Answering the call of the canyon…
Maybe the first time you saw the Grand Canyon you flew over it. Maybe you took a family trip and viewed it from one of the rims. Maybe you hiked it but just headed down a few miles.
We trust that somewhere along the way the lure of hiking the canyon from “Rim to Rim” tugged at you and as well you found out that there are trails that exist that connect the canyon from one rim to the other rim. You began to do your homework on the “logistics” of this hike. Maybe you visited our hike-it page here or the NPS website, but you knew no matter how well you lined up the logistics you still needed to train and be in shape for this monster of an endeavor. This canyon crossing hike is 23.9 miles via the North Kaibab trail to Bright Angel trail from one rim to the other and you must “climb” your way out (21.3 miles if you take the South Kaibab trail to North Kaibab trail).
You trained and trained and finally the day arrived. The first time you embarked on the “Rim to Rim” hike you had butterflies as you had no idea what to expect (and you still will each time). You just wanted to “finish it”. You stopped during parts of it trying to “savor” it but you wanted to make sure you had enough gas left in the tank to “climb” out successfully so you had butterflies again even drinking that amazing iced cold lemonade at Phantom Ranch which to you was what you thought your half way point. You did have the gas in the tank (COURAGE) and you did climb your way out only to arrive at the other rim thinking, “did I just do that?” You probably went and showered and propped up the feet, maybe even raised a glass with some buddies. You were satisfied, maybe even said “one and done”. You were not just satisfied, you were PROUD and rightfully so as you just joined the less than 1% of all visitors that dare to take on the hike. You worked your tail off training and you finally did it. You “earned” your way into the club by completing the Rim to Rim hike of the Grand Canyon.
You went back home and most likely you told all of your friends about this hike and maybe even changed your profile picture to you hiking this canyon as you were so fired up about this accomplishment. Time went by and you went back to “normal life” and then the tug came again and you started looking back at the pictures you took and maybe closed your eyes and took time to play back the hike and the memories of that special time in your mind. The blisters and the body finally healed and as you reflected back you started wishing you had taken more time. You realized that this one hike was the most amazing experience, adventure and perspective of your life. You made a connection with the trail and the canyon and now you wanted to go back and really breathe it in, you wanted to become one with it.
Whatever the reason, our guess is you want more of it. What is “it” that we get from this hike, from this canyon? It’s different for each of us but you know deep down you want to “pause” this crazy world we live in and this thing we call life for a bit and go back. You are thinking maybe that hike and spending time out on those trails in that canyon was really living, you tell us.
The Appalacian Trail (2,160 miles) and Pacific Crest Trail (2,650 miles) take months to hike, the John Muir Trail (211 miles) weeks but the Rim to Rim hike of the Grand Canyon can be done in one day, two days, three days, whatever your heart desires and your body is prepared for. You can take a few days and camp out at the bottom and truly experience the adventure of the canyon and the river or you can hike to one rim, have a great dinner, rest and then head back down to do another Rim to Rim maybe switching trails and taking South Kaibab down this time.
Whatever the itinerary and the logistics you will work it out but at times your mind will start messing with you. You will wonder what you still have left in the hiking tank and could you do another Rim to Rim. You know you could and this time you have “experience”. Maybe this is even the year for a Rim to Rim to Rim hike because you would rather spend more time on foot in one of God’s greatest creations than taking the 212 mile drive back around and you are in great shape. No matter if it’s another Rim to Rim or a R2R2R you know this place and these trails are tugging at you and rest assured that this canyon will always call you back once you experience the blessing of hiking it.
OUR ADVICE: LISTEN TO THE TUG AND THE CANYON CALLING YOU BACK!
Throw these thoughts in your head for first timers and repeat hikers: You don’t have to take a leave of absence to hike this, your family can come with and/or they can chill on one of the rims for a day or so as you go get that which your soul is yearning for from the trail and canyon.
BOTTOM LINE: GO GET IT!
AND please remember to hike the canyon responsibly and respectfully.
For those that want to “officially” join the club that have completed this hike (you are on the honor system for hiking it) please feel free to download the official Rim to Rim Club® Certificate on our home page.
For those wanting to share part of their Rim to Rim “experience” please share your story below:
This was something that (8) guys decided to do and started training heavy in January for a July trip. The ring leader of the crew was a masicist as July is the hotest month in the canyon. I trained really hard as in my mid 40’s the task before me I wanted to make sure I put my all into it as to not be embarassed. Treadmill in the basement was the start with multi-miles then gradually worked the incline up to 15%, then added a backpack loaded with weights to the point where I guessed the trail weight would be. Did that and outside hikes in northern michigan hills. The packs were loaded with 2 liters of water plus camelbacks with gatoraid mixed for fluids and electrolytes. Seemed overkill during the planning stage but in retrospect it was wise. The team entered at NK and the first day we made it down to the river and everyone felt pretty good. Glorious visuals on the trail all around that are unimaginable unless you’ve been there. We overnighted at the bottom, had freeze dried meals with us that we’d heat up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and slept in 1 man tents each of us carried. Day one is over
Day two is from the river to SK. We went for a fair amount of time and I cannot remember where but found a trail that led to a really small waterfall off to the right that was falling on a rock that ended up being moss covered. It hot, really hot and all but one of us crazies ended up jumping onto the moss covered rock (retrospect stupid as the drop was 20′ if any of us slipped) but as luck would have it all of us wanted to get under that small little waterfall to cool off. Note to those doing this in July is that the temp goes up the further down in the canyon you go, so at this point it’s pushing 100 F. the climb of SK is brutal. Some of the team got winded and had to have many stops, some knees started to give out, an interesting thing that I noticed was making things difficult was our stride differences and pace that tall folks compared to shorter folks and having a hard time keeping the team together. Lunch seperation… as the group started to spread out some stopped for lunch while others did not see that which continued on. The pace was quickened by this group as they thought the others were way ahead of them when in reality they were eating lunch. Note to others… Stay together…
One of the leaders of the entire group noticed that the group had seperated, figured out that not all saw the lunch stop (that portion of the trail had foliage which shielded us from noticing the team stopping) and he decided to go get the eager beaver group. Dropped his pack and took-off on a slow run to catch us and ended up breaking his ankle in the process (yep big black and blue and puffy) but ended up catching us and brought the entire group back together. This is now mid-afternoon and the sun is pressing hot so sharing camelback fluid and GU GEL packs.
Still in Day two we in earnest start the SK climb, pain ! Think of doing a stairmaster at the gym on 15% incline carrrying a 35 lb pack for 6-7 hours in 90+ heat with no breeze. It is a physical and mental crush. Because of physical injuries and capability on the climb out we had to repack two times to re-shuffle pack weight across the teams back packs. There are several rest stops with water available to refill the 2 liters and camelbacks but it’s a slog. The closer you get to the rim the more traffic we encountered from people coming down from the South Rim which most were unprepared with what they were dealing with. We had multiple stops to help folks that had started the trip down with a 12 oz water bottle that were literally non-responsive with families in a panic. Sharing gatoraid water and GU packs we were able to get them back responsive but the HEAT is just immense as there is very little shade. I had a hat on and had a steady stream of sweat pouring off my hat as an example of the effort that it took to climb out. We ended up making it to the top of SK and had hotel reservations there to clean up, ate like horses at the resturant with real food.
Around the dinner table there was discussion about the trip thus far, the exhaustion that all of us felt in our bodies and mentally spent. We went to bed that night thinking the trip was over… then came day three
Day three we’re eating breakfast again in the restaurant, had slept like babies and went to the restroom. Another of the group came in and said the most crazy thing “Hey Matt, do you want to go back?” As of yesterday evening I did not have the appetite for this but with a good nights sleep and real food (not freeze dried packets) I said a resouncing YES. We both smiled at each other and went back to the breakfast table to see what the rest of the gang wanted to do. We had two other takers to go back across from Bright Angle (BA) to NK. The other group caught a shuttle to NK and hung out in Vegas while the team of (4) geared up and started back across down BA. Yep… back down into the canyon…
The BA trail is by far the most beautiful and it turns out when you get down to a first plateau it looked like John Wayne should come riding along on a horse but oddly enough we met a Frenchman doing the hike in sandels by himself. You meet some very interesting folks that want to take on the challenge of the canyon and he was one of them we shared the shade of a little shack that exists there.
The thing now that started to worry me was a pain in my right knee on the outside which felt like someone was sticking a needle into me everytime I took a step. Going down into the canyon from BA the hammering was causing some substantial inflamation that was worrisome and was gritting my teeth with every step. The hope that I had was the sight of the black bridge and the end point of the day’s trek. Once crossed all four of us dropped our packs and jumped into the Colorado river with joy and to cool off. A guide with (2) river boats pulled up to the shoreline and looked at us like we were crazy having been covered in orange dirt, spent again from the hike down, and screwing around in the water it must have been a sight to see. We did not care… cool water, end of day, repreve from the torture we had enlisted in at the beginning of the day. We setup our tents at the camp by the river, ate dinner, and crashed for the evening.
Day Four
Laying in a stream that feeds into the Colorado river… that was it. Ice cold almost painful to stay in the water but just laid there to relax, hoping the cold would mend the chirping knee, and recall what was behind us and what was ahead of us.
Day Five
NK trail we are up before daylight, ate our breakfast and bones are aching. Hard to move, want to is all but gone… but after twenty minutes on the trail the body warms up, the mental state if over the funk. It’s almost like my body had resigned itself to “Ok, let’s get this over with…” Up we go now on the NK trail whch again is an extremely long slog physically and mentally. At this point all of us are well aware of the pain but cognizant enough to be smelling the roses and looking around, taking in the beauty of the canyon that so very few have been able to experience. As we climb the energy starts coming on like a runner seeing the finish line of a marathon. Two of the guys start running and to this day I am not certain on why… was it to be first to the top, was it that they just wanted it over with? Don’t know, but when my friend and I did reach the top we saw the first two laying on the ground spread eagle catching their breath and considering what had just been accomplished over that last five days. We called the team that had our van and the met us at the head of NK trail and off we went to Vegas.
Now there is a sight… Vegas is an unusual place. You have (edited), you have celebrities, you have grandma/grandpa’s, you have folks dressed in tuxedos and full length gowns. We went walking into the Bellagio with our packs on, full of orange dirt from the trails, walking by all of the various folks in the hotel. So Surreal… We get on a plane and come back home with having survived and lived to see one of the wonders of the world up close and personal.
Closing Thoughts:
If you are able to do this I would highly recommend you do it, just maybe not in July :). Train for it and train hard. I ended up training for six months and I was still smoked. Now I was in my forties so youth may not need to train so hard. We did run into four folks that did rim to rim and back in twenty four hours… so youth has it’s place. But the trek is not easy by any stretch as I lost fifteen pounds in five days even while having plenty of fluids. Amazing memories and friendships were formed, some smack talk was earned by the four the went over and back, which is fun.
Definately do it… any questions feel free to hit me up matthewegreen@verizon.net. I am not a trainer, or that does this all the time, just one of four that made it over and back.
Matt
Summer of freshman year at LSU, late May 1963 to end of August 63, worked at Big Spring Ranger Station on the North Kaibab Plateau. To make a long story a little shorter:
Seven of us from the station, all from southern universities inexperienced and naive of the challenge decided we would drive from our station to the Bright Angel Trailhead and proceed to hike across the canyon that Saturday and Hike Back the next day, Sunday, for work Monday A.M. OK, you deserve the right to start laughing at Us Now! But, it was even worse, each of us carried One (1) Forest service issued canteen. No food, salt tablets, trail maps, etc. – nothing else. Trying to shorten story: Departed BATrailHd around 9:45AM Late July 1963. Two of our group became very sick on the trail rise after crossing the Colorado River Bridge. I was still in great shape, I THOUGHT; so i thought the only way we could get the sick guys out was for two us to go for help. No volunteers; so, I left my near full canteen with them and went for help. After a grueling trek passing out at least twice, I arrive at Yaki Pt. (you could drive there back then). A college group from Connecticut were picnicking there. I was delirious passing in/out of consciousness. I begged them to take me to a ranger station to report the situation with our group. A lady ranger assisted. She did not believe that we departed that morning.: so, she contacted her counterpart on the North Rim. Thankfully, we had enough sense to have signed the trail head sign-in sheet. The best I can recall is that I came out near sun down that evening. A couple from Connecticut drove me to the Lady Ranger in a Austin Healy 3000. Am writing this for myself as well as I would like to make contact with the folks that helped me. This story is very much shortened with most left out about the lone trek out.
Paul, what a TEST that was for sure with ONE forest canteen for all of you. So happy to hear you made it out and we hope this story does get read by the ones that helped you out!
In 1971, when I was 18, I ran down the South Kaibab with a full 35 lb pack to Phatom Ranch, intending to camp the night but after the 2 1/2 hour run down the canyon, I felt so good, I decided to run back up the Bright Angel trail in the same day. After resting 2 hours I headed back up with my full pack. Well, when I reached the Indian Gardens rest area I was tired, but I eat food and drank lots of water, but now I was only walking. When I reached the switch backs, I was unloading all the food (in cans) to anyone going down the canyon so that I could just keep putting one foot in front of the other. By the time I reached the top I was in horrible pain from all my muscles cramping up and all I wanted to do was seat down and die. So the moral of my story is, be PREPARED! What saved me, was that I was in excellent physical condition because I was a distance runner. And I have this in born drive that compels me push my self, no matter the cost. All together I believe it took me 9 1/2 hours of running and walking. I’m 67 years old now and as I stand at the south rim looking down into the Grand Canyon I wonder how I ever did it. How I long for those days of my youth. Nothing was impossible!
Sincerely, Rodney Terrell
3 Guys South Rim to North Rim Hike Oct 2019
About a dozen years ago on a visit to the Grand Canyon South Village with my family, I had enough time to see the sights on the rim and became intrigued by the idea of a hike to see the river up close. The official guidance does discourage a hike to the river and back in a single day but I did a little research and determined that the season (November), my past experience (many miles on Colorado and Utah trails) and the immediate conditions (I felt fit and the weather was passable) made it doable. The next day I descended the South Kaibab and ascended the Bright Angel trail . It was an amazing experience. My legs ached like never before at the end, but I viewed the Grand Canyon in a whole new way and found myself wanting to repeat the hike and share it with my son, Ted. He and I have done the South Rim to river to South Rim hike twice together since.
Fast forward to my most recent urge to hike the Canyon, Summer 2019. This time I wanted to include a long-time hiking friend, Kevin, who’d never been to the Grand Canyon but has been along for many other adventures over the years. I told him it would be like a long 14er hike but upside down. Not knowing any better, he agreed but warned that he had a knee that might slow him down. I had a plantar fasciitis issue lingering from ski season but by late July I felt it would come around in time so I called to make a reservation on the South Rim and was lucky to get one of the last rooms available at the Yavapai Lodge for the October date. There wasn’t room available on the North Rim so we opted for a nice place that Sophie (my son’s girlfriend and our shuttle driver) located in Kanab for the night after the hike.
We didn’t really train intensively for the hike. Ted is young and fit and had experience on the South Rim. Kevin and I are seasoned hikers, used to long days on our feet. We all live at 5000+ which reduced my concern regarding the elevation issue some folks contend with.
Myself (Jeff), Kevin, Ted, Sophie and her friend Sedona (shuttle co-pilot) comprised our crew. Only Ted and I had been to the Grand Canyon before. I was excited to get to play guide. I wanted to time our arrival to have their first sight be at sunrise.
We left Denver around 8 PM in Kevin’s 4 door truck. Kevin and I took turns driving. I drove the graveyard shift and reached the South Rim Village before sunrise and parked near the Maswik Lodge. We all walked out to the rim to watch the sunrise over the canyon. It was a clear morning with a cool breeze. The forecast indicated it would be about 10 degrees colder than normal at both rims for our trip but no precipitation was forecast. After taking in the sunrise we had breakfast at the lodge and then played tourist for the rest of the day. In the evening we got a good Italian meal in Tusayan and I set an early alarm.
