Grand Canyon Rim to Rim
The Grand Canyon Rim to Rim, May 16, 2009
An Amazing Outdoor Adventure into a Wonder of the World
View from the North Rim
(Click on the photos to enlarge them.)
North to South: 24 miles, 6.8 miles down with 6,800 feet of descending; 7.2 miles across the bottom; 9.3 miles up Bright Angel with 5,800 feet of ascending
At 5:15 a.m. Saturday morning in the small parking lot on the North Rim, my friend Holly and I finished packing our Camelbacks, noting the large group gathered at the trailhead (yikes—I hope they don’t slow us down!) and taking in the beauty of the canopy of alpine trees. The 36 F temp made me shiver but I decided to leave the jacket in our friends’ SUV. Good idea, as I got plenty warm jogging down the canyon.
Running down North Kaibab Trail from the North Rim was a feast for the eyes. The North Rim is red (Sedona-like red) with green trees everywhere. We looked across and around us at red cliffs, red dirt and the kind of green all across the cliffs below that indicate trees from afar. Down below was a bridge crossing Cottonwood Creek.
“Good morning. Mind if we pass?” became out little refrain. We went around a large group, then several smaller groups of two, three and four.
The trekking poles were a wonderful choice, absorbing some of the shock of the descent. I took most of the wear with my quads (not my knees)—and my quads would punish me for it the next day.
Our pace was 12-minute miles and under. When we sped up to 10-minute miles, I cautioned Holly to slow down. Lots of miles to go!
Near the top, we passed through a short tunnel blasted through the red rock. Gorgeous!
Tunnel on the North Rim
We quickly crossed the bridge that we had seen from the top that had looked so small, and ran on the ridgeline on the other side. Over the edge of the cliff was the bottom, still more than 1,000 feet below. I couldn’t help but stare and had to remind myself to watch where I was running lest I trip.
Bridge Halfway down the North Rim
We skipped visiting Roaring Springs (worth a sidetrip if you’re not concerned about time) but took in the view from afar.
Soon, one hour and 45 minutes from when we started, we were down to the bottom of the canyon. There, we went by Cottonwood Campground, its restroom and potable water access, crossed another wooden bridge and started hiking along Cottonwood Creek. Oh how the river roared! Across the river was the other cliff wall, only 30 to 40 feet away. Ahead we could see walls all around. Behind, we looked up at the North Rim and the trail we’d just run.
Grand Canyon rim-to-rim through hikers call this the “oven” because once the sun shines on this section, it heats up fast, with the rock absorbing and reflecting the heat back at you.
Crossing the Bottom
We made great time coming down and began hiking this stretch at 7:15 a.m. It was in the shade—and gorgeous.
At 12 miles, it was time for a quick break. I needed to dump out the red sand from my shoes. I did, and took my socks off and watch the sand pour out of them. No wonder I felt like I was walking on sand! Then I used moleskin to stop the progression of a blister, stripped off pants down to my running shorts and on we went.
Fourteen miles into the hike, we arrived at Phantom Ranch in all of its Cottonwood and park-like glory. Most of it was shaded by the trees. People lounged around picnic tables in the grass and sat on the low stone walls around the water.
We are elated and felt so good! Fourteen miles in, and having jogged all descending parts (about nine miles), we both felt like champs.
Phantom Ranch
Bright Angel: The True Oven
Colorado River
After we crossed the steel bridge across the massive Colorado River with its white water and people rafting, we started up the a sandy section of Bright Angel Trail—and the sun blazed. The next 4.5 miles to Indian Garden was the longest 4.5 miles I’ve ever hiked. I had to stop in the shady spots when I could feel the blood draining out of my face because of the heat. Sit a few minutes. Keep drinking. Go on.
When we arrived at Indian Gardens, the big outdoor temperature gauge in the shade said 90. The one in the sun said 100. It was 11:45 a.m. That 4.5 miles took us 2 hours and 15 minutes! After dunking heads and hats in the water, we continued. The next 1.5 miles required a couple shade rests and we dunked heads and hats at Three-Mile Resthouse.
