Grand Canyon Hike?

Question

Planning to hike the GC August '07. South rim to North rim. Anyone done this one? Got any good tips? Hazards to be aware of? Sights to be sure to see on the way? Gear advice?

We are taking 5 days to do this hike. Resting during the hot of the day. We are photographers so hikes tend to take a bit longer to do. Good tips about the trial so far. Thanks guys.

Answer 1

I've done it - actually it was a Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in a day. (I wasn't able to walk straight for 4 days afterwards!). I've also gone to the River and back in a day many times from the SR and once from the NR, including one trip last month.

Are you thinking of it as a day trip or an overnight? Doable either way. As an overnight, you'd stay at Phantom Ranch - either rent a spot in the bunkhouse and get served dinner and breakfast or stay in the campground. For the campground, you need a backcountry permit from the park and that can be a long permit wait (apply now) and they ask a LOT of questions.

As a day trip in August the biggest issue will be the heat of the day. You want to hit the trail from the SR as EARLY as possible. Nothing is too early. 3 am would be great. Bring a small headlamp. Then you're at the River at 6 am and starting up the other side. When the sun really hits you at 9-10 am, you're already more than halfway up the other side and you've gained some altitude (and therefore left some of the worst heat behind).

Hazards - a very few rattlesnakes, you often see scorpins on the trail at dusk, but no great risk there. The big hazard is heat - it kills a few each year there. Hence the early start. Be in shape - stair climb or hill walk for 2 months beforehand. Don't avoid hot weather exercise at home - it will help your body acclimitize to hot weather. And bring a lot of water. One gallon each as you leave the river is a minimum. You'll also be using a lot of calories - bring the equivalent of 3 or 4 lunches for the day.

August can be wicked hot, especially in the Inner Canyon - I've seen 110F "in the shade" except there was no shade PLUS you have 140F rocks all around radiating heat at you. Then you need two gallons per person plus more water to keep your T-shirt wet all the time. Better yet, hang out till the sun drops. Much better - get off the trail before mid-day. For August I can not stress that enough and you will be thankful for every hour earlier you get started.

Sun exposure is extreme at 7,000 feet. Hat, long-sleeve shirt AND sunscreen! The thin air will be an issue to. Especially on the way back up. If you can stay on the SR or in Flagstaff for a few days prior, you will do a lot better. You'll still notice getting winded easily, but you'll do much better than if you just drove up from Vegas.

Sights - the whole dang route. It is easy (and important) to watch your step as you go, but stop every few minutes to look all the way around - the view changes around every bend.

Gear - water bottles and more water bottles. Sunhat with a good, big brim. I like polypro or nylon shirt because they keep the sweat evaporating but a BIG cotton bandana to hold stream water around my neck to cool off with. (Somehow it is much less tiring to PUT water on me than to SWEAT it out). Shoes - great fitting shoes. You MUST have enough room in the toe, because are going downhill so much. A good outdoors store will have a carpeted ramp to help you test fit them. You should be able to lace them up so your toes have lots of room and don't touch any part of the shoe except the sole. I like low-cut trail shoes (Nike, Salomon XA, Merrell Multisport, etc). Stiffer than a running shoe, they still are much lighter than a traditional hiking boot. Only if you have weak ankles would I get an ankle-high boot.

Bring extra, dry, comfortable wool socks (cotton if you must). And change them at the river. Dry fluffy socks help so much, it is worth the extra 3 ounces.

Sights on the way there? The I-Max theatre just south of the park seems a tacky thing, but it is actually an exciting and informative movie. I like the stuff E and S of the Park - Walnut Cayon (Native dwelling), Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest. Hoover Dam has tours. Vegas is, well, Vegas and I only make connections there, but some people like it.

Hope all that helps

Editted to add: sascoaz adds more good info, I agree with all that he says. I see my rattlesnake/scorpin comment got misread. You might possibly see them, they are hardly a hazard. In GCNP, heat kills. The critters are just interesting.

Answer 2

I've been from the south rim to the river and back up.
It was more difficult hiking downslope because of constant pressure on knees. Going uphill was easier.

Answer 3

David above covered most of it. But a couple of extra items and one correction:

The campground at Phantom Ranch (Bright Angel Campground) does require a permit, but you can not reserve them more than 4 months in advance (ie: starting on Jan 1, you can reserve permits for April). Permit requests have to be mailed or faxed in (no phone or web reservations). You can also try to do a walk-up the day of your hike, but no guarantees. For popular time periods, you really need to have your request in by the first day possible as they fill up fast.