We awoke on schedule and were at the trailhead at 6 AM. I wanted an early enough start to allow for a long day but past experience has convinced me the South Kaibab is such a scenic descent that I don’t want to waste much of it in the dark. It was another cool morning, around 30 degrees with a steady breeze blowing through the tree tops at the trailhead. We started out in long sleeves and long pants. I was packing a light down jacket, gloves and hat for the expected cooler temps when we arrived on the North Rim and to allow for comfort in the event of an extended break on the way. Our headlamps were on and the sun wasn’t over the horizon yet but the twilight was beginning to illuminate the canyon as we walked past the trailhead signs and began downward toward Cedar Ridge still shrouded in dark below us.
When we reached Ooh Aah Point the light was good enough to put away the headlamps. There was a group of 20 or more people just breaking up after taking photos and selfies. We grabbed pictures of and for ourselves and moved right along.
On the downhill I try to move swiftly but smoothly and don’t run. My theory being any minor aches or pains acquired by the time I reach the bottom will be magnified before I get back to the top. We caught and passed most of the big group before Cedar Ridge where we took photos and then started down toward Skeleton Point with the breeze noticeably picking up. The views during the descent with the early daylight were impressive. Reaching the recommended turnaround point for day-hikers at Skeleton Point, we took a break.
It is such a scenic walk that I try not to rush so much that I can’t take in what I can of the ever changing views. When we started downward again at Skeleton Point. I did notice the initial exposure on the left that always makes me conscious to watch my footing. We quickly passed through that area and wound our way down and around and to the base of the point where in the warming morning I shed the long pants and long sleeves for shorts and short sleeves in a sheltered spot above the Tipoff. We started down again, passing the Tonto Trail crossing and approaching the Tipoff. I noted a fair number of people waiting to use the facilities there. My previous hikes have been in late November. This was the busiest I’ve seen the South Kaibab trail but it was also the last weekend the North Rim would be open so I supposed they were all there for the same reason we were.
We continued down toward Phantom Ranch, stopping at the two viewpoints to admire the improving views of the Colorado River and Phantom Ranch. We met the uphill mule train, hauling its people load, at the top of the switchbacks above the Black Bridge. We stepped aside to let them pass and then continued down to the tunnel and bridge where we encountered the first day hikers hanging around the canyon bottom. Just before entering the tunnel there is an area with a few large boulders and view of the river so we took a break there before crossing over the bridge and hiking the remaining distance to Phantom Ranch, arriving around 10 AM.
Before my first trip to Phantom Ranch a friend told me to be sure to buy the lemonade. He was right. It is cold, tasty and refillable. We also purchased a couple postcards to have postmarked at Phantom Ranch and carried out by mule. We ate some snacks, drank a lot of lemonade and enjoyed resting for an hour before starting out again.
Resuming our journey, we soon passed the sign indicating the North Rim was nearly 14 miles ahead yet. That set the reality for me of how much work lay between us and the end of the hike. I wanted to push fairly hard for the distance to Cottonwood campground, thinking if we made that in 2 hours we could do the rest in around 3 hours. We had a nice cool day for “The Box” section of the canyon and even so it was the warmest part of the hike. Bright Angel creek is beautiful as you walk ever upward along its side crossing over occasionally at the bridges. I had read there were six bridges before exiting The Box at the marshy area. I counted them as I crossed, a measure of progress, though I had no real idea how much distance lay between any of them. I noted a couple bridges were very stout, much more so than necessary to support pack mules and hikers. The “why” became apparent higher up. The Box was a very interesting a pretty section of canyon. I was glad to not experience the sort of heat you read about but was still in too much of a hurry to really enjoy it.
In the section of the canyon after passing the marshy area the views opened up and I began to guess where Cottonwood campground lay ahead of me. First, there’s a long gradual climb up a broad slope that ends a small crest on the left. I hiked hard toward that expecting and hoping it was close to our next break. It wasn’t. It was the turn to Ribbon Falls and, I think, also provided the explanation for the stout bridges. The spur trail was closed because the bridge that spanned the creek to access it was smashed and bent like a toy. I’m guessing from the spring flood and a big rock. From the crest I couldn’t spot Cottonwood campground but knew it must be about a mile. Ted and I reached the shade about 1 PM and joined some hikers already at a table. Soon afterward Kevin arrived. We refilled our water, snacked and rested until nearly 2 PM and started back up the trail.
I was disappointed to note how much stiffness had set into my legs during the break. We made good time to the Manzanita rest area but walked on past it. There would be no more sit-down breaks. The trail steepens noticeably at this point. Age, gravity, and a chest cold I had been fighting, all started to take their toll. I could hike at a steady pace when I was moving but would periodically have to stop and hack for a couple breaths. We reached the turn into Roaring Springs Canyon and passed the turn for the falls. We could see the falls but I didn’t have the time or energy to detour over to them. I also began to feel mild effects of altitude sickness. Now, Ted would stop and wait on Kevin and I to catch up. Since we were both fine but it was after 3 PM we let Ted go on ahead so he could inform Sophie and Sedona of our status.
The section of the trail between the Redwall Bridge and the Roaring Spring Junction is magnificent. I’d really like to hike it again when feeling better. I really enjoyed that section right up until I reached the viewpoint for the Redwall Bridge. I wasn’t excited to have to descend to reach it and when I scanned for the trail ascending on the other side, I couldn’t see it at first. Then I saw some switchbacks that looked too steep. Yep, that’s the trail.
The trail switchbacks quickly up 800 feet but I moved slowly. After grinding along for what seemed like ages but was probably less than an hour I passed through the Supai Tunnel and was looking forward to the Coconino overlook. I was tired but it felt good to know that there was only a couple miles to go and the steepest were behind us. The seemingly endless ascent continues through forest though there is the definite sense of nearing the rim. I could now see a lot more sky and a lot less canyon wall on the horizon.
Kevin and I reached Coconino overlook at about the same time. We paused briefly for a look back at where we’d been and then turned back to the trail. It felt good to see the top of the rim so near. Soon we could hear voices and traffic. Finally, the last steps up to the parking lot come into view. The last one is a tall step. I walked over to the truck, threw my pack in the back and announced “I’m never doing that again”. I looked back at the trailhead in time to get a photo of Kevin lifting his arms in triumph atop the last step. He joined us at the truck and we headed to Kanab for pizza.
We were in the canyon for almost 12 hours. I’d estimate we spent about 3 hours taking breaks and 9 hours on our feet. It was a heck of an experience and within hours I was planning to do it again.
Jeff
Jeff,
What a great recap of your Rim to Rim hike! Felt like I was walking with you all! Happy you made it successfully even with the cold as being under the weather on a Rim to Rim hike would be tough for sure! We have no doubt you will be back to marinate in those places that we know called you!
Welcome into the Club!
Rim to Rim Club®
Just read your recap of our R2R hike again. What an amazing experience. Think about it often. Hope we can do it again.
Kevin
Living in Toronto Canada my whole life, I never travelled West into the States…. I retired from work and because my wife was still working, I decided to drive out to California myself for a month long trip… it was a great adventure… but my main dream was to visit the Grand Canyon…. I always like to physically challenge myself, so I found out about the rim to rim hikes… and of course I wanted to do it in one day! And of course I wanted to do it the hardest way (from South to North), as it seemed that most people did it North to South. So I reserved a campsite on the North rim… arranged for a ride to get me to the South rim by 6am. I carried a small backpack with 4 litres of water and some snacks… and a first aid kit… and luckily a big role of medical tape!!…. It was September and there was a heat warning for that day… but I went ahead and started out…. Well after half an hour descending into the Canyon on the South Kaibab, a women taking a picture of someone else suddenly backed up into me and knocked me to the ground, spraining my ankle badly….. my heart sank…. I was so happy to be there and ready for the hike…. I knew the smart thing would be to turn back…. but thank god for that tape!!…. I taped it up over my sock..used half a role of tape!! and carried on….. well I hobbled along… actually afraid to stop for too long because I would never get going again if I did….I ended up in the Box during the worst heat of the day!! it was unbelievable how hot it was…there were many hikers suffering from heat stroke…. and then a big thunderstorm while doing the long climb up the North rim!!… but I managed to completed it by 4pm that afternoon…. It was one of the hardest things Ive ever done in my life… the heat, the storm, and of course the sprain made it so much harder. But like all tough experiences, I thought it was great when it was done!! And I was proud of myself for getting through it…. What a great experience!! Hope to do it again one day.
Happy to hear your ankle held up and you made it!
Thanks, so was I…. “mind over matter” as they say!!
Over the last few weeks I have been undergoing radiation therapy for a tumor in my skull. I’ve kept up my workouts and have felt pretty good so far. I live in Phoenix and can hike the Canyon whenever I feel like it, basically. This last weekend I was looking to experience the beautiful weather in the Canyon, and also to kind of prove to myself that I can still do the things that I love to do. I booked a campsite at Mather for Friday night and booked a ride on the Trans Canyon shuttle for Saturday morning. We made it to the North Rim around 12:45 PM, and I began hiking immediately. The foliage on the 1st couple of miles on NK was spectacular. I took a brief rest room break at Manzanita, and continued South, crossing the Silver bridge at 6:00 as darkness fell. Didn’t see a soul until just past Indian Gardens. I’ve never had the trail all to myself before. What an awesome experience! I ended up reaching the BA trailhead at 9:50 PM, making it from the silver bridge to the TH in 3:50. Can’t wait for my next R2R in Feb!!
Wow! Joshua, so happy you were able to experience the canyon in the fall and you chose faith over fear and are still able to do what you love to do! Continued healing!
Thank you!
On Sunday September 29, 2019 we started our R2R2R. We completed it 4 1/2 days later, mostly no worse for the wear. we did a lot of planning and prep and had done a North to South R2R in 2015.
Here is our trip report:
Day 1, South Kaibab Trailhead to Bright Angel Campground. While this one was all downhill, it pounded the heck out of all our joints. It was windier than hell too. Having been in the canyon before this was the first time on the South Kaibab. The park service recommends going down this trail but not up – I agree.
Day 2 of our R^3 Hike – Bright Angel Campground to Cottonwood Campground. This was the easiest day of our trek; 7.2 miles and a mere 1600 ft of elevation gain. Much of the hike is in the Box where Bright Angel Canyon is especially narrow. We completed this hike before noon and got to select the best camping spot in the campground – #11, which was also the camp spot we had in 2015 for our R^2 hike.
This day saw the first major onslaught of the canyon runners. Since we were camping, we had to first win and pay for permits in the lottery, and we had to camp where and when we said we would. The runners, don’t camp, so don’t need permits. Runners often do a Rim to Rim (R^2), but many we saw were doing the Rim to Rim to Rim (R^3). Most all runners were very friendly and observed trail etiquette, even though they were attempting a Herculean task.
Day 3 was our longest day on the R^3. Starting at 6:00 AM, finishing at the same point 10 ½ hours later after covering 13.8 miles and 4,161 ft of elevation gain and loss.
There were many runners on this leg, most very nice. It was brisk when we started, but quickly warmed up. We ran ahead of schedule most of the morning. As we climbed the last few hundred vertical feet up to the North Rim Trailhead, it was very warm. We met a group of septuagenarian (some may have been octogenarian) hikers from Phoenix who attempted to go down the trail to Coconino Point, just below the rim. One of them became overwhelmed and our very own Randy E. offered her a hard candy to help her recover. When we got to the top the temperature went from the high 80s in the sun to the mid-50s in the shade. The North Rim Trailhead lies at 8,241 ft – a thousand feet higher than the South Rim.
We had lunch, and rested a bit on the North Rim, but knowing the day was fleeting, we headed back to Cottonwood Campground. Along the way we ran into a few hikers from Iowa (where a couple of us grew up); one was heading down to Cottonwood on the start of her R^2, but was carrying a heavy load and hurt her knee. Randy rose to the occasion and gave her some ibuprofen, but we hoped for the rest of the trip that she had turned around. Later at Manzanita rest area we saw a father daughter duo from Iowa who were doing R^2 in one day!
By 4:30 us sexagenarians made it back to Cottonwood, cleaned up in the creek and had a nice dinner of dehydrated something.
Day 4 of our R^3– our penultimate day hiking the canyon. We hiked 11.9 miles, losing 1,302 feet from Cottonwood Campground to the Colorado River and then climbing 1,383 feet to Indian Garden Campground. The weather was hot and the shade elusive as we climbed the Devil’s corkscrew up to the oasis that signaled close proximity to Indian Garden.
In 2015 we hiked this very route and after getting a late start and lolly-gagging at Phantom Ranch, we arrived late to Indian Garden and were left with the last small group camp spot – barely big enough for the 4 of us. This was one reason we prepared, and stuck to a schedule. This time Drew P. hot-rodded to the campground and picked out one of the nicest shady spots.
On our last ½ day we were up early and actually on the trail by about 5:45 AM – a good half hour before sunrise. We stepped on the South Rim at 9:40 AM. In 4 ½ days, I ate 7 ½ lbs of trail food, including trail mix, California almonds (is there any other – no), dehydrated meals, power bars, etc. I hydrated with about 22 liters of water, took 28 salt pills and further hydrated with Gatorade powder. The card in my camera was almost full – 52.5 GB of data comprising 1,883 individual raw file images.
It was a team effort. Having 3 other dedicated, fit hikers to motivate 4:00 AM wake-ups and camp tear downs to be on the trail by 6:00 was the difference between success and failure. We saw a plethora of once-in-a-life-time scenes, met many, many wonderful people and were filled with awe the entire trip. This trip was more than a bucket lister.
So now we are already planning next year’s trip.
Great recap James and way to seize the canyon and take your time doing a R2R2R! Can’t believe how many pictures you took! AWESOME!
October 16, 2019 R2R2R
This was my first time hiking below the South Rim but I had wanted to do so for a while. I do not run or train for hikes extensively besides hiking with my family whenever possible which usually includes carrying a 25lb child on my back and 8-10 Gatorades for 5-8 miles. I have also completed several one day summits on the West Coast including Mount Whitney, Mt Shasta, Mt Adams, among others so I am used to extreme hiking in heat, cold, snow, rock, trail, no trail, overnight, etc…
My goal was South Rim (via South Kaibab) to North Rim back to South Rim (via Bright Angel) between October 16 and 17th. No extended breaks were planned as I had a flight out of Phoenix scheduled for 36 hours after my start time.
I left the visitor’s center parking lot at 4:15am on October 16th and hiked the 2 miles to the South Kaibab trailhead along the Rim Trail. (The hiker’s shuttle does not begin until 5:00am. I arrived at the trailhead at 4:50am so I assume I picked up 20 minutes not waiting for the shuttle.)
Made it down to Phantom Ranch at 8:15am. Small break and then headed up the box (nice and cool this time of day and year) and arrived at Cottonwood at 11:00am. I look a break at Cottonwood until 11:30am and than plowed ahead.
I always feel stronger going up even though its a cardio workout. Runners on their return trip encouraged me as I hiked up. My turnaround time if I didn’t make the North Rim was 5:00pm but I summited the North Rim and reached the parking area at 3:30pm. (11 Hours Rim 2 Rim)
I felt tired as I hadnt slept the night before my hike (driving up from Phoenix) and I noticed I was drinking very well but probably not eating enough…especially salty foods. I considered hiking to the visitors center and scheduling a shuttle to the South Rim but decided it might not be available and (here was my flaw) assumed it would be cooler in the dark heading back to Phantom Ranch.
At 4:30pm (12 hours 15 minutes after leaving my car at the visitor center) I departed the North Rim and headed back down the North Kaibab.
By 6:15pm I had my headlamp on and my feet were feeling it. For some reason I decided not to take breaks but to plow ahead to Phantom Ranch. I should have taken breaks at Indian Springs and Cottonwood to force some food and give the feet a break. I did not.
I hit Cottonwood Campground around 7:30 p.m. and was feeling fatigued. It was actually warmer at Cottonwood at 7:30pm than it had been at 11:00am. This was a surprise I was not prepared for and the box proved to be more of the same. It takes a long time into the evening for the heat to radiate off and out of the rock.
Just below the Ribbon Falls turn off and just above the box I saw my last hiker of the night and I was worn out. Something just didnt feel right with my body. 37.5 miles in according to my GPS and I was feeling unusually fatigued though I was and had been drinking plenty of fluids…maybe too much.