Looking Down Bright Angel
Only three miles to go. That motivated us and lifted my spirits. I took a couple more breaks up this hot, dusty trail. We made good upward progress at this point, with the Three-Mile Resthouse and switchbacking trail getting small far below us. At One-And-A-Half Mile Resthouse, I was excited to be so close to the end. We dipped heads and hats and hurried on. Only 1.5 miles to go. I started appreciating the beauty below and ogling at this massive canyon that photos can’t even begin to describe.
And then the top came into view! Almost there.
At 2:15 p.m., 8 hours and 45 minutes later, we were there, on the South Rim looking back down at the massive Grand Canyon. Wow, was my only thought.
“Let’s do it again, the other way next time,” Holly coaxed. And this nonhiker was awestruck by the canyon’s beauty (best experienced by a rim to rim hike) enough to sign on once more.
Done
Next, we stopped at a diner in Williams. How good real food tasted.
The next day I would literally hobble my quads were so sore. By Tuesday, I was able to bike again. By the next weekend, I was training for another mountain bike race.
My Stats
Total calories consumed: 1,250 (E-gel sports gels that include electrolytes, one 210-calorie electrolyte drink, one nasty-tasting Clif bar that took me two miles to force down because I wasn’t in the mood to eat, one pack of Clif Shot Bloks)
Total liquid drank: 180 ounces
Total calories burned via activity: 2,400-2,700
Packed pack weight with water: 13 pounds
Total time: 8 hours, 45 minutes
Equipment
Trail running shoes, Leki hiking poles (the springs, adjustability and blister-preventing cork handles are good ideas), iPod Shuffle, Tilley Airflow Hat (between this and sunscreen, I didn’t have a sunburn or sun damage), Smith sunglasses, Go Pro helmet cam (not as intuitive as one would hope, as I wasn’t recording when I thought I was; go here for a gear review). Other: digital camera, sunscreen, camelback, 100-oz bladder, moleskin, water bottle for electrolyte mix, E-gels, Clif bars, headlamp (just in case), Garmin Forerunner 305 (knowing mileage and pace is valuable; click here for a review) first aid kit and iodine (which we didn’t have to use, but in the unlikely event the water pipe running underneath the trail breaks, you’d need it).
Training
Holly and I did five hikes before the Grand Canyon, while training for and competing in the Whiskey 50 Off-Road Mountain Bike race. We are cyclists and in excellent aerobic and anaerobic shape.
Hike 1: 10 miles, April 11, with a 60-mile bike ride the next day. Hiking time: 3 hours (In preparation for how we wanted to do the Grand Canyon, we ran occasionally and would continue doing this throughout our training hikes.)
Hike 2: 15 miles, April 18, with a 60-mile bike ride the next day. Hiking time: 5 hours (This was the longest hike I had done up to this point of my life. Truth be told: I usually only hike if it involves canyoneering or getting to the base of a multipitch rock climb.)
Hike 3: 10 miles, April 26, the day after riding the Whiskey 50 and the day I left for Australia. Hiking time: 3 hours
Hike 4: 10 miles walking around Brisbane, Australia, May 2. Hiking time: 3-4 hours
Hike 5: 15 miles, May 11. Hiking time: 5 hours with the last 3-4 miles of it in 100 F Phoenix, Arizona weather (meaning the in-sun temp was probably 110; our hike would have felt even hotter if we weren’t as heat-tolerant as we were)
Logistics
Doing this one way as a through-hike requires taking a shuttle bus around or doing a car swap. We drove my car to the South Rim the day before our hike, left spare keys with our friends so they could put their overnight bags in my car and then we drove their SUV to Jacob Lake Inn, 45 minutes from the North Rim. Our Friday was nearly eight hours of driving, but we got it done by 6 p.m., ate dinner and went to bed early. Our own car was waiting where we left it the South Rim. We would switch overnight bags with our friends later in the week. Tip: Give the other party a spare set of keys in case you miss your friends during the hike (they’re getting lemonade at Phantom Ranch or in the restroom, for instance.)
Timing
Why May 16? The North Rim is open May 15-Oct. 15. I personally wouldn’t do this hike after May 15 before the first week of October. Way too hot.