Win 7.

I copy the screen and paste it into Paintshop Pro then add little text along with a few dashed lines for the trail.

Note: the freeware PrinkKey2000 is getting harder to find so I uploaded my copy here:
http://www.wghwoodworking.net/audio/printkey510ef.zip

Wayne

Badwater · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 09:45 pm »

Doing the double crossing rim to rim to rim is on my list for next year. A group of friends go out every May and do it. I am not in shape for it right now. My training partner did it last year and had a blast. In the Ultrarunning world this is a very popular run and very doable if you are in shape and hard headed enough. Follow the attached link for blog post on a double crossing. I don't personally know Davy but he is an interesting dude.

http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=92

maxwalrath · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 10:00 pm »

Thanks WGH! I don't think I know enough about my route to make a great illustration like you've made happen (I'm not the planner & the maps are kinda tough to find online), but once I get a better lay of the land I'll post my route.

The plan is to enter Red Canyon, hit Cardenas, Palisades, then Chaur, and head out on Tanner Trail. Word from my trip planner is that only 73 permits were issued for Chaur all of last year so it should be relatively uncharted territory (needing coordination with a raft company for crossing)

mjosef · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 Mar 2011, 01:42 am »

Beautiful place, the Canyon.
Camped out in Havasu Canyon for a week some years ago. The hike in was pretty easy, all downhill, coming out was a bit tougher for me, a sea-level dweller, I thought I was tough but the altitude had other ideas.

I would love to get back and spend a month hiking the place, maybe volunteer to clear the trails or something.
Wish I lived closer.

WGH · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 Mar 2011, 02:00 am »

Thanks for the link Badwater. You double crossing guys are amazing. Sounds like you are going to spend the next year getting to know a Stairmaster but I have no idea how to train for the downhill. How do you train?

Wayne