I sat down on a ledge trying to regain my strength and awareness and was praying for strength to at least get to Phantom Ranch before calling it a night. I rolled over on my side and there five feet from me was my first sighting (in my life) of a tarantula! That got me up and gave me the adrenaline I needed (a unique answer to prayer). I plowed on somewhat delirious, more so exhausted, through the box to Phantom Ranch and finally collapsed outside one of the first cabins (43.5 miles 19 hours 15 minutes since the car). A camper inside came out to check on me and very kindly went and tracked down a ranger at around midnight.
The ranger and the camper brought me to the ranger station which would have been hard to find in the dark when I was not familiar with the area (I went through quickly in the morning) and the ranger suspected I had mild Hyponatremia (low salt to water ratio). He gave me a package of Raman noodles (1800 mg of sodium!). He also provided me with a sleeping bag, pad, and blanket, that I could use to setup outside for an overnight nap. Very friendly and helpful ranger who never gave me grief about doing what they warn not to do…pushing too far too fast in the canyon. I was bracing for something of a speech which I also knew I deserved and perhaps he realized I already knew what I did wrong and kindly did not add to that. He also provided me a phone to call my wife as I was likely to miss my goal and did not know immediately when I would be able to hike out.
I slept a couple hours and spent some time at the camp site in the early morning contemplating next steps. I was concerned I would not make it to Indian Gardens before heat of the day but I also suspected this concern was due to muscles tightening with rest. I packed up the ranger’s gear and brought it back to the station where I met up with the ranger and advised him I planned to “go for it” to climb up the Bright Angel Trail. He agreed it was a good idea as the only option out of the Canyon is to get to the top!
I am not sure what would have happened without the hiker and ranger help in the evening. I was not in need of special medical attention, just salt and sleep, but if I had not received that its possible it could have gotten worse. It was a humbling experience to have to rely on the help of others when pursuing a voluntary hike, but I am very thankful for the two men who assisted me that evening. They didnt care about the time, they just helped me in the situation.
To those with families and / or spouses, it should also be noted that reaching out to a ranger and calling from the ranger’s station causes significant concern to loved ones. The impact of going to far too fast in the canyon extends beyond yourself to those that assist you and also to your families who have more of an emotional burden because they know very little about your situation.
In addition to learning a significant lesson for myself, perhaps this experience will help others to be more careful and not to push beyond what is enjoyable or helpful. Also, remember to pack significant salty foods…and more importantly…to eat the salty foods you pack! Low salt is no joke in the Canyon! Thank you to the hiker and the NPS Ranger for their support at Phantom Ranch. I learned a valuable lesson.
I was on the trail again towards the silver bridge at 7:30am. I moved slowly so many people passed me. I asked how long they hoped to take to make it to the top and almost everyone said 8 hours. I assumed I could take 12 hours at my current rate.
However, once the trail turned from the sandy river trail and started going uphill my strength returned. Uphill proved to be a great help as the blisters and swelling of the toes were not an impediment to rapid advance. Took breaks at Indian Garden and the rest houses (3 mile and 1.5 mile) and reached the South Rim and the Shuttle back to the Visitor Center at 2:30pm. The ascent hike from Phantom to Shuttle was just 7 hours.
Total trip time R2R2R was just over 34 hours. My GPS showed 53 total miles. Stopped time at Phantom was 8 hours of the trip time. I missed my afternoon flight out of Phoenix but was able to catch a red eye back home. I spent $20.00 at Wendy’s on food for myself which held me over until the airport when I ate another dinner.
Hardest part of the trip…walking at the airports and sitting in the plane with toes 3x normal size and feet 2x normal size : )
Overall, great experience! Next time I hope to just do R2R and enjoy the Canyon more knowing a 12 hour hike is very doable. I also plan to bring and eat more salty foods…perhaps a package of Raman in a thermos!
Andrew,
Thank you for having the courage to write this post about your R2R2R. We are so very happy to hear you had a trail angel in a hiker and a ranger to help you out as sometimes the little things are the big things on a hike like this!
Happy you made it!
May 2019 myself and two buddies did R2R in one day. Took shuttle to north rim. Lucked out and got a small cabin the day before. Not sure what we would have done if that didn’t happen. But we got a 4am start. It was Snowing (didn’t expect, or plan for that!)
Each of us are in our middle 50’s. Myself …. two new hips and an eye injury that that gives me only monocular vision…. so depth perception was an issue. Even with all that going on it was the absolute best experience I’ve ever had. So beautiful. Took all day. Was dead tired while climbing out. Held my tongue as someone coming down from the rim, 200 yds from the top, said “look pretty good for someone your age”… (for a moment I wanted to push him over the edge so his clean white shoes and pleated shorts got dirty, but I didn’t)… but even with all that, it was great. Would recommend it to anyone. Would not underestimate the climb out, however. It is no joke.
I did R2R in 2018 at age 65 in one day. No one said anything to me about how I looked, but got plenty of double takes. Felt great! Best thing I ever did.
Nice work Frank!
That is the epitome of COURAGE and GRIT! Nice job leaving excuses on the Rim and going and getting it done!
With my 7th trip to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, this was my first R2R. It really was very hard those 14 miles on the N Kaibab trail as my knees and hips hurt. I took a group of 3 other girls (first time seeing canyon) and we had an amazing time. Started on Oct 10th and finished on Oct 11th. We cowboy camped at Bright Angel Campground which saved us from carrying a tent up Bright Angel trail.
Completed my 5th R2R on October 7th as a single day North to South trek (North Kaibab to Bright Angel). Having herniated a disc in my lumbar spine in May, it seemed unlikely I would be able to hike this year, but I was able to start hiking without too much discomfort in late August/early September, so I figured I had a shot.
I had planned to start at 4:30 AM, but that was no longer a shuttle option. As the 4 AM shuttle was full, I had a choice of 3 AM (ouch) or 5 or 5:30 AM. I opted for 5 AM, but could have done 3 AM as an owl outside my cabin pretty much kept me up all night.
Started down the trail at 5:15 AM…it was PACKED! I have never seen so many hikers and runners on the trail. My plan was to push as hard as I could to reach Phantom and then get up the Devil’s Corkscrew on the other side of the river as early as possible to avoid climbing up in the heat of the day. At Phantom I got my lemonade (a must), rested a bit, and ate. Started back up the trail at 10:15 AM and was at the top of the Corkscrew at 11:50 AM (what a view!). I then stopped looking at my watch as I now planned to just slog it out and was in no rush.
I’m not sure what time I rolled into Indian Gardens, but I do remember the temperature read 90 degrees (I guess not bad for the canyon, but coming from Connecticut, it was HOT). I took another well deserved break before starting the remaining 4.5 mile climb out. That one little sun exposed section from Indian Gardens to the switch backs was tough, but I made it to the 3 mile rest area in good time and took another short break. Skipping a break at the 1.5 mile rest area, I pushed on to the top and arrived at the South Rim at 3:10 PM. I had done the R2R in 9 hours and 55 minutes…I figure that’s not too bad for someone one month shy of 60 with a herniated disc. Better yet- amazingly I had no “Kaibab Shuffle” the following day!
I loved every minute of the hike- the incomparable beauty of the canyon, the spectacular vistas, and the people I met. And once again- thanks to Michelle for having this site. It provides a wealth of information for anyone considering a R2R.
Sounds like you had an awesome one day solo Rim to Rim other than the crowds at the beginning! So happy to hear you overcame your back setbacks to hike it as that is difficult to do considering the pain. I broke mine this year so I can relate! 5th time around for you helps rid the body of Kaibab shuffle for sure! Cheers to your hike Scott and thank you for the kind compliment regarding the website!
Just returned from the Canyon – our group did South Kaibab to North Kaibab this time. We got mixed feedback on the differences between South to North versus North to South – some said South to North was harder, others said it was preferable. I’ll share the pros and cons (in my humble opinion) of the South to North route here.
Pros – the views from the South Kaibab Trail, especially at sunrise, were the best we’ve seen so far in our canyon hikes. Because its a ridgeline trail, you get panoramic views looking west, north and east of the canyon in all its glory. I’d really encourage you to do this trail at least once (if you can navigate it safely – see cons) – you won’t regret it. The view is the only reason to do this trail over Bright Angel, but its reason enough that we plan to do it again.
Cons – the trail is steep, and not as well maintained as Bright Angel. If you have knee or ankle issues – brace up and use poles or you might regret it. We met hikers on the way who were hurting because they didn’t prepare for this aspect of the descent. The compost toilets were filthy – definitely not as well maintained as the other trails. There is no water available on the trail after you leave the trailhead until you get to Phantom ranch – this not a huge deal, but you need to be aware of it and carry water accordingly. If you’re going South to North, the stretch from Phantom Ranch to Manzanita, while only a modest elevation gain, tired us out more than we expected. It’s a slow gradual uphill slog with lots of ups and downs, so the net vertical gain might be modest, but on the ups and downs of the trail you’re doing much more. It wasn’t awful – more like it took some of the edge off our energy. You’ve probably read about how steep the North Rim ascent is – it is steep, and it gets steeper as you climb really up until the trailhead. Tackling that last 5 miles, after 17 miles on the trail, was tougher than we remembered the Bright Angel ascent being.
We were 12 hours rim to rim, 9.5 hours of it moving time.
All in all a great experience – train before hand, research your route and prepare your pack and equipment accordingly, and have a blast!!!
I started my fourth rim to rim hike at the Grand Canyon on August 16, 2019. My hike was supposed to start in the early AM, but due my plane being delayed the previous day, I did not hit the South Kaibab trailhead until 11AM. Needless to say, it was hot and the nearly constant downhill trail made hiking very challenging. About six miles into the hike, I felt heat stroke coming on, so I found a nice shady spot. After resting for half an hour, I felt better and continued my hike. I had a 6:30PM dinner reservation at the Phantom Ranch. Unfortunately, I did not arrive until 7PM due to the half hour rest I took to avoid heat stroke. When the Phantom Ranch canteen opened up again at 8PM, I was surprised to find that they had saved me some dinner, as well as, dinner for several other hikers who arrived late. It was very kind of them to do so!
After breakfast the next morning, I started on the North Kaibab Trail towards the North Rim. I burned out my legs on the previous day’s hike down the South Kaibab Trail, so I was hiking at half my usual pace. I would normally have reached the North Kaibab Trail Head by 5 or 6PM, but my slow pace put me at Supai Tunnel at 10PM. Earlier in the evening, I met one of the North Rim Campground hosts coming down the trail. He suggested that I take a long rest at Supai Tunnel before tackling the last 2 miles to the rim. I took his advice. After a good long rest, I hit the trail again at 3AM. The thin air and my worn out legs required me to rest many times as I hiked upward towards the rim. I finally emerged from the canyon at 6:15AM. I missed the shuttle from the trail head to the campground by seconds, so I had to hike the .7 miles to the campground, but made it in time to get a cup of coffee and to catch the Trans-Canyon Shuttle back to the South Rim.
Of my four rim to rim hikes, this was the most challenging due to the heat and steepness of the South Kaibab Trail. Because I am an experienced hiker, was well equipped and took the advice of other knowledgeable canyon hikers, I completed my hike, suffering only a little sunburn and a pair of sore legs.
The Grand Canyon is both a beautiful and spiritual place for me. I will return again, but maybe for a less challenging hike.
Hi everyone,
My name is Jaismeen and I just returned from a week long trip to different NPs in Utah and ended with Grand Canyon. We did South Kaibab trail till Skeleton point and came back. On our previous trip to GC, we did Bright angel trail till Indian Garden and back up.
This time we really want to do R2R. We are husband and wife, 32 years old. Do you think its advisable to do R2R in July (4th of July weekend) ? Is it going to be very hot? We don’t have Phantom ranch reservations and so will be putting out a camping permit. But before we do, I wanted to learn from you experienced guys if its wise to do hike in July?
We did finish SK trail to Skeleton and back in 3 hours. And bright angel to Indian garden in 4 hours.
Looking forward to any tips !
The key would be to hike smart and leave at a time (early – no later than 5:00 am) in which you clear the hottest part of the canyon walls “the box” by the 10:00/11:00 am hour and be willing to take breaks especially in the shade of the canyon, by the river and at Phantom Ranch if you can. More tips on the hike-it page of our website as well as other club member posts/comments.
Good luck!
I would not attempt a rim to rim in July. The temps at Phantom Ranch are often well over 100! The heat would just make it less enjoyable for me. Hiking very early or late would be the only way to do it. Although I have hiked up Bright Angel several times at night, I always felt like I was missing the scenery!
Hi all – here’s a story of how two old school friends joined the Rim-to-Rim Club.
I managed to talk a friend into doing rim-to-rim, south to north, in a day, as the centrepiece of a week’s holiday last week in the southwest taking in a number of national parks. We’re from the UK, and flew in to Las Vegas – fleeing up I-15 to escape the brashness as soon as we could! I’d hiked below the rim twice before – about half-way down the South Kaibab Trail and back three years or so ago, and down to the river and back on the south side (South Kaibab/Bright Angel) in the autumn of 2017 – but it was my friend’s first time.
Here’s my summary of our adventure, which I hope provides some useful information for anyone considering a similar endeavour.
Having used the fantastic Trans-Canyon Shuttle to get round to the south rim, we stayed at Maswik Lodge the night before, and got the 4am Hiker’s Express from the bus stop at the Backcountry Info Centre practically next door, hitting the South Kaibab Trail at 4:40am MST. We had head-torches, but didn’t really need them as there was already light in the sky. The colours as the sun rose over the canyon were as breathtaking as I remembered. The hike down to the river was easy, and we made it to Phantom Ranch by about 7:30. My knees were a little sore from the downhill part – all those steps down really do take their toll – though mitigated somewhat by the fantastic trekking poles my brilliant wife had got me for this time round.
After a brief stop at Phantom Ranch to pick up sack lunches, take on water, etc., we headed off into The Box at around 8:30. Although this stretch of the trail has a fearsome reputation, in our case this part of the hike was also pretty tame: although this was 11 June, i.e. nearly midsummer, we were early enough in the day to be in shade most of the time, which is what I had guessed in advance. The heat hit seriously only once we emerged from The Box into the more open terrain on the stretch up to Cottonwood. Apart from a few very sparse trees and the very occasional overhanging rock, there was no shade at all and the sun is mercilessly high at this time of year. It was at this point that I felt compelled to take the advice of a Park Ranger we’d encountered on the way down: I soaked my shirt, neckerchief and hat in the creek and put them back on to cool down – which made a massive difference. I did this a few times on the stretch up to Cottonwood – my friend wasn’t feeling it so badly and so didn’t need to till later. Be warned, though: although the creek is usually within 10 yards or so of the path, and you can hear it and often see it, it’s not always easy to get to it. I made a few abortive attempts, and got cactus spines in my legs for my trouble.
We got to Cottonwood at 11:30, and used the shade to rest, cool down, refuel our bodies and refill our water supplies before setting off again at 1pm for the short stretch to Manzanita. There we rested some more, ate some more, took on more water and soaked ourselves again before setting off at about 3pm for the assault on the remaining 5-plus miles of the North Kaibab Trail, which we all know gets increasingly steep as you get towards the top.
One complication we were having to deal with was one of the frequent pipeline breaks, meaning there was no water between Manzanita and the North Kaibab Trailhead. So we prepared ourselves with the ability to carry 4 litres plus each of water for this slog. As it turned out, we had massively over-catered on this front, as we both finished the hike with literally litres to spare. Better safe than sorry, though.
As with The Box earlier, we found the bulk of this climb was in the shade: as we headed NNW up the steep-sided canyon, with the trail mostly hugging the SW side, the sun, now moving round to the SW itself, was mercifully mostly hidden behind the canyon walls, which is what I had hoped and expected. Only on the stretch between the Redwall Bridge and Supai Tunnel, as we climbed the seemingly endless switchbacks on the NE side, were we much exposed to the sun. At this point, we also had the radiated heat from the rocks to contend with, as they had been absorbing the sun’s rays for hours. Luckily, this was late enough that the sun was losing some of its punch. After Supai, it was just an increasingly steep climb, up to the trailhead, which we reached just before 6pm, in the relative cool and shade of the trees.
