Grand Canyon, Rim to Rim in One Day!



View across from South to North.

 Summer has past and we are now into Fall. It has been a great hiking season for me this year. I started the Summer by hiking the Trans Catalina Trail which was an outstanding way to start the season. In late summer I did a 5 day Sierra Trek to attempt some fourteeners in the Palisades Basin. Now with the hiking season drawing to a close we had one final adventure up our sleeves and it had been in the works for a little over a year in planning phases. The last big adventure hike of the year was to be hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim in a day.

Over the years we have met many hiking friends. Some of them we meet on the trail, others are family and friends, and sometimes we even find that our clients have the same passion for the outdoors we do. That was the case when we discovered that our wonderful business contacts at Heritage Foods shared the same love of long hikes to incredible locations we do. Our main contact there, Gayle, has been hiking for many years and is out on the trail as often if not more than us. We share our hiking adventures and last year friends Clark, Michelle and Steve joined Gayle and her group for a February hike at the Grand Canyon to do a South Rim to river and back up. Gayle's group had been making plans for this years Rim to Rim (R2R) hike for over a year and asked if we would like to join them. We couldn't resist, we had to say yes!

Gayle's group of hikers has done the backpacking thing and overnight hikes for a lot longer than my group of hikers. They have done all the big stuff we have embarked on, they just did it a few more years ago than us. They prefer to stay in lodges and hotels and skip on the freezing nights on lumpy, uneven ground and eating your meals out of a ziplock bag. They have substituted pleasantly scented body lotion for the smell of insect repellent and prefer a meal that requires reservations instead of rehydrating. In the end, who can blame them, it sounds like a much better deal to me as well!

The reason the planning for this hike was started so long ago revolves around our intended starting point. We were going to hike the Grand Canyon from the North Rim to the South Rim. Accommodations at the North Rim can be hard to come by and book up very fast. You can make reservations up to one year in advance and Gayle had suggested we get on the phone exactly 1 year in advance at 8AM to make those room reservations. My coworkers wife Michelle was on the phone early that morning to get our reservation made for the North Rim. The trip planning was officially started and the rest would fall into place over the next year.



As we approached our final few weeks before the hike we all needed to finalize our plans. Room reservations for the South Rim had been made and dinner reservations for the main dining rooms in the lodges were set. Initially we were going to ride over with our friends from Heritage Foods and they had non-hikers going along to shuttle cars and gear the 200 mile drive from the North Rim to the South. We found out with two weeks to go that the empty seats we thought were available to us were not and we needed to arrange transportation. I volunteered/coerced my parents to drive us out there and offered to bring my youngest, Eric along for the ride. What Grandparent could resist a 3 day road trip to the Grand Canyon with their Grandchild on board? We were able to grab an extra room at the North Rim from a person in our party of 25 hikers that had to cancel and were lucky enough to get an extra room at the South Rim on short notice. The trip was on!



We finally arrive at the North Rim.



It is a VERY long drive out to the North Rim. We left at 3:30AM and did not arrive at the North Rim until nearly 4PM. Part of that was our route which my Dad had chosen. He wanted to go the southerly route rather than what looked like the shorter northern route but he was driving so who was I to complain. Others in our group left around 6AM and arrived about the same time by going the northern way but we did get to see the eastern end of the Grand Canyon which was very impressive.

We all gathered on one of the big viewing patios at the North Rim Lodge for drinks and socializing. The views from these lookouts are incredible and it iwas such a wonderful way to celebrate our arrival. We all had dinner in the main dining room which hangs on the edge of the majestic cliffs that rise from below. This has to be one of the best dining room views I have ever seen!



Ready to go at 5:15AM at the North Kaibab trailhead.

 We met the following morning at 4:45AM to be shuttled off to the trailhead just a mile or so away. Since we would be hiking nearly 25 miles that day we didn't see the need to wander an extra mile down a paved road in the dark and found a few seats among the car shuttlers that morning. The trailhead was quite a hub of activity. R2R is a popular hike and run. We came across quite a few trail runners doing the same thing that morning. We took some pictures in the darkness and were off at 5:15AM. Our intended route was to follow the North Kaibab Trail all the way to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and then take the Bright Angel Trail to ascend the South Rim where we would climb out of the canyon right at the main lodge and tourist mecca of the Grand Canyon National Park.



One of the first pictures that morning at first light.