The dorms and cabins DO take reservations a long time in advance (13 months) and also fill up very quick during the peak seasons. You can sometimes get lucky with last minute cancellations if you call the week or two before your trip. If you are planning on staying at lodges on either rim, be sure to make reservations long in advance.

Note that if you have not been to the Grand Canyon before, I would definitely recommend staying a night at the bottom rather than trying to go rim-to-rim in one day - this gives you more time to enjoy the canyon. Also, GC is a bit different hiking than most other popular hiking spots. Even if you are in good shape and an experienced hiker, you should probably test your 'canyon legs' before trying rim-to-rim in a day (which is what most of the people who get in trouble each year are trying to do).

Also, remember that the North Rim is about a 1000 feet higher than the South. So, hiking from North to South is a little bit easier from an elevation perspective. From a shuttle perspective, it is about a 5+ hour drive from the North Kaibab Trailhead to the south rim (Bright Angel or South Kaibab). Call the park service to see about a van shuttle between the two spots if you need it (ie: you can leave your car at the destination and catch the shuttle to the start of the hike).

If you have the time, there are two great waterfalls along the North Kaibab trail that require only short detours. Roaring Springs (which you can see in the distance from the trail) and the very pretty Ribbon Falls (about a half mile detour near Cottonwood Camp). However, you probably would not have time if you doing rim-to-rim in a day.

As the above poster also mentioned, mid-May through mid-September is HOT in the canyon and the cause for most canyon deaths and mishaps. You do NOT want to be on the trail in the inner gorge anytime between about 10AM to 3PM in August. No matter when you are hiking, carry plenty of water and some electrolytes. Broad-brimmed hats and lots of sun block are a must. Rattlesnakes are rarely seen in the canyon and scorpions are not much worry if you keep your shoes on.

The canyon is famous for its geologic formations, so getting a little guidebook to learn about what you will be seeing can make the trip a bit more interesting. I especially like "Hiking the Grand Canyon's Geology" by Lon Abbott and Terri Cook. Read the intro sections before your trip and xerox the chapters for the trails you are on to take with you.

(Added 10/18) A FEW ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS :)
DEFINITELY check out Ribbon Falls along the North Kaibab Trail near Cottonwood Camp - very cool place and makes for great photos.

- On the South Rim, the South Kaibab Trail is on a ridgeline and has much better views than Bright Angel (but sadly it has less shade and, unlike BA, there is no water on the trail which makes it a much tougher climb out in summer).

- If you are going up Bright Angel and spending the night at Indian Gardens (which I would recommend if you are going in summer and carrying a lot of gear) than be sure to check out the nearby Plateau Point overlook (short side hike from IG). Good photos at dusk and sunrise.

- If you are spending a couple nights at Phantom Ranch (ie, have free day at the bottom), you could do a short hike along the Clear Creek Trail to the top of the Tonto Plateau for a great view looking down on Phantom Ranch and the river (avoid during heat of the day).

- Look for the prehistoric indian pictographs near the top of the Bright Angel Trail (just below edge of rim near the top tunnel arch - most people miss them).

- If you have transportation at the North Rim, go out to Cape Royale for the famous view of Woton's Throne and nearby Angels Window. If you have time and high-clearance vehicle, you can reach the famous overlook at Point Sublime.

- Considering getting a copy of the recent book, "The Photographer's Guide to the Grand Canyon" by John Annerino.

Nearby Places of Interest to Photographers
- Near the town of Page, along the road from North Rim to South Rim is the famous Antelope Canyon slot canyon, which is a photographers wonder. Just a couple miles outside of Page (the resevation now charges admission) - best photographs are around noon when light goes down into the slot.

- Sunset Crater and Wupatki (prehistoric ruins) National Monuments (outside of Flagstaff along 89A toward Page) has some great photographic places (popular with AZ Highways) as does the famous Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Park east of Flagstaff along I-40. Meteor Crater is not that interesting to look at or photograph, they charge a lot, and you have to stay on a little platform on the rim (no hiking in or around the crater).

- Near the North Rim, about midway between Kanab and Page is the Coyote Buttes wilderness with the famous (and truely amazing) sandstone formations known as 'The Wave' (see link below). In that same area is the famous Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch slot canyons. Unfortunately, all of these require hard-to-get permits.