I’d had a rough schedule for the day, which had us starting at 4:30am and finishing at 6:30pm, so we came in a little ahead of that. Overall we were on the trail for 13h20, and moving for about 10h30, which is respectable for two fifty-year-olds covering 21 miles with 11,000 feet of elevation change, I think. In terms of the timings, the initial descent was roughly on target, we made much better than expected time between Phantom Ranch and Cottonwood, and it was slower from there on up the long steep climb, even given that we had the shade to help us.
Overall, though, things worked out largely as I had planned, and I think my arguably controversial choice to go south to north was the right one, despite the extra climb. Not only did it mean we got to enjoy the spectacular views from the South Kaibab trail on the way down, but it meant the sun’s position maximized the shade during critical parts of the hike: had we gone the other way (i.e. North Kaibab and Bright Angel), we’d have hit The Box much later, and found the sun beating on us as we slogged up the Bright Angel Trail all afternoon – something I experienced on my previous SK/BA hike, and didn’t care to repeat. The one change I would make, should I ever care to repeat this, would be to make a shorter stop at Phantom Ranch and thus get to Cottonwood earlier – even half an hour makes a difference in the heat of the sun when you’re in the open.
As I said, I hope this helps. Happy hiking!
Hello! My dad and I managed to book an overnight stay at Phantom 8/6 of this year. It is our Bucket list trip. We are in good physical condition and are runners. May I please have advice on start times to begin hiking 8/6?? We are staying at North Rim Lodge 8/5. What time should we leave to avoid the box? What is there to do at Phantom? I appreciate any other advice greatly and am excited about this incredible journey. You all are an inspiration with your stories.
Hi Kristen! It’s Joe and Keith! Great meeting you on the trail in Grand Canyon! You and your dad are strong hikers! It was a pleasure to meet you. Keep an eye out for those pink rattlers!
Joe! So good to meet you both! We are heading back again next May! Thank you for your support and accountability out there. You guys were amazing!
Hello, Rim 2 Rim-ers! I have a question and would love your expertise!
Have reservations at Phantom Ranch for June 12 and 13 2020 (!!!). We would love to go North to South (up Bright Angel) but are worried about the box, of course.
(We went to Phantom Ranch on July 30 (up August 1) about three years ago. We wanted to R2R then, but having no canyon experience we chickened out because we didn’t want to die in the box. We went round trip Bright Angel. 6 hours down, 6:50 up).
The Big Question. Plan A is to leave the lodge at the North Rim via the 5:20 shuttle, go down down down, and play it by ear. Would love to be able to get through the box ASAP, but would also be cool to hang out at Cottonwood until maybe 3 or so and then keep going, hoping to make the 6:30 dinner. Can the box be tackled with water, one of those handy umbrellas (we used on up BA last time and it was great. Lots of rangers had them as well), and wetting down in the creek?
Or, should we go down South Kaibab, hang out at PR for our two nights (!!) and then go up the North? We’d clear the box in good time but then we would have that climb. That climb. Also, we’d not have anything waiting for us up there since the mules only go to the South Rim. I imagine we could get pizza and a beer at either place. 😉
Thank you SOOO much for any thoughts or input. The info here is amazing! I’m trying not to obsess, but here I am! I don’t want to be in the third edition of Over the Edge, KWIM?
Hi Jamey,
Our thought is since you have two nights at Phantom and South Kaibab is such a GORGEOUS trail (and you have already done the Bright Angel trail), you for sure can descend that first and be able to take your time and really enjoy that trail. Most are in a hurry on that route since they don’t have the overnight at Phantom. Since you do, you can totally take your time on this entire hike and when you head out, you will be hitting the box early enough.
Enjoy your time in the canyon!
For my 70th birthday on April 17 I wanted to do something special – or should I say “Grand”? I was staying at Bright Angel lodge and left Bright Angel trailhead at 3:30 am. I was at Phantom Ranch by 6:15 am and the North Rim by noon. The return was a real slog, especially the stretch through the Box before Phantom, (does that ever end?), and then the last miles in the dark after Indian Garden when I was just hanging on. I topped out back at the S. Rim at 9:30 pm. Luckily weather conditions were perfect – blue skies and seventies- and an almost full moon as a bonus! Water was never an issue, but despite options (pb+j, trail mix, cheese snacks, protein bars, Gatorade gels) nothing really appealed and I probably didn’t eat enough. 3 Advil before I started and 3 more halfway through was probably a good call, but risky since I don’t normally medicate. I made it, and am so proud. The best birthday ever.
WOW! Happy 70th and what an accomplishment! So proud of you Seamus!
Hey, All!
My name is Tim Hoime and I completed the Rim to Rim hike on May 20, 2018. I am sixty years old and for the past 40 years, I’ve had a love for hiking and the outdoors.
The Rim to Rim hike traverses a portion of the Grand Canyon, beginning at the North Rim and stretching to the South Rim. The route itself is a rugged twenty-four-mile trail consisting of rocky and sandy terrain. NOTE: A short diversion over to Ribbon Falls adds another 1.8 miles so the total mileage was just over 26 miles.
At its deepest, (Colorado River) the trail descends to a point 2,200 feet above sea level. This trail is considered “difficult” taking into account both distance traveled and considerable elevation change of over 10,000 feet.
There were twenty-five hikers in our group; twenty-two hikers and three volunteers (driver’s, beer runners, and etcetera). Our ages ranged from sixty years young (that’s me!) to twenty-seven years old. We were an eclectic group, consisting of physical therapists, physicians, personal trainers, salespeople, and military personnel. As for our group, this was the 2nd trip for fourteen of our hiking party, and the 1st Rim-to-Rim experience for nine individuals! Two of the more adventurous in our group added another twenty-three plus miles to complete what’s known as the R2R2R hike; that means hiking from the North Rim through the canyon to the South Rim, and then turning around to hike all the way back to the original starting point at the North Rim.
A quick shout out and thanks to the Trilogy Hikers Club for providing a boatload, or rather a backpack load, worth of information and encouragement in preparation for this hike.
I spent fourteen plus weeks preparing by training on various trails in the greater Phoenix area, including most Tuesday hikes with the Trilogy Hiking Club. I also added ancillary training which included cross training, stair climbing, squats, and lunges. I’ve attached my training schedule as a reference. Additionally, I did lots of research on proper equipment, nutrition, and hydration. You’ll read later about how this paid off.
Due to increasing temps, training in late spring in Phoenix can be tough. That said, it gave me the chance to try various strategies to develop pace and to prevent or alleviate cramping – salty snacks and fruitcake seemed to work best, along with proper hydration and electrolyte intake.
We began our hike on a Sunday with a plan to cover the entire trail in one day. Now walking twenty-four miles (or twenty-six) in a single day means having we had to begin our trek fairly early in the morning, around 5:30 am. We positioned ourselves on the north ridge of the canyon traveling south on the North Kaibab Trail.
The temperature on the North Rim that morning was decently cold, about 42 degrees Fahrenheit. However, we knew as the day progressed the temperature would steadily warm. What does this mean when it comes to wardrobe? Learn to love your layers! – It is critically important to be able to readily layer, shed, and re-layer throughout the duration of your hike.
Now when most people think of the Grand Canyon, they think dusty, dry, and barren. In a sense, they are correct! The Grand Canyon is in fact, a cavernous desert. Throughout the trip I was certain to shoot video and take photos, to try and capture some of the majesties of the canyon. Very few people also know the Grand Canyon contains pocket oasis’, teeming with water, vegetation, and wildlife. Unfortunately, the photos do a poor job translating the beauty of the landscape to film.
Also of note, here’s a brief sermon about preparedness…
If you want your hike to be enjoyable, it’s important to take your preparation seriously. Hiking can be such an incredible experience. But when dehydration and hunger set in, it can be difficult to appreciate your surroundings beauty, let alone make well thought out potentially life-altering decisions. At one point on the hike, I was very relieved to have packed more than what I just needed because some folks appeared to have done very little research before attempting a hike of this magnitude.
With that said, I did meet a couple at one of the rest stops along the trail. This stop was called Indian Garden and is located about 4.5 miles down on the southern rim on the Bright Angel Trail. They had assumed the nine-mile (round trip) descending hike from the Southern Rim would have been easy. However, they had forgotten the long-held trial credo “Hiking down is optional, hiking up is mandatory.” With no food and only a 24oz bottle of water between the two of them, they were “bonking” (running out of steam). The next time I saw them, we were stopped at a location called the 3 Mile House; they were in pretty bad shape. I gave them a tab of GUE (electrolytes and vitamins), some salt tablets, and some fruitcake bites for energy. When I left the stop, they were still recovering before attempting the second part of their accent. I never saw them again after that. However, I’m am most confident they made it out of the canyon. I mean, there were no fatalities reported that day!
Now when it came to nutrition, I was sufficiently prepared with a well-stocked supply of electrolytes, tuna packs, peanut butter, jerky, COLLIN STREET BAKERY fruitcake, nuts, apples, as well as energy gels and chews. I stopped to snack about every forty-five minutes or so and drank continuously from my 100oz Camelbak pack.
Additionally, my pack was well supplied with a first-aid kit, headlamp, extra socks, a knife, poncho, gloves, and my phone. On my hip I carried a .38 Special for protection… you just never know. Also to note, sometimes there can be pipeline breaks so it’s a good idea to have someone in the group with water filtration gear. On average the pipes break about once a month meaning it’s likely they could break while you are hiking. With a filtration system, you can drink from the local water supply without any issues.
One other thing of importance to remember while hiking is pace and rest. Both are extremely important and just like nutrition, can play a huge role in cognitive ability and overall hiking experience. Hike at YOUR pace and level of conditioning. While on this adventure, I noticed one of our own hikers struggling. We were about half a mile past the Colorado River and she was dehydrated and nauseous. She was most likely not eating or drinking enough water. This meant the rest of our ascension, about eight miles in total, was very difficult for her. She was a trooper and made it out albeit well after sunset.
My main rest stops were at Manzanita, Cottonwood, Phantom Ranch, Indian Garden, and the 3 Mile House. I was certain to take a ten to fifteen minute break at each stop. While at Phantom Ranch I did indulge myself in a nice feet soaking. It was the hottest at that location, a sweltering 94 degrees. While there, I also changed socks, bought an ice-cold lemonade, and sent a postcard to my wife which I saw carried out by pack mule.
Somewhere on the decent, between Cottonwood and Phantom Ranch, I was fortunate enough to cross paths with our Trilogy Hiking Club President, aka “Prez” Steve Halvorsen. Steve was taking the harder hiking trail traveling from south to north. That trek is considerably more difficult because the elevation gain going up the North Kaibab Trail is steeper and longer than going up the Bright Angel Trail on the southern side. When we saw each other, he was looking a little fatigued, but the made it out in around 17 hours.
When we had finally arrived at the Southern ridge, it was about 6:30 pm and the temperature was pleasantly hanging around the mid-70’s. Our original group of twenty-five hikers had broken up into smaller groups based on traveling speeds. As it turns out, the group in which I had been segmented took about twelve hours, including rest. The quickest group out of the canyon was about ten and a half hours total, including rest.
After finishing the hike, I reflected on what I thought would be included in my ultimate hiking checklist. I decided on the following…
My Ultimate Hiking Checklist Includes:
Mental and physical preparedness
A great hydration pack
Quality shoes and clothes
Plenty of food and water
All in all this hike was a great experience. I loved the trail camaraderie and was blessed to be able to speak with people from Norway, Germany, China, and Great Britain. I would most definitely do this hike again. In fact, I was so proud of this hike, I actually decided to get a tattoo inspired by this accomplishment.
Again, I want to thank members of the Trilogy Hiking Club who provided insight and support during my hike preparation. Happy trails and… “Eat more fruitcake (for sustained energy); spread those crumbs around”!
Rim to Rim to Rim on September 11 with my son Josh Biddle over the course of 24 hours on Septmeber 11, 2018.
A special and major assomplishment 18 days before my 67 birthday. Thanks for encouraging me to push the boundary.
Awe inspiring landscapes, a sense of accomplishment beyond description and the most grueling day I have ever sent. Thanks to my son Justin Biddle whose words rang in my ear all day “Dig deep! The body is much more capable than your mind would have you believe!”.
Special thanks to Josh who thought out the day encouraged me, pushed me on, made sure i hydrated and ate more energy bars in one day than I could ever imagine, and grabbed my arm to steady me on legs that were barely working at the end and quite literally pulled me up the last three mile
Awesome story; awesome accomplishment.
My wife and I are English, my wife is an artist, I had been working for Shell in Houston and now my wife flew over to join me in Denver where we climbed a number of peaks in the Frontier Range, Colorado including Torreys peak at over 14,000 ft. and a number of others over 12,000 ft. then we went further west to the Tetons, Wyoming before flying to Flagstaff and driving to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The date was October 1976. Most of my life I have been climbing, both rock climbing and snow and ice climbing. I have been a member of the Climbers’ Club and the Alpine Club for many years. From the North Rim we explored some of the trails into the Canyon and decided to walk down the North Kaibab Trail to the Colorado River and back the same day to get a feeling for the territory. We had hired a small log cabin on the North Rim for two nights. We knew we would be walking through six of the seven climatic zones on the planet, missing out the Equatorial Rain Forest, that is not surprising! Our first day after cooking a good breakfast, made some sandwiches and two flasks of slightly sweetened tea without milk we set off. The track was not smooth because the mule trains carrying individual passengers up to the North Rim from one of the recognised campsites kicked up rocks with their hooves often causing rock falls. We passed the Supai Tunnel cut through the Redwall limestone to enable tourists to look down the length of the Grand Canyon. We then passed the old pumping station that became the Bruce Aitken building. Bruce Aitken, was a geologist, nature-lover and artist. the Aitken family home is now a Ranger Station. we continued through what the Park calls the Box where the North Kaibab Trail enters a narrow canyon of very ancient rocks, this can become very hot during the summer months. Jean, my wife and myself were very thankful we were walking in October. My wife then said how would I like to walk across from the North Rim to the South Rim the following day and that she would drive around and meet me on the South Rim. Little did either of us realise that her journey would be 216 miles long and it would pass through two State boundaries. I really think her journey was the worst. When she reached the South Rim she filled a quart bottle with fresh cool water and set off down the South Kaibab Trail.
As for me, I repeated my previous days walk past two campsites. I met one mule train going north otherwise I met nobody else all day until I met my wife Jean during the afternoon with that wonderful life-saving bottle of water. After I reached the Phantom Ranch I had a lie down under a tree, I think it was an acacia tree. I tried to relax but my body was in a sort of auto-tension, as if it knew that another big effort was required. I ate my sandwiches and drank as much water as my body would take. I did think it would have been handy if my body could store water like a camel, but in the human body what water goes in had to come out, so I had a big pee before I set off for the South Rim. The metal suspension bridge built for walkers and mule traffic over the Colorado River was about 60 ft. above the water and was called the Silver Bridge after the nineteenth century explorer John Wesley Powell. The complex array of ancient ruins at Phantom Ranch I could see today go back to the 12th century and were used by the Hopi, descendents of the Puebloan people who used to hunt and farm in the area.
The first section of the South Kaibab Trail is the steepest at about 22%, the track twists and turns in frequent distortions through various types of rock, mostly limestone, some reddish some greyer. Then I walked through a layer of shale before getting to Skeleton Point where I could see the whole of the Phantom Ranch complex some 1500 ft. below. The distance between the bottom of the Canyon and Yaki Point on the South Rim is about 7.5 miles and I would be climbing about 4800 ft. The problem wasn’t distance or height but temperature and dehydration. The ascent was slow, the angle I was climbing was about 30 35 degrees with bends every few yards, because i had to move and twist my body seemed to drain my reserves more quickly. I was very careful about the amount of water I drank. I had fill two large plastic bottles with cool fresh water and decided I would take a sip of water every two hundred and fifty yards and sat down frequently thinking this would conserve my energy, but it didn’t. All my body wanted was more water, I was getting more dehydrated every step I took. Then a miracle happened, because around the next bend came my guardian angel, Jean came with a huge smile on her face and a large bottle of water in her hand.