 The beginning of the hike from the North Rim on the North Kaibab trail is rather steep with lots of switchbacks. It was also very dusty and you had to dodge the mule dung on the trail. It was very different to begin a hike with a long descent, and upside down hike as they are referred to. Conversation fills the time as the lack of a view other than the illuminated spot in front of your feet leaves plenty of idle time for your brain. After we reached Supai Tunnel a few miles down the light was just beginning to break through. Mules are not allowed past this point so the trail is hikers only and was much less dusty. I stowed my headlamp and attempted some early morning pictures. The view that was developing was incredible. We were in an area of intensely dark red/brown rock with a very steep switchbacking trail below us. The pictures were difficult to take as I had to prop the camera on a rock as the exposure times were 13 seconds or greater which really limited what I could take a photo of. At least now we could set off without having to look down to see where we were stepping and the views were getting better all the time.

We descended steeply down to a bridge where we could now look up the trail we had just come down and got a real feel for how steep this section is. You could see others in our party spread out along the trail by looking for their headlamps as many still had them on. It was a shame it was not an hour or so later as the views in this area were so incredible. The grand vistas of the canyon itself had not opened up yet but the view of the smaller canyon we just descended was picturesque all by itself.



The ledges.

 Shortly after the bridge we came to a section of the trail that I will refer to as the ledges. The ledges were rather wide, 4 ft. or so, with a vertical wall to our right as well as our left. The one on the right went vertically straight up, the one on the left went vertical straight down! The pictures make it look frightening but in reality we did not even notice that we were feet from impending doom as the views just kept getting better. The trail had mellowed out a bit and the descent was very pleasant. We took lots of pictures through this section and it did not look like what I had expected, it was much better!

Before long we had reached the bottom of the canyon we were descending as it merged with the Bright Angel Creek. This creek flows down to the Colorado River and we would be following it for the next 7 or so miles. There was a nice waterfall and shortly after a bathroom and water stop. Most of the group of 25 hikers wound up congregating here as we ate a snack, refilled water supplies and emptied our personal waste fluid reservoirs, our bladders!



Our trip coordinator Gayle in the blue hat and most of her crew.



Easy hiking along the bottom of the canyon.

 Back on the trail the next 7 miles to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon were magical. The trail was nearly flat and easy to follow. We were hiking along the creek and the views of the Grand Canyon were all around us. At one point the valley we were in opened up enough that we could see the Bright Angel Trail way off in the distance. It looked so far away, and so much higher than we currently were! We passed Cottonwood camp and had about 4 miles to go to reach Phantom Ranch. Somewhere in this section the valley closes up to become a slot canyon very indicative of the trails in Zion National Park. We followed along with the steep canyon walls on both sides and the creek adjacent to the trail. This was very different than the last two sections which is what is so appealing about this hike as it is constantly changing.



We arrive at Phantom Ranch.

 We finally arrived at Phantom Ranch, a destination many have been to before but typically by mule rather than on foot. There is camping and a few cabins there along with a small store for snacks and a meal if you arranged it ahead of time. We took a quick lunch break here at about 11:30AM and once again refilled with water. While it was cold up on the North Rim, we were now 5,500 ft. lower and it was getting rather warm. The forecast called for possible afternoon thundershowers and by the looks of the sky, the clouds were building and the sun was soon to be tucked away behind the clouds. Due to the heat, I was not complaining one bit about the chance of a little rain.

Our smaller group of four which consisted of Clark, Michelle, our friend Steve and myself decided to get moving. We had determined prior to our arrival that we would climb the Bright Angel Trail. Others in the group left the decision to be made on the trail. While they were deciding, we headed out as the rain looked likely and Clark and I really wanted to swim or at least soak our feet in the river.



Our bridge across the river.

 We crossed a very impressive suspension bridge that was erected to support a water pipe across the Colorado River that feeds all the water needs of the South Rim. They were nice enough to build a platform on top of it with good handrails for us hikers to cross and reach the other side. The Colorado River was flowing quite rapidly and our idea of swimming in it was not looking so good. We would have to find a very sheltered location along the river for a swim or else our hike might end with Clark and I reaching Lake Mead!



The view upriver from the bridge.

 Once on the far side of the river we found a nice rest stop with a wonderful fast flowing creek shortly up the Bright Angel Trail. We stopped here as Steve needed to do some foot repair and the rest of us wanted to soak our feet in the cold water and put on a fresh pair of socks. We took the opportunity to rehydrate and cool our feet before continuing onward. We all knew the route from here was up and the three I was with had done this section of the trail back in February. About this time we heard a loud clap of thunder which told us that the predicted weather would soon be upon us. This was all the motivation we needed to get our gear packed back up and hit the trail.


Michelle breaks out the rain jacket.



One of the great views behind us as we reached Indian Gardens.