Everyone has a plan. I was familiar with the deep Canyon, having done a SR to SR (BA down, S Kaibab up) many years ago. My plan…train hard…get in shape…establish a timeline for a one day R2R (SK to NK)…arrive at the Grand Canyon and hike.
Well…the second to last item went well. No issues getting to the South Rim of the Canyon.
My family thought I was crazy, but agreed to let me go. While I took the “short” route of 21 miles, they would drive the long way to the North Rim (we had reservations at the NR Lodge).
We spent a few days doing family stuff on the South Rim before my big day. I got up at 2:30 AM on June 28, 2018. Got all my gear in place, ate, and walked over to the Bright Angel Bus Stop for the 4AM Hiker’s Express to the S Kaibab Trail head. By 4:40AM I was starting down the South Kaibab. Right on schedule.
Made good time to Ooh Aah Point and Cedar Ridge as I walked in the near dark and twilight before dawn. Started falling behind schedule on the way to Skeleton Point and kept falling off the plan as I passed the Tip Off on my way to Phantom Ranch. Not sure why I lost the time. The day was beautiful with the sun coming up around the time I left Cedar Ridge. The colors of the Canyon coming alive was likely a factor as I kept pulling my pocket camera out and taking pictures.
I got to Phantom Ranch at 9:15 AM (about 1 1/2 hours behind “schedule”). Ate, drank, sent a couple of Post Cards from the Canteen. Not sure where the time went, but it was now 10:40 AM and I had a choice. Press on into The Box at the worst time of the day during the worst time of the year or hunker down at Phantom Ranch until mid-afternoon, then push for the North Rim.
My thoughts….I had trained for the last couple of months in the hotter temps of the desert SW. I was rested, felt good, had enough water. The grade is all up, but shallow. You can see where this is going.
Yep…I did the dumb thing. I left Phantom Ranch and started hiking. Not a good idea. By the time I truly realized that, going back was almost as bad as continuing forward. I had a small weather unit with me (Temp, Humidity, and Barometric Pressure). In The Box, it was above 110 deg F in the shade (worse in the sun) and less than 1% humidity. Even after I got out and was in the open Canyon, temps and humidity were just as bad…and there was less shade. The water went fast, I went slow. By the time I hit Wall Creek, I could feel the heat exhaustion kicking in. I got as wet as I could and pushed on to Cottonwood Creek Campground, arriving at 4 PM.
For the next hour, I just recovered. Kept myself wet. Drank and ate what electrolytes and calories I could and just rested and refilled my water containers.
At 5:05 PM, I left Cottonwood for the Manzanita Rest Area, the Canyon was starting to go into shadow and the temps were dropping. Another really beautiful time in the Canyon. I arrived at Manzanita at 6PM and finally felt well enough to have a meal. The rest area was in shadow, but the eastern Canyon walls were still alight. An incredibly beautiful view. At 6:40 PM, I started back on the trail and started to realize how the heat exhaustion was going to have a long term impact on the climb out.
For the next 7 1/2 hours, I hiked, rested, hiked, rested…until I got to the North Kaibab Trailhead at 2:10 AM June 29 – 21 1/2 hours after I started my R2R hike.
Many thanks to the folks passing me between Manzanita and the NK Trailhead. They kept my family informed that I was still climbing out and was not a casualty needing rescue.
Thanks also to the couple that took a picture of me on the steps of the Phantom Ranch Canteen. We met at the BA Bus Stop waiting for the Hiker’s Express and they arrived at Phantom shortly before my adventure through The Box and offered to take my picture to confirm I was there.
Looking back, I should have definitely stayed at Phantom vs. doing the mid-day hike to Cottonwood. Total hike time might have been similar, but I would have dodged the heat exhaustion and its after effects.
Last observation…I had a wonderful time. As daunting as the hike became, I loved doing it. So…as an encore, I’m planning a 3 day/2 night R2R2R in 2019.
Did the single day R2R (NK to to BA) for the second time in less than a year. Brought a friend this time. We went fairly slowly on the way down, which only made it that much hotter by the time we crossed the river. On the way up temps reached over 130. We came across numerous folks who were totally unprepared – one especially at IG who only had a 12oz bottle of water and had planned to go all the way to the river. His wife and son had abandoned him after 1.5 miles. We were able to talk him out of trying to keep heading down.
We left Idaho on a Sunday, hiked Monday and stayed at Red Feather Lodge, then drove drove all day Tuesday to get home. Oh, this was the first weekend in June of 2018. Another great GC trip.
In the first week of September my wife and I hiked rim to rim and as everyone says it was a great bucket list trip! Unlike many others, however, we hiked from the south rim to the north rim and we were glad that we did as there were many advantages in going this direction. Both of us are in our mid-60’s, but in good shape, and going downhill is at times harder on us that going uphill. Our older ankles and knees were less stressed by the reduced amount of downhill (1700 less vertical) when starting on the south rim. Over the length of the trip we went as fast uphill as we did downhill. By starting at the south rim we were able to go down and really enjoy the South Kaibab trail which is possibly the most scenic of the trail options. Since the trail is only 7 miles it was not necessary to get a real early start nor were there any issues with no water stops. We carried 3 liters each and ended up giving a away about a liter each to a couple of hikers coming up from the river that had run out of water. Another advantage of starting at the south rim is that you don’t need to worry about “The Box” on the North Kaibab trail. We were through the box as we went up the North Kaibab trail on our second day before the sun hit the bottom of the canyon. The last 5 miles of the North Kaibab trail is the steepest part but as we neared 8000 feet the temperature dropped reducing the stress of the hike. That the North Kaibab trail ends in a beautiful mixed tree forest was another benefit. Lastly, ending the hike and spending the night at the lodge on the North Rim was much more relaxed and enjoyable than ending on the busier south rim. A beer on the North Rim Lodge veranda, and sunset and sunrise at Bright Angel point, were great ways to end our hike. There are a couple of negatives, however. Ribbons falls was in the shade and a bit cool so dipping in the pools was not that attractive early in the morning (still worth the visit, even at 8am). There is no shuttle bus, in the afternoon, from the North Kaibab trailhead for the 1.5 mile distance back to the North Rim Lodge. We were able, however, to easily hitch a ride back to the lodge thus avoiding that hike. We returned to the south rim using the Transcanyon shuttle. A bit expensive but a beautiful ride and very convenient. For $25 Transcanyon will ship a bag of up to 20lbs from one rim to the other so we had a bag of clean clothes at the North Rim lodge which made our evening there much more pleasant. Three last thoughts…note that the Roaring Springs water stop is about 1/3 of a mile off of the main trail so use the Manzanita stop unless you want to walk about 2/3 of a mile extra on that ascent up the North Kaibab trail. We stayed at the Phantom Ranch cabins. We failed in getting a spot via the lottery but every week after our lottery failure we checked online for Phantom Ranch availability. The website shows month by month what days have availability as some people do cancel. We found our date only about 5 weeks before we did our hike. Lastly, we purchased the sack lunch at Phantom Ranch. The lunch has a good variety of items but all items, except for the apple, are packaged and are hard to open without a knife or scissors.
Completed my fourth R2R on Monday September 24th as a single day North to South hike (NK to BA).
Checking the ranger station at the North Rim the day before I could see that because of pipeline problems there would be no water until Phantom Ranch. I really wasn’t too concerned though, it would be cool when I set off and I figured 2 liters would get me to PR where I could refresh my Camelback.
The North Rim shuttle to the trail head now starts running at 3:30 AM, but that was a tad too early even for me, so I caught the 4 AM shuttle and started down the trail at 4:15 AM. In the darkness I could count three headlamps on the trail in front of me. I quickly caught two of the three, but one person was making very good time and it would be quite a while before I caught up to that individual.
Going down North Kaibab in the dark was incredibly peaceful and a bit surreal, but having climbed up the trail before, I knew I was missing some spectacular views. I made the Manzanita rest area at 6:15 which was spot on for time and I took a 15-minute break before heading back down the trail.
I am always amazed at how lush the canyon floor is as I worked my way down the NK trail. I passed only a few Northbound hikers on the trail, but about three miles from Phantom a couple heading North that told me that the water was going to be shut off at PR at 9:30 AM because of a new pipeline break. I was in shock as I was counting on getting water at PR! I looked at my watch and it was 8:30 AM. I would have to cover the 3 miles in one hour which would be cutting it close! Now- I always pack a life straw and water purification solution for just such an emergency, but it would certainly be a major PIA to have to deal with no quick refill at PR on a single day hike when I was trying to get started up Bright Angel as early as possible.
So- I really picked up my pace and essentially jogged the three miles to PR getting there at 9:15 AM. I was stoked to have made it there with time to spare, but I couldn’t help but feel for the other hikers travelling North and South that day. Subsequently, a park ranger told me that PR has a large water cistern that they use in emergency situations, so I don’t believe other hikers were not able to get water at PR that day. Unfortunately for me, that extra exertion to get to PR took its toll. During my “sprint” to get there, I could feel a hot spot starting on my left heel, but I couldn’t stop to take care of it without potentially missing the water cut off time and by the time I got to PR it was a pretty good sized blister (my first in over 15 years!). Just before PR I also finally caught up to the owner of the headlamp on NK that I hadn’t been able to catch earlier. Her name was Sue (a cancer survivor) and she was doing a one day R2R to raise money for cancer research. She had started down the trail just 15 minutes before me at 4 AM (she was in AMAZING shape). Incredibly, we were both from Connecticut and both of us had pre-1960 birthdays (i.e.- we were not spring chickens)!
After a 45-minute stop at PR (I took my time with my lemonade), I was off again. I was heading down the trail when I heard shouts coming from behind me. It was a good Samaritan that had noticed I had left me food bag on a table at PR! I don’t think I could ever thank that person enough for catching me and making sure I had my food. Man- “that was close” I thought.
Although it was only 10 AM, the trail on the other side of the river was fairly sun exposed and it was already getting hot. I was able to meet a hiker named Scott shortly before the Devil’s Corkscrew (an AMAZING site every time I see it). He was doing a South Kaibab to BA loop. It’s ALWAYS helpful to have someone to chat with when going UP, and our conversation helped to distract me from the climb. After making it to the top of of the corkscrew I knew Indian Gardens was close, but I also knew I was starting to overheat and needed to slow my pace down. So I wished Scott good luck and I REALLY slowed it down.
Shortly after that I was passed by a group of four very nice Canadian hikers from Calgary and I latched onto the tail end of their group in an effort to stay around people and keep distracted. Needless-to-say, I also had to eventually slow down from their pace, but it was right before Indian Gardens.
As I slowly made my way to the water fountain at IG, I was feeling pretty spent. I parked myself in the shade next to the water spigot and tried to cool off. One of the Canadian hikers offered me some grapes (which tasted GREAT) and after about 20-30 minutes of rest and refueling I was more or less resigned to the fact that the next 4.5 miles were going to be a challenge (or to put it another way – “suck”).
As luck would have it, as I was about to set off, I bumped into Sue and although we are both typically solo hikers, I think we were each looking for someone to share the misery as we started the final ascent. She was determined to better her previous R2R time and I was determined to make it to the top. As we started the endless switchbacks that lead to the 3-mile rest house, we were suddenly blessed with cloud cover and a nice breeze. Behind us we could see a huge storm over the middle of the canyon and the loud claps of thunder made us both a bit nervous, but with no other option we continued “up”. Pausing intermittently to look back at the incredible beauty of the canyon as we climbed, it reminded me why I love this hike. I honestly don’t remember what time we set off from IG and I honestly don’t remember what time we made it to the 3-mile rest house, but we made it and took a well deserved break.
There were many more hikers on the trail now which is always reassuring when you start to get really tired, but damn- that last 3 miles is UNRELENTING! Taking it slowly and one step at a time, Sue and I eventually made it to the 1.5-mile rest house where we took a 15-minute break. Her significant other joined her there and not wanting to be a “third wheel” I let them enjoy each others company and I set off up the trail solo once again.
I was not setting a speed record, but I knew I was going to make it. Then suddenly, when I was within a half mile of the rim, I heard a thunderous crack followed by a crashing noise and a cloud of dust. A boulder had broken loose on the canyon wall opposite the trail and came crashing down! That was definitely an “OH S@#T” moment, as had it been on my side of the trail, it would have been lights out….forever.
I’m sure everyone on this forum has felt the same spine tingling sensation I did as I approached the BA trail head. I had left the North Rim at 4:15 AM and arrived at the South Rim at 3:50 PM (11 hours and 35 minutes). I had more than exceeded my expectations of a 13-14 hour hike. Sue was right behind me and CRUSHED her previous R2R time by more than 2 hours!
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be able to experience the beauty and immensity of the canyon. It makes me feel insignificant every time I hike it, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. With luck I’ll return next year.
To anyone considering a R2R hike, train properly and make sure to use the resources on this web site- they are invaluable. And- thank you once again Michelle for creating and maintaining this wonderful site!
Scott,
Great recap of your hike and thank you for mentioning the necessity to check the pipeline! Really loved reading this and it sounds like you had a couple of lucky moments for sure to include not getting taken out by that Boulder! And thank you for your kind words regarding the website! Your story and the stories of others are what make it so special. Cheers! Michelle
I visited REI two wks before my planned trip to hike R2R. Struck up a convo with a girl there and found out we were planning our solo GC hikes on the exact same day. We exchanged numbers and decided to share a room in Flagstaff, drive in (she had her car) and start our hike together. It was WONDERFUL! We hiked that first hour together and then I picked up the pace because I was doing my R2R in one day, whereas she was just doing a few miles.
May 30th, 2018 – South to North – While I’d been to the S Rim 20 yrs prior, it’s magnificence had been long forgotten. As the shuttle etched closer to the S Kaibab trailhead, the canyon comes into view for the first time and my jaw dropped. WHAT WAS I THINKING?! I’ve always been in shape, former pro athlete, personal trainer, hiked all over the world, but this was a bit of a last minute trip and I’d only trained a few weeks and I live at 300 ft above sea level. And now here I am with a ride picking me up from the N Kaibab in 12 hrs.
Going Down – Trekking poles: First time. Lifesavers. My body wanted to run down the steep descent because walking it was brutal. I’d heard it before. I will join the choir. The descent is insanely hard on the knees. I used a cheap IT band strap and it was a life saver, as well. Once the descent was done, the pain disappeared. I encountered the pack mules on their way up and watching the majestic animals climb was a highlight of the day. Met amazing ppl all along the way, one a retired man doing the entire AZ trail.
You cannot start early enough. I passed Phantom Ranch at 9:20am. I knew what was in store. I live in 100 degree heat. The 4 hr stretch of the “box” with no reprieve from the 100 deg temps — total mind game of despair and constant stopping — stop to drink calories. Stop for sunblock. Stop to eat a bite. Not breathing hard, but HR was 140 or above. Slowest I’ve ever moved. Where the trail forks with a sign for Ribbon Falls, I got confused and went left. The spring is flowing right next to the trail there and so I ditched my things and got in the water to cool. Spirits lifted, I was able to soldier on to Cottonwood.
Climbing – The shade was a game changer. It was terrifying to go thru sections of 4 ft wide trails and shear drops. But I was ecstatic to know that nothing was going to stop me. And then it just never seemed to end. Constantly asking, where in the hell is that N Rim?! R2R took just under 13 hrs. I feel immensely proud of my accomplishment because it was grueling. Nutrition saved me. Most of my calories were fluid based.
Got picked up by a shuttle at the N Rim to continue my trip into Southern Utah. Experienced Zion as well. It took a week for my calves to return to normal. Otherwise, amazingly, I didn’t get sore. The silt after the Supai Tunnel was rigorous on the calves. It’d be much nicer to have that part at the beginning, not the end. Happy to be part of your amazing club!
Leslie,
Welcome into the club! Love that you did this with courage and grit at your core! Sounds like you had a great experience!
Wow…I’m sure glad I do my R2R’s in 4-day hikes.
Leslie,
Good job on getting in under 13 hours. I’ve crossed 3 times so far and it’s no easy task to complete in one day. I found that getting calories from liquid is a must. It was so hot that eating the dry, salty, foods that are recommended made me nauseous. Having something like Tailwind really helped me fight through the heat and still get nutrition.
I still haven’t crossed in one day yet, but I’m hoping to do that this year in October. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! Exactly my thoughts on the food. Jerky and dried cherries were about as much as I wanted to chew. I had Yerba Mate, a Matcha shake, protein and electro powders and took in magnesium and it just worked so much better! May your goal be in the rear view soon.
On sept 2, 2017 I hiked across the Grand Canyon, from the north rim to the south rim, on the Kaibab trail.
I stayed the night before the hike on the north rim at the Kaibab Lodge. I had a large spaghetti & meatball dinner and was asleep by 11pm.
The alarm sounded about 5:00 am, I boarded the shuttle to the North Kaibab trailhead by 5:30 am and began the solo descent by 6:00, the temp was 47 degrees Fahrenheit.
I wore a light weight tee shirt, swim shorts, cotton socks, jogging shoes and a hat. In my backpack I had a couple bananas, large bags of trail mix, granola and beef jerky as well as the containers needed to carry 5 quarts of water. For the cool trip down, I had about a half-gallon of water in tow. I made an effort, and pretty much succeeded, in eating and drinking small amounts every mile of the descent and ascent.
The sunrise was beautiful and groups of people, probably 30 or more, were gathered to watch the sunrise. I was so stimulated by the first couple of miles of the hike, that it was a real effort to pause and take-in the sunrise. The entire hike down was awe inspiring… Supai tunnel the cliffs up and down to my left & right, the bridges, ribbon falls, all of it.
A few miles into the descent, there was a sign on the trail, I forget exactly what it said, but I made a wrong turn and probably added a mile onto my hike. The error landed me near a camp-ground and what looked like a stop for pack mules, it may have been a campground. I doubled-back and returned to the N. Kaibab trail.
About 2 miles above the Phantom Ranch I stopped with some other hikers to watch what we decided was a deer-mule munching on plant-life for about 10 minutes.
I got to Phantom Ranch in just over 4 hours at 10:01 AM. My gps/fitness tracker said I covered 15.8 miles. I rested up for an hour, re-charged my gps, filled up all the water bottles, drank some lemonade & coffee and consumed some food.
I left the Phantom Ranch around 11:00 am, it was getting pretty warm and the sun was bright. I stopped at the Colorado River and submerged myself in the cold water then continued across the black bridge, thru the tunnel and up, up, up. That afternoon the temp ranged between 101-108 degrees Fahrenheit.
Early in the ascent, a friendly park ranger engaged me near the intersection of the South Kaibab and the River Trails. He asked me where I was going and about my food and water supply. I guess I passed the inspection and he told me to be careful. The views were and the experience were ineffable, especially the view of the Colorado River and the black bridge where I took a dip in that cold, cold water.
After the first mile, I was spent, but I was able to keep trudging, drinking and eating. Where I could find shade, I took a couple of 5-minute power naps. It was easily the toughest 7 miles I ever covered, mostly because of the heat, not the terrain or incline. At a couple of points, I did feel ill, but copped some shade, rested and drank more.
I did not see anyone else hiking up from the river that day, but the closer I got to the south rim, the more south-rim-out-and-back day-hikers I saw. I knew I was real close when, from a few feet away, I could smell clean clothes, deodorant and perfume on the approaching hikers.
I arrived at the South Rim at 3:50 PM. My gps/fitness tracker had the following stats: 51,881 steps, 431 floors, 25.51 miles, 6373 calories, 560 active minutes. Many of the comments on this site helped me prepare for this hike and I hope to return to the canyon soon.
Just completed the R2R2R as a day hike (Dec 25/26 – Excellent Christmas present!). I found the erosion control logs making the descents more difficult (for me).
More details here: longdayhikes.blogspot.com
Excellent Christmas present and a great time to hike a R2R2R as the weather has been gorgeous out here!
The weather was ideal and calm. North rim had some thin snow, but no traction required.
Monday October 16th at 5:55am my three daughters, ages 10, 13, and 15 along with our friend and her daughter age 13 started our first Rim-to-Rim hike. We trained all summer for it, hiking multiple 14ers and other long hikes. At the beginning of our training my 10 year old would be a mile or two into the hike and say she wasn’t going to hike the Grand Canyon, but then she would finish the hike and say maybe I will do it – she was still qualified (the requirement was that if the kids wanted to hike the Grand Canyon they had to do every training hike before it). By the last couple hikes she was excited and we both knew she could do it.
The hike was amazing! We were ready for it and though we got some looks from people on the trail and few park rangers and volunteer park rangers who were not convinced these young girls could make it, my friend and I knew they were ready!
We took our time and enjoyed the view once the sun began to come up. It was spectacular. Sunrise in the canyon was an amazing sight. We took so many pictures! About 1:00 we made it to Phantom Ranch. We had been hearing about the lemonade since Cottonwood Campground so we stopped inside to mail some postcards, have lemonade and cold snickers bars and of course our lunch we brought with us. The kids were excited to work on the Phantom Ranch Jr. Ranger books. We didn’t end up leaving there until about 3:00. We made it to the Indian Gardens Campground about an hour before dark. After about a 10-15 minute break we started back up again. The sun began to go down and we knew our husbands who were waiting for us up top would begin to worry, but there was no way to get word to them so we just kept on going. We were all tired and our feet were sore but we weren’t exhausted and we knew would make it out. There were other people we had met on the trail just ahead of us and we passed them shortly before the three mile house. It was so dark by the time we got to the three mile house we didn’t stop for long, but we did take a few minutes to look at the beautiful stars. It was about this time there was message being passed up the canyon from someone with a walkie-talkie that our husbands were looking for us. “Tell them we are at the 3 miles house, doing great and we will be out as soon as we can.” I think that made them feel better as they expected us in about 12 hours and it was already after 6:00. It was neat how everyone was looking out for each other, and our group kinda stuck out with 4 young girls and 2 mom’s.
We are all pretty sure it was more than a mile and a half between the 3 mile house and the 1.5 mile house as I think everyone who hikes it does. But we kept on going, no stops between. The stars were beautiful to look at but we didn’t want to trip looking up so we kept our eyes on the trail and once in a while would take a minute to stop and enjoy the milky-way. By the time we made it to the 1.5 mile house we were able to send a text to let the guys know we were close. It wasn’t long after that, they could see our headlamps working our way up the canyon wall. About a quarter mile down or so (hard to say exactly) we could hear them yelling down to us and that put a little pep in the girls steps (not to say they were slow before because they were keeping a good pace, but you could tell they were excited to know they were almost at the top.) With it being dark it was hard to tell how many more switchbacks there were. A few more and we were greeting each other at the top! It was the most amazing experience and I couldn’t be more proud of the young girls who made it without a single complaint the entire 14 hours 35 minutes! (We reached the top at 8:30pm) We can’t wait to do it again together! Next time we will start a little earlier so we can see sunset from the top of the canyon.
My favorite quote of the day which my 10 year old repeated over and over again even at the end, “I am so excited to be hiking the Grand Canyon!”
WOW! What a great story and what a PROUD accomplishment to know you and your daughters completed it. You gave them an amazing LIFE experience Leda! Welcome each of you into the Rim to Rim Club® of the Grand Canyon! All Go Girls!
Leda is my daughter-in -law and 3 of those girls are my granddaughters. I am so proud of them and all the training they did to get ready for this amazing hike. The 14ers here in CO are not a “walk in the park”. Strong women that can do anything they imagine.
I did this same hike from South Rim to North Rim in May 1987 for my 40th Birthday to prove to myself that I could do it. It took me 14 hours with some of my group doing it in 12 hours. I met many wonderful and interesting people along the way. Hiking the canyon is a way to really see how awesome it is–I guess like rafting it. That last climb up the North Rim WAS challenging. Something I noticed and remember to this day was how bored the people riding the donkeys on the trail looked as compared to excitement we all felt.
Amen! Love this Barbara and you should be proud of your family as well as yourself. Welcome ALL of you into the club!
Finished my 3rd rm to rim on October 9th. I had planned on a North to South single day trek, but I was able snag a last minute Phantom Ranch reservation that required me to change to a two day South to North hike. I figured the extra elevation was payback for the overnight stay at PR. I decided to go down Bright Angel because I find South Kaibab to be very steep and my old legs don’t need the extra pounding. I left a little before 7AM on Sunday October 8th to a cool and windy morning. Despite what you may think, BA trail is pretty empty in the early morning. Plus- it isn’t as steep as SK, there’s water, there’s restrooms, and lots of shade. Not to mention, it doesn’t take all that much longer to hike down. Going at a leisurely pace (no need to rush down to PR) and taking breaks I made it down to the ranch in 4.5 hours. The hike down was again spectacular and the stay at Phantom was, of course, refreshing.
The next morning I had no option but the late breakfast and I wasn’t able to start hiking until 7AM. It is DEFINITELY all uphill from Phantom, but the ‘real climb’ starts at the Manzanita rest area (where I took off my shoes, ate, and had a nice break before starting up the final climb). Luckily the weather was perfect- temps in the 50-60’s with a cool breeze- so the schlep up was much easier than last year. Despite my relatively lower level of conditIoning I made it to the top of the North rim a little before 2:30 PM ( 7.5 hours)- that included several nice breaks, photo opportunities (of which there are endless), and an unscheduled prolong delay on the upper NK while I waited for a mule handler to get his group of unruly novice riders down the trail. I took the obligate triumphant photo in front of the North Kaibab trailhead sign and I was fortunate that a family of four from Tennessee felt pity on a tired, dirty, smelly, old man and offered to drive me the 2 miles to the lodge- an offer I readily accepted!
I know I hike the canyon because of it’s beauty, but besides the amazing vistas, I realized that a big part of what I enjoy about hiking the canyon is the people I meet and their stories. On the hike down I spent some time with David, a veteran canyon hiker who used to be a chef at El Tovar! He immediately pointed out some Native American pictographs that I would have walked right by. At PR I met Jim and Kevin- two friends and teachers from Indiana. Had Kevin not suggest a short night hike to look at the stars, I would never have seen the Milky Way spread over the canyon (a truly amazing sight). And none of us would have realized that you can actually see satellites course across the night sky had it not been for some unknown passing hiker. I met Tom, Jim, and Dan from Maryland and Virginia – all amazed by the beauty on their first R2R. I met Bob, a prior Pratt and Whitney executive from Connecticut that after retirement sailed the Caribbean for 8 years before relocating to Utah to become a ski instructor (I secretly wish I was Bob!) I met people in their 70’s still impressively doing R2R hikes! I met three young hikers from Germany that were going to do a Bright Angel to South Kaibab loop. I desperately tried to convince them of the danger of what they were planing to do, but they wouldn’t listen and I sincerely hope that they made it through OK. I met people from Canada, France, and England (and many others) that were all hiking to have the same experience I was. I guess it was obviously pretty crowded on the trail, but my point is each of these people made my hike more memorable. Thanks to everyone I met!! Until next year…
One final note- this site is a fantastic repository of canyon knowledge and moving personal experiences. Thank you Michelle for creating this site!
Scott, loved reading your recap of your hike and so happy to hear something opened up at PR so you could take your time. Felt like I was out there under the stars with you as I read the recap! So happy you met others along the way that each provided a different perspective of the canyon and shared those perspectives with you as this is what this club and forum is all about!
I did my first rim to rim hike on May 29, 2017 – South Kaibab/North Kaibab. In 2016 I did a rim to river hike (South Kaibab/Bright Angel). I did both hikes solo and in one day. Rim to rim took me 15 hours, rim to river 12. Not bad for 50+ :). I was slow, but steady and well prepared for each hike.
Ironically, prior to these two hikes, I had almost no hiking experience. My 2016 hike started as more of an afterthought, as I was planning a trip to Monument Valley (beautiful!!). I googled “things to do at the Grand Canyon”, read about the rim to river hike and decided that this was the hike for me. My research (including reading posts on this site!) quickly led me to believe that I had no business attempting this hike, much less in one day. So I opted to settle for hiking down the South Kaibab trail to Skeleton Point and back. But after a few weeks of training, the desire to do the full hike just wouldn’t go away…so I ratcheted up the research and training to ensure I completed the hike safely. Both the rim to river hike and my more recent rim to rim hike went great, so I think it’s fair to say that I took the warnings seriously.
I had good boots and socks (I recommend Injinji toe socks), plenty of food and water, electrolyte tabs, water purification tablets and a drinking filter straw, just in case there were water issues. I carried 3 liters of water. For my rim to rim hike this last May, I also used a reflective umbrella. I’m from Minnesota, so I knew the heat would be an issue for me. I think I might have passed out without the umbrella. I started my hike at 4am, because I knew I would be slow and I needed an early start. I took a taxi to the South Kaibab trailhead and before setting out, I took a few minutes and sat on a boulder to take in the stars – you don’t see such a site in the city! I had a headlamp, as it was dark when I started. I probably should have been afraid being out there alone in the dark…but wasn’t.
My original plan was to hike back to the south rim after 2 nights on the north rim. But I ended up getting a blister, so I took the shuttle back instead. The blister was on the bottom of my big toe and caused me no trouble at all on my south to north rim hike, but I decided it would be downright reckless to start the hike back with a blister. Although I enjoyed the shuttle ride back to the south rim, I’m still aching to get that north to south rim hike in! I’m sure readers on this site will understand.
I really needed to train hard for these hikes, but my training paid off and both hikes were spectacular. I’d recommend a rim to rim hike to anyone willing to do the research and training necessary to do it safely. Standing on the north rim and looking back at the south rim, knowing I carried myself over on my own two feet was a feeling of accomplishment that can’t be beat!
Kathy, loved reading your story and so proud of you for what you accomplished! Happy you took your time in getting the training in and prepared and packed properly so you could have a great experience! Those stars are amazing! Welcome into the club and we have no doubt you will be back out there!
Three years ago, a good buddy of mine passed away at the age of 54 from cancer. Too young indeed, but the last time we visited shortly before his death he said he had no fear of dying. That’s because he lived full life as he explained to me. His life was one an continuous adventure to amazing places throughout the world. Since then, I decided to develop my own little bucket list. His life, more than his death, convinced me to do some exploring of my own — now rather than later. The Rim to Rim hike was one of the top things on my Bucket List. Earlier this month, I finally did it. With my brother-in-law and niece, the journey began at the North Rim at 4:00am. On the one hand, the journey in the dark proved to be a bit frightening at first, but as we made our way down, the fear gave way to sense of peacefulness. As the canyon got lighter and the temperatures climbed higher and higher, we found a few places along the away to cool ourselves in the creek that runs along the trail. By time we arrived at Phantom Ranch/Bright Angel Campground, the mercury topped off at 116 degrees. Ugh! So we spent the better part of the afternoon wading in the creek. It felt great! The following morning after cramming the camping gear into our packs, we begin our journey across the Colorado and up the Bright Angel Trail. At one point after focusing my eyes on the trail for quite a few minutes, I decided to lift my head and look at some the scenery. A good call because ten feet in front of me was a rattle snake gliding across the trail. Once he spotted me, the two of us froze. Common sense told me to sit tight until he lost himself in the rocks. Fortunately, he didn’t wait too long. After resuming the hike, all was fine until I began my climb up the South Rim just beyond Indian Garden. With 1.5 miles to go, I was stopping every 400 yards for a break. What kept me going was my friend. I kept asking him for some words of inspiration. Fortunately, he delivered. By the time I made it to the top, I was completely spent. My wife called and I had to cut her off. I thought I kept hydrated but the nausea convinced me otherwise. Despite the feeling at the end, I’m ready to do it all over again. The Rim to Rim hike is like no other hike. So many things make it special: first and foremost the scenery and the solitude. And along the journey, you’ll meet some interesting people who share an appreciation for all the Grand Canyon has to offer. I’m forever thankful to my friend for sharing his message with me. Got quite a few more adventures on my Bucket List and after I compete them, I hope to start anew with more adventures — good Lord willing. My advice for those who are considering the hike: stay hydrated, don’t rush yourself and enjoy the moment!