As expected, a light rain had begun. We also reached a fairly steep switchback section as we climbed up out of the river gorge. The rain would come and go and only Michelle put on a rain jacket only to find that was too hot and the rain not heavy enough to worry about so it came off shortly thereafter. Every now and then we had to remind ourselves to stop and turn around as the views behind us were magnificent! The trail traveled a fairly open area and wide vistas of the belly of the Grand Canyon were before us. Before long we encountered more greenery and trees indicating were near Indian Gardens, a popular destination for many hiking down from the South Rim.



Steve poses by one of many signs
telling you to never go from the rim
to the river and back in a day. Hahh!!

 Our arrival at Indian Gardens was one of mixed emotions. We were that much closer to our ultimate destination, only 4 1/2 miles to go, but it also meant that the peace and tranquility we had enjoyed all morning was coming to an end. Indian Gardens is a popular destination for day hikers. There were quite a few people there wearing jeans that looked completely unprepared especially considering the return trip back up to the rim. We took a quick water and snack break and were on our way. From here on to the rim there are water and bathroom stops every mile and a half. We carried little water knowing that the next stop was not far ahead to reduce the weight on our backs during this final steep section of trail.



About halfway up the switchbacks looking across the canyon.



The switchbacks got steeper, much steeper and the rim was visible but I got a cramp in my neck looking up so high to see it! We all stuck together up to the three mile to go point where I chugged some additional water and had some electrolytes. I had a small amount of water on me as I had drank my fill at the rest stop. I set out on a solid pace, quicker than the others wanted to go. We had decided ahead of time that we would all hike our own pace to finish out the hike. I wanted to finish in under 12 hours and kept my pace accordingly. I hiked right past the final rest/water stop as I felt as if I stopped I would never get going again. As I neared the top of the rim the trail was loaded with Asian tourists as if several tour buses unloaded them and sent them down the trail. While others complained that they blocked the whole trail and they had a hard time getting by I did not experience this. While the trail was loaded with people, I think the combination of my 6'5" size, speed and certainly smell parted the visiting tourists as I sped by. I reached the top of the South Rim at 4:45PM, 11 1/2 hours after starting that morning.

I was very happy to be on the South Rim!

Reaching the rim was fantastic but now I needed to find my parents so I could get into my room. Flashbacks of finishing the Rosarito to Ensenada bike race went through my head as I finished the race in just under 3 hours and then spent the next three hours trying to find my parents in a foreign country! Lucky for me, I quickly spotted my Dad and son Eric sharing an ice cream cone in front of the Bright Angel Lodge. I staggered over to them and gave them both a big hug. I had a seat and devoured what was left of the ice cream. I told them the quick version of the days adventure while we waited for the rest of my immediate group to complete the hike. After about 15 minutes I decided I would head back to the end of the trail to keep an eye out. I discovered that I could barely walk! I stretched out my very sore muscles and regained my ability to walk.

Right on the 12 hour mark from when we started the rest of our immediate group appeared at the top. Michelle headed directly to get checked into her room while Clark, Steve and I staggered around a little along the touristy South Rim area before stumbling over to our adjacent rooms. We got cleaned up and headed over to the El Tovar Lodge to make our 7:30 dinner reservation that Michelle had optimistically placed over a month prior. We once again enjoyed a fantastic dinner and appreciated the fact that we did not have to cook it on a backpacking stove. We learned that a few hikers from our group were just finishing as some had opted for the shorter, yet steeper South Kaibab trail. Many missed their dinner reservations or were just to darn exhausted to make it to dinner. We spotted Gayle on our way back to our rooms that night. She had a bag of ice and was going to take and ice bath to relieve her tired muscles. She claimed it worked well but I much prefer the warm bath I took to accomplish the same thing!

With the whole hike complete we had a chance to compare our thoughts. We all agreed that the trip was just too short, 3 days in total, and we would much prefer to spend lots more time here exploring the area.The North Rim was an awesome experience and would have been a great place to spend a full day to really soak in all the beauty. The hike itself was not really that difficult as elevation was not a big factor. The final three miles were difficult but out of 25 miles to have 3 uphill strenuous miles is a small price to pay. The logistics of this trip were very complicated including lodging, transportation and car/gear shuttling. I cannot begin to fathom the logistical nightmare of a Himalayan expedition including flights, gear requisition and transportation and everything else that goes along with it. We just travelled to an adjacent state and it was a difficult task!

We all agreed we would do it again. Our planning was good and our equipment worked perfectly. We seem to be getting better at this stuff as we go as we are learning fewer lessons the hard way. A multi day trip through the canyon would sure be fun to explore all the other trails that are down there. They will just have to wait until we return.

Click here for the full set of photos from our trip.