Bill, so appreciated reading your story and how your buddy’s way of living has inspired you. Happy to hear you had a great experience despite the battle at the end (that climb out gets everyone at some point) and love that you are being called back as each time in the canyon provides more of the solitude and perspective most are looking for. Your buddy was with you for sure in spirit. Welcome into the club Bill!
Hi – my name is Dave – just completed the hike on September 17, 2017. I went with a group of 7 other guys. One guy volunteered to drive us (he did not hike), and 5 of the 6 remaining guys had varying degrees of experience. One guy was fairly new to hiking. Ages ranged from 56 yrs to mid-30s. We spent many weeks preparing by training on various trails in the greater Phoenix area, and we did lots of research on proper equipment, nutrition, hydration. This was the second trip for 3 of the group, it was my first time. Training in the summer time in Phoenix can be tough, but it gave us the chance to try various strategies to prevent or alleviate cramping – pickle juice and Himalayan salt seemed to work best, along with proper hydration and electrolyte intake.
We went North to South – started on the trail at 4:45 AM and emerged at the South Rim Trail head 13 hours later (11 hours of moving time). Our driver was waiting there for us – he did a great job for us all weekend!
One member of our group hiked down with us, then ran the floor and ascended via South Kaibab Trail – he says he will never do that again – South Kaibab is crazy steep.
I wish we had the technology to better share the experience with others. We took lots of video and pics, but the scale and the majesty of the scenery just doesn’t come through like it does in person.
We carried enough food, water and gels/energy chews to be able to share along the way with those who seemed to be “bonking.” Next time I will probably carry more stuff just in case – frankly I was a little bit surprised that some folks appeared to have done very little research before taking this on. I’m telling people now – if you want it to be enjoyable, please take the prep seriously. It is an incredible experience, so why ruin it by being miserable through it? You can do this AND have fun doing it, with some prep!!
Loved the trail camaraderie – we talked with people from Norway, France, China, Great Britain, and a couple of other places (accents :)) we couldn’t place.
I would recommend eating every 45 minutes or so, and drinking continuously and refilling at each stop. There was a pipeline break the day before we left home, so we brought better water filtration gear. The pipeline was repaired the night before we started the hike so we didn’t need the gear, but next time I would bring it whether the pipeline was working or not – it breaks on average once per month, so it could break while you are down there. With a filtration system to drink from the local water supply, it’s not an issue.
Funny story – I’m taking welding classes at night as a hobby. We get to the section of the trail near Ribbon Falls and we see this chopper fly into the valley, get close to the ground on the trail ahead of us and hover, then take off. About 20 minutes later we reach the spot and there is a big old welding machine with an integrated generator, a pile of gear, and a welder sitting there with the gear. This is where the pipe broke and they had just fixed it. They were now flying the equipment back out. They attached the gear and the welder to a sling and flew it out of the canyon, then came back and got the guy. It was fun to watch!
I would also recommend watching pace – we had a good pace going, and then I led the section from Phantom Ranch to Indian Garden. I’m not that experienced at long trail hiking, and I set the pace too fast and we did not stop to eat along the way. By the time we got to Indian Garden, we were more tired than we wanted to be. Rookie mistake. It made the last few miles tougher than they had to be.
All in all a great experience – we’re already booked to go back in Sept 2018!
Welcome into the club Dave and happy the trip went well for you and your group. Great advice above and love that you are already booked to go back. Each time in the canyon and on those trails are priceless! Congratulations again on the completion of your first Rim to Rim hike of the Grand Canyon!
This story started 13 months ago when all three of us, my sons Tony, Matt and me began calling the reservations hot line. We all called for 4 hrs. and almost gave up. I made one more call and got thru!
We had decided on the last weekend in August of 17, a date when all could make it. We knew it would be hot (it was) but had a year to get ready. Matt and me live in Fountain Hills, AZ, just outside of Phoenix.
We started hitting the gym and hiking in the surrounding “hills” for over six months.
Finally the day arrived. Tony flew in the day before and I had him hike for a couple hrs in the AZ sun. it was 105. He realized the heat would be there.
We planned to do the North to South route. Leave the car at the South Rim and take the shuttle to the North Rim and spend the night and leave early the next day.
The Shuttle was right on time, leaving at 1:30 pm and arriving at the North Rim at 6 pm. There is an 8 am shuttle if you are there in the morning.
We had a nice dinner at the Lodge, looked at the stars and the South rim which was all lit up and went to bed. The cabin was very comfortable and quiet. 9 pm to bed and up at 4am.
There was a shuttle that makes the rounds to the Trailhead. Sign up at the Lodge is recommended. We left at 5:30 and left the trailhead before six.
A point of information, there is nothing open at the lodge until 5:30, so we visited the deli the night before and had turkey sandwiches for breakfast. There are fridges in the room.
When we started down, dawn was just beginning. There were hikers that left at 3 am. I didn’t want to go by flashlight for the first couple of hrs. Good choice.
The first 4 miles or so, you drop approx. 3,000 ft. recommend good tight shoes with thick socks to absorb the shock. Going down hill for 13+ miles does take its toll.
Matt had very sore toes when we reached Phantom ranch. Our pace was slow, but steady. Considering the many stops to rest feet we were a little late for dinner. The Host at Phantom Ranch was very forgiving and we were allowed in to the dining area exhausted.
Water was available at all sights. We all carried at least 5 liters each plus a back up of 4 liters. We used most of it in the “Box” where temps were over 100.
Before we left I purchased about 100 tablets which contained salt, potassium and magnesium. We each took 3 each hour. Extremely important. We also ate P&J sandwiches we had brought along. Even warm and sticky, they were the best thing we ate. For stamina and strength that and payday bars and cherry life savors were great. Must eat every 1-1/2 hrs.
On the way down we met a woman who was near heat stroke. She was lying in the shade. A gentleman from Canada was attending her and refilling her water. (This was in the BOX) We gave her some of the pills to take then and on hour later. Believe it or not, about 2 hrs. later she had caught up to us just before Phantom ranch. A good plug for adding electrolyte to your pack.
Our short visit to the Ranch was welcomed. The meal and the lemonade were great. The bunkhouses were comfortable, and on a first come first serve basis. Being a little late we got the top bunks. Not bad, just a little hard to get up and down if you haven’t done that for the last 70 years.
We left for the hike up around 6:30 after a great breakfast at 5 am. Short turnaround.
There are 2-3 very steep switchbacks, with the last one in the “fault” on the way to the trailhead.
When you leave the last water stop at 1.5 miles from the top, you can see it and smell it(perfume and deodorant ofd day hikers) but it is a hard 1.5 as you are tired and your stamina is running low.
When you reach the South Rim Trailhead, the first thing you notice is that the next 10 steps are FLAT!
It was a great hike and we all celebrated with a fantastic Steak Dinner at the Lodge.
Have Fun if your going, many memories if you have completed.
Al, great story and recap of your hike! Welcome to you and your two sons Tony and Matt into the Rim to Rim Club® of the Grand Canyon! Sounds like you took your time and had a great experience and were able to be “trail angels” for the hiker in distress in the box. Love the advice and suggestions for other hikers and know for sure you will be called back to the canyon to reflect on what you just accomplished!
My group started our rim-to-rim hike from the north rim trail head on July 17th 2017 at first light. The hike was very pleasant at first and to say the least, one of the most exciting things I have ever witnessed. I feel very important to note the the distance from north rim to phantom ranch via N Kaibab Trail is NOT 13.9 miles . According to my Fitbit, the actual distance was 27.38 miles. Phantom ranch to South rim trail head via Bright Angel Trail is NOT 10.2 miles. It is 21.98 miles. (Many many many Switchbacks) Luckily my group was prepared for the worst and had enough provisions (Especially water). I hope hikers planning a rim to rim know these facts. It is very hot in summer months and we should prepare accordingly. Be healthy, be safe and see you on the trail!
We hiked in the middle of July, 2017. North to South rim. Plenty of parking at the North Kaibab trailhead and filled up our hydration kits. Because of the heat warnings, we started at 3:00 am on Day 1 and arrived at Phantom Ranch at 10:30 am. It all went perfectly since we started by cool, moonlight and had shade for 95% of the hike. Even in “the box” we had shade most of the time from the canyon walls. Best part was putting on a swim suit and soaking in Bright Angel Creek for about an hour. The canteen at Phantom Ranch has limited snacks and dinner wasn’t until 6:30, so we are glad we brought enough food for lunch. Stew dinner was wonderful, family style. The cabins are air conditioned, but during the heat of the day, the top bunks are noticeably warmer. Once the sun goes down, it was much cooler.
Day 2 started again at 3:00 am because of the heat. We wished we hadn’t prepaid for breakfast because they don’t give you a refund if you don’t eat it. If you know you are going to start out before 5:00 am, make sure to bring your own food. Good thing is the kitchen opens at 2:00 am so the sack lunch was available to grab before we left to hike. The hike to the South rim was very pleasant again since we started out early, but unfortunately missed some grand views of the Colorado river as we crossed it in the moonlight. Got to the rim at 11:30. Had mostly shade until the last 2 miles which were the hardest of them all but by then you can power your way through it. Make sure to stop as needed and pace yourself.
We stayed at Bright Angel Lodge after the hike and beware there isn’t air conditioning!!!!
Must have supplies, especially hiking at the HOTEST time of the year are: 2 – 3 liter hydration pack that fits into a backpack, flashlight, wide brimmed hat and spf shirt and pants. Hiking shoes that are ½ size larger than your normal size. Smart Wool socks. Salty snacks and food. Bandaids. Sunblock. Sunglasses. A backpack that clasps around your waist and also your sternum. Trail Maps for North Kaibab and Bright Angel Trail. I ordered my maps for cheap right from the Grand Canyon website. I didn’t use trekking poles but the other three people in my group did. Make sure you have a head lamp if you use poles in the dark. I personally don’t think poles are necessary, but others swear by them.
If and when I hike rim to rim again, I will do it in the fall when the weather isn’t so hot so I don’t have to start out as early and can get more views of the canyon, especially the Colorado river. I will also try to stay two nights in the canyon instead of one.
Hello! I just finished my 18th R-2-R (July, 2017), and have been hiking the Canyon 2-3 times a year since 1990. I’ve visited and camped at the Canyon since a girl in the 1950’s, and every hike is always so different! I’m also a Preventive Search and Rescue Volunteer Ranger (PSAR) which is so rewarding — not only do I help other hikers enjoy the Canyon, but also help them when they’re in over their heads with heat-related illnesses. My “thing” about the Canyon is its geology and prehistory — each time I hike it I select a particular geological strata to study and figure out. My favorite phrase is, “Geology is now!” and that’s so true of the Canyon. Its bottom layers may be 1.7 billion years old, and the Canyon itself may be 5 million years old, but it’s always changing, day after day, rock by rock. I hope you enjoy the Canyon, treasure and respect it, and take some time to learn about it. It’s drop-dead gorgeous, that’s for sure, but when we know what we’re looking at, it becomes a whole new adventure. Happy Trails! Louise Miracle
Wow, thank you for posting this and for your work with PSAR as we sure do appreciate the work your group does! Love your name! This website is about promoting responsible and respectful hiking of the Grand Canyon and we will continue on that mission for sure! Thanks again for all you do to help hikers on their journey Louise!
HI EVERYONE!
We are a group of 6 people hiking the Grand Canyon North Rim to South Rim 9/14/17 – 9/17/17. We are interested in trying to coordinate a KEY SWAP. Wondering if anyone is hiking South to North anytime after the 14th and needs a way back to their car on the South Rim OR if anyone has tips on how to find such folks.
Also – love any other thoughts about hiking on those dates!
Best,
MWO
The hike was the celebration of our 30th anniversary and we hiked on June 14/15 2017 with three families including our two adult “kids”. Eight of us stayed at the ranch, two camped. It was by far the greatest plan for an adventure vacation – everyone “rocked”the canyon. We (most of us) trained, we planned and WE DID IT! My husband and I finished in the dark (I did not want to leave the bottom) and our gift was the stars! I am forever changed by this experience. I was most amazed by the other hikers we met and their kind words of encouragement during our hike. And really glad we brought head lamps so we could rest at Indian Gardens during the heat of the afternoon and hike back in the dark. I dream about the hike and the canyon often and as my daughter states: “that is not such a bad thing”
Congratulations on completing the hike and welcome to the club Terri! Happy to hear you had a great experience and those stars you speak of coming out of the canyon are truly a gift! No doubt you will be back out there as the canyon always calls us back!
My husband and I were hoping to embark on our 3rd rim 2 rim hike in September or October 2017. Due to the challenges of making reservations at Phantom Ranch we decided to call for any availability. July 3rd was the available date. Although this is a very hot time of the year we watched the weather for a couple of weeks waiting for the excessive heat warnings to be dropped. The temps at Phantom Ranch were to be between 100 and 105 so off we went.
On July 2nd we took the Trans Canyon Shuttle from the south to the north. At 0330 hours we were at the trailhead. It was very windy with temps most likely in the upper 40s. Off we went in the darkness guided by the light from our headlamps. It was not long before the temperature started to warm up and daylight appeared. We stopped at Supai Tunnel, Manzanita rest area and Cottonwood Campground along the way making sure we kept well hydrated and fed.
We met a few people along the less traveled North Kaibab trail. One couple were experiencing the rim 2 rim for the first time so we suggested they go to and in Ribbon Falls but advised they get to the box canyon early and make use of Bright Angel Creek to cool off along the way.
Anyone heading down the north should know the water at Cottonwood Campground is located alongside the ranger station not opposite the sign board and bench at the top of the campground. The rangers should post a sign directing people to the correct area or one may not realize water is actually available. It is not easily seen from the trail.
We took a break at Cottonwood soaking our shirts and hats to keep cool before heading on toward the box canyon. Anywhere we could find water whether actually running down the trail or by scrambling to the creek we took advantage and cooled off. This makes such a difference in comfort level particularly as one descends further to the bottom of the canyon. We entered the box canyon around 1000 hrs. It was hot but not overwhelming since we kept our cotton shirts and hats wet from the creek. We arrived at Phantom Ranch at 1230 in good shape. The temp was 109.
Our new friends successfully arrived a while later having made the stop at Ribbon Falls. They too took advantage of the creek to cool off since they entered the box canyon later than suggested.
Phantom Ranch is a great place to meet people and exchange stories and experiences. Once again we met very nice people from other states and countries.
On July 4th we were up and on the trail before 0330. We met up with our new friends from the north and hiked up the Bright Angel with them. It was already in the 80s when we departed with high humidity. We took a couple of brief breaks in Devils Corkscrew and a good break at Indian Gardens where we soaked our clothing to begin the second half of the hike. The temps did not get much cooler and in fact were hotter (90) toward the south rim. Because of the holiday the trail was crowded once we got beyond Indian Gardens particularly in the top 3 miles. It was great to hear people wishing one another a happy 4th and to see some carrying flags or wearing their red, white, and blue. We exited the south rim at 1230 and headed for ice cream and cold drinks.
I must comment on the fact that many people were heading down the Bright Angel very late in the morning with young children in the heat. Having spoken to some they were planning on going a few miles down before returning to the rim. This is ok if you are prepared. We observed many with very limited water and nothing else. I was happy to see rangers and a volunteer on the trail checking on people and making sure they were aware of the difficulty coming back out of the canyon. They were also trying to dissuade people from continuing on during the hottest time of the day. Heading down is much easier than hiking back out.
The key to our success has been good preparation and taking the advice given by the rangers. Always make sure you are aware of the water situation along the trail before departing, carry a water filtration system, wear white or light colored cotton clothing, a wide brimmed hat, plenty of sunblock, take advantage of the cold water in the creek to cool off or drink if necessary. Stay hydrated, cool, and eat salty high carb snacks. Make sure your footwear is well broken in as well before you venture into the canyon.
Happy Trails to future rim 2 rim hikers!
Amen to all of this and welcome to the club Fern as it sounds like you had a great experience and hiked smart!
Thanks for providing a place where people can share their story. I spent the night in the north kebab trailhead parking lot on June 12, and man was it cold. The temperature got down to 30°. First light was around 430, and I started down the trail just before 5 o’clock. I got to the bright angel campground at 9:25. It was the perfect day for hiking because the expected high was only supposed to be in the mid-70s. I rested at Phantom Ranch for 30 to 40 minutes and as I left the thermometer hanging at the bright angel campground showed close to 90°. The hike up was fine for the first three or 4 miles, and the last two or three got a little rough 🙂 still, i’m pretty proud to say that no hikers passed me the entire hike. I got to the top of the bright angel trail head just before 230. I went through close to 16 L of water, some of that with Gatorade mixed in. I made sure to eat as much as I could, even when I didn’t really feel like it. I hiked on June 13 and I am posting this the 14th, and I don’t know if I have ever been as sore. But I am proud of myself for having completed the hike, and I feel like I did it in a fairly respectable time, which I know is not the point, but is sort of part of who I am 🙂 I had four buddies that were supposed to do this with me, but they all backed out A couple months before we were supposed to go. If they decide to try this next year I’ll be happy to go slower with them 🙂
Congratulations on your hike Scott and welcome to the club!
I got reservations!!! I am so excited because I was so lucky I got through and got reservations at Phantom Ranch, and both North and South Rim lodging for next June. It will be a dream come true, time to start training!
Just wanted to say I appreciate all the information and advice shared here, and next year I can officially join the ranks of those who have hiked R2R!
That’s great news Lisa! Congratulations and best of luck on your hike next year!
Just completed my 4th R2R on Sat June 3rd, but 1st time to do it in one day. I am a hot weather Phoenix hiker who thought the heat could never get to me. I’ve done over 30 Canyon hikes, and I have a very healthy respect for it. I made it in 11.5hrs, but it was a humbling experience for sure. I started on the North Rim at 4:30am, and made it to Phantom Ranch by 9:35am. Rested 20 minutes with a lemonade and P&J sandwich; I felt so good, I was pleased and confident. Because I had just completed a 17.5 mi. down S. Kaibab, and up Bright Angel 2 weeks earlier, I could not bring myself to go back up B. Angel. I started up S. Kaibab at about 10am. It was sunny and about 106-7; I helped two other hikers who were in real trouble with heat stroke, even giving them salt tablets and water. Then, for the 1st time in my life, I started getting dizzy before I got out of the inner gorge. I could not walk, so I laid down in a shaded spot, took a salt tab, and tried to sleep for about 15-20 minutes. With about 5 miles and 3000′ ahead of me, it was pretty scary. Thankfully, after laying down 2 more times, and taking another salt tab and a potassium tab, I began to hike again. My tank was empty and it was very difficult, but I eventually made it. For 22 yrs I’ve been helping other hikers who find themselves in trouble in the canyon. This time several people helped me, by sharing water, and encouraging me. I was moved by their generosity. I am not yet proud of the accomplishment, but still just very humbled. For some reason I thought I could do it faster and with less difficulty. I am 66 yrs old, and I now know I have real limits. The Canyon is surely grand.
Happy to hear you made it out Phil. Each time is different as you know and sometimes a one day Rim to Rim hike tests us in ways we didn’t expect. I had a tough one last May and it was a “trail angel” that gave me some Gatorade powder that helped me get up those last 5 miles. It’s always nice to know there are others out there willing to help each other and it sounds like you have done that many times for others and that kindness and generosity just came back to you. Congratulations on your accomplishment as a one day Rim to Rim sure is one!
Wow, that had to have been a bit scary to have your body giving out on you like that! The last few miles of my hike up bright angel I could feel my left hamstring and right calf about to seize up every time I had to go up a step, and that was no fun. I can’t imagine having to go through what you went through. Glad you made it out!
My hiking buddy and I , both in our 60s , just finished our first R2R. We did some hard training in the mountains of NC……. We did fine, but I was surprised at how the dry, hot air makes the hiking much more difficult. We beat our time goal of 7 hours up Bright Angel from the Bright Angel campground, but I was still surprised as to how fragile one can become in the canyon. Not enough water, or food or not cooling off appropriately can cause major, life threatening issues. The Canyon is to be respected… amen…. fabulous, beautiful, rich experience.
BTW , how do you officially become a member…? I am on the email list… is that it?
Welcome to the club Ellen! You become a member by filling out the form to the right and we will email you with club updates and get togethers, etc.
I did rim to rim to rim April 16 to 20, 2017 with my son, 3 other boys in our scout troop and 1 other adult. Due to limited permits and wanting to complete a 50 miler award we did this a little different than most RtRtR hikers.
Day 1 Bright Angel to Indian Gardens to Cremation Creek. Due to the heat (100 degrees at Indian Gardens at 3 in the afternoon we only made it as far as tip off point and camped in the middle of the Tonto trail just east of Tip off.
Day 2: Cold breakfast as we were down to 1 liter of water each. We descended South Kiabab to Phantom Ranch and then northward to Cottonwood Campground. The final mile or two was grueling due to heat and lack of shade. Wall Creek was wonderfully cold. Bright Angel Creek was to be avoided due to excessively high and fast water.
Day 3 was a day hike to the north rim and back with an extra mile and half at the top to get water at the back country office. 6 feet of snow in the shade on the north rim kept us on the road. Returning to cottonwood we moved boulders and scree from the landslide earlier in the year to the inside of the trail in several places.
Day 4 was another long day hiking from cottonwood to Indian Gardens. Lunch on the beach at the boat landing on the Colorado was wonderful as was the lemon-aide at Phantom Ranch.
Day 5 was a nice short day up the Bright Angel to the trail head. Some of the support crew mom’s met us with fresh Oreos.
Planning on doing R2R2R hike in April. What kind of pack would y’all recommend? I have a Camelbak Cloud Runner 18 and I don’t feel that will be big enough. Thank you in advance!
In addition to my question…I will be with a group of 10-12 if that helps answer the question better.
Thank you
Electrolytes!!!! Don’t leave home without them.
Hi Christopher,
If you are doing a R2R2R it would depend on what you are bringing and how long you are staying below the rim. We recommend carrying a 100 ounce reservoir so that filled will take up a good portion of part of your pack and add some weight. The Cloud Runner 18 is perfect for day hiking but if you are below the rim for a few days and overnight camping we suggest a bigger pack.
Hope this helps!
Hi Christopher,
I have been carrying an Osprey Sirrus 36 with a 3 liter hydration pack. We hike to Phantom Ranch and spend the night before hiking out the next day. This size pack is large enough for supplies, water, extra clothes, food, and first aid supplies.
My husband carries a Gregory Stout 36. We find these packs to be large enough for what we do.
One can attach a roll to the bottom of either pack. It all depends on what you will be taking.
Just remember the water does take a bit of space so consider a pack that allows room for more than water.
Hope this is of some help.
The plan is to hike Rim2Rim in September 2017. There will be 2-4 of us. Getting a permit is exhausting just reading about it. What are the odds we will get permits? Any idea? We are going for any time within 3 weeks of September. Training has began and 2 year planning is in overdrive. The plan is south to north via the south Kaibab Trail. Again I see many go North to South for the first time. We are in our 60’s half of us, training and have hiked some. Taking at least 3 days, backpacking. Are we crazy? New for us! We are flying in from Indiana. Any suggestions on Logistics of getting around?
I sat next to a person on a flight from Mesa for spring training a few years ago and she told me so much about this hike I announced to my family, alone or come along – I want to do this!
I am scared , excited and inspired! Whatever advice you can pass along is so welcome!! thank you for a all you do!
Karen,
I am over 60 and have hiked Rim2Rim twice, south to north in Sept 2015 and north to south in August 2016. Getting a back country permit is difficult. I applied on time each time, but was declined both times. For my first Rim2Rim in Sept 2015, I was able to get reservations for a bed in the male bunk house and meals at Phantom Ranch, which allowed me to hike the canyon over two days. I did the same in August 2016, but was able to get a back country permit for Cottonwood Campground by applying in person at the Back Country Permit Office. This allowed me to hike the canyon over three days. I would recommend making reservations for an overnight stay at Phantom Ranch near the middle of your hiking window. If you don’t get a back country permit in advance, then you can apply in person at the Back Country Permit offices, either on the South Rim or the North Rim. Having the Phantom Ranch reservation allows you to shift your camping days to either before or after staying at Phantom Ranch. If you plan to hike the canyon over three days, then I suggest that you hike north to south via the North Kaibab Trail and Bright Angel Trail. There is only one campground between the North Rim and Phantom Ranch, which is Cottonwood Campground. To get a back country permit for Cottonwood, you need to apply in person at the Back Country Permit Office on the North Rim. It is roughly 14 miles from the North Kaibab trail head to Phantom Ranch, with Cottonwood Campground in the middle. From Phantom Ranch to the Bright Angel trail head on the south rim, it is roughly 10 miles. Bright Angel Trail has several water sources and rest stops. Although I have not yet hiked the South Kaibab trail, I understand that there is no water and no shade. Another advantage of ending your first Rim2Rim at the Bright Angel trail head, is the Bright Angel Lodge is nearby. You can get a cold drink and snack if you come out of the canyon when they are open. If you hike south to north, ending at the North Kaibab trail head, it is another 1.7 miles to Grand Canyon Lodge, unless you can get a shuttle ride.
Both of my hikes were very challenging and were done solo. And I trained rigorously for both, choosing nearby trails that had significant elevation changes. Also, very long hikes to build up my endurance.
The Grand Canyon is magnificent to see from the rim, but is even more magnificent when you are inside looking up. Best of luck on your upcoming Rim2Rim. Maybe I will see you there in September when I plan to do my third Rim2Rim, this time in one day.
North to south is easier on the knees as the downhill on the north rim is a ramped trail with only a few steps areas. If you go south to north both the South Kiabab and Bright Angel trials have a lot of steps, which can be hard on the knees going down hill. In addition south kiabab will add another 400 feet or so of elevation change though it is shorter.
For permits best to set up lots of options (I got permit option #6 for my April hike), just attach additional pages for options 3 -4, 5-6 etc. Also if your flexible on dates you can offer different start dates so that 3 hike options with 3 different start dates gives you 9 hike options for the permit office to try to fill. (example: CBG-CCG-Out; CIG-CCG-Out; BJ9-CCG-Out with start dates spread over 3 days this becomes 9 options)
I hiked Rim to Rim for the 1st time, South to North via Bright Angel, on October 1 2016.
Our group of four started from Bright Angel Trailhead at 5:40am. It was a magical experience, although quite tiring at the end. Certain sections of BA were washed out from a storm on September 29. Our group spent about 45 minutes enjoying Ribbon Falls and Split Rock. I refilled by hydration bladder with two liters of water at Cottonwood and it was almost gone by Roaring Springs!
When the real climbing started I started to tire, and hiked at a slower pace. The North Rim is area is really beautiful! Finished at 6pm. Very enjoyable, I’d do it again.
We hiked North to South that same day. Probably passed you along the way at some point.
kent,
Planning a R2R by 3rd week of september and was lucky enough to get a camping permit in Bright Angel campground for a night. Planning to do South to North thru Phantom Ranch. Need your thoughts on how long does it take to get to north Rim from Phantom Ranch. (I am a relatively fit person of 33 yrs who never misses leg day. :).. but new to the grand canyon hike. I do 8-10 mile hikes every weekend)
My rim 2 rim hike started 8 years ago. My sister and I took a road trip on our motorcycles to the Grand Canyon. I will never forget looking at the vastness of the canyon from the South rim. My first thought was “I have to see this from the bottom up”.
Over the next 5 years, my life took a turn I wasn’t prepared for. After 30 years of marriage, I found myself alone and quite depressed. It was during this time that I found the world of hiking. I started with short day hikes and soon realized that nature was healing me. During this time, I spent every waking moment researching anything and everything I could on the subject of hiking and backpacking. I was preparing for the day I would walk to the bottom of that canyon and look up!
September 2015, Labor Day weekend, I did a 3 day hike into Havasau Falls with a guide. I was unsure of myself and my abilities. It was a wonderful experience. I returned home knowing I had to go back.
While doing more research for my next trip to the Canyon, I came across a website, Rim to Rim, and immediately thought, THAT’S IT!! Let the planning begin!! I felt I had won the lottery when I received my Bright Angel Campground permit. I’m really going to do this!!
One week prior to my leaving for the Canyon, my daughter in law asked if she could join me. I was thrilled.
On Sept 12, we arrived at Grand Canyon Lodge, North Rim here we are! We shuttled the next morning at 6:00 to North Kaibab trail head. This was it, a year of planning, and the moment has arrived!
I can’t describe in words the beauty and awe the canyon offers on the trail. I couldn’t do the canyon justice. We were appreciative of every cloud that gave shade, every gust of wind that cooled our bodies, the sound of running water in the creeks to take our mind away from the pain in our legs and feet, the light rain that fell on us in the “box” when we needed it the most, the scrape on my knee when I toed a rock and fell because I haven’t had a scraped knee since I was 10, the laughter that Janae and I shared when I fell and couldn’t get up with the heavy pack on my back, and the little lizzards that brought back memories of when I was a child, and I wanted to put them in a jar and keep them forever. These are the things I remember from my hike down North Kaibab.
We arrived at Phantom Ranch 10 hours after our departure. First thing on my to do list was that beer I had been thinking about all day! Cheers!!
We made camp and went to the creek to cool our feet and reflect on our great adventure. Dinner of dehydrated meals and we were off to bed.
We awoke at 4:00 and marveled at the beauty of the dark sky and billions of stars. The night sky is breath taking. We loaded up our gear and headed up Bright Angel Trail. Although dark, we stopped for a moment on the bridge over the Colorado River. We had just enough light to see the white caps. I can still hear her roar! She is massive and mighty.
Daylight was soon upon us and we were still next to the river. I came upon a point that I felt was perfect to scatter some of my mothers ashes. She would have loved this place.
The hike up Bright Angel was more difficult than I imagined. Our pace was slow in the beginning due to sore muscles, but soon we were hiking at a snails pace. With every stop, we would look back at our accomplishment. “See how far we have come” It was unbelievable!!
It was around the 3 mile rest house that we heard the Grand Canyon Train. Oh My!! Music to our ears!! At the 1 1/2 mile rest house, we were seeing day hikers. YES!! We are going to make it to the top!!
And so we did. With tears in my eyes and my body spent, I walked to the edge of the South Rim and allowed the wind to blow my mothers remaining ashes. I thanked her for giving me this wonderful life I live.
I realize my post isn’t so much about the happenings along the trail. Hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim, for me, was more about learning my strengths and weaknesses, stepping out of my comfort zone, and giving thanks to mother nature for the grandeur, and thanks to the people in my life who have made me who I am today.
My daughter in law and I have always been close, but we now share something very special. We supported each other with every step. When we were so tired and in pain, one of us would say to the other, “we got this”, and that support gave us the drive to keep going.
I give thanks to the founders of this web site and to the posts of fellow rim to rim hikers. Your words gave me the courage and information I needed to start and finish this great adventure.
I heard a song 4 weeks prior to leaving for the canyon. The words hit a nerve in me and my anxiety about this adventure disappear.
“The first step is the one you believe in, and the second one might be profound…”
So, when asked, “How was your hike”, I answer simply, “It was profound”.
May all your journeys and adventures be profound!
Dee
WOW! What a story Dee and congratulations on your hike. So happy to hear it went well and you found peace, comfort and perspective in the canyon. You described your experience beautifully and we enjoyed reading it!
Welcome the the club!
Returned for my second rim to rim on September 18th for a South to North R2R with a night at Phantom Ranch, and maybe a R2R2R, if all went well. Since check in at Phantom isn’t until 4 PM, I debated whether to start early and be bored or leave later, like around noon, and arrive just before check-in. Since I was staying in Flagstaff the night before the hike, I decided to start later. Unfortunately, a quick check of the weather revealed temperatures reaching 100 degrees in the canyon that day so I figured the sooner I started, the better. Despite my best efforts, I wasn’t able to start down until 10AM. Since I was planning on a potential rim to rim to rim, my pack was considerably heavier than I anticipated. Even with a quick purge before the hike, once loaded with an additional two liters of water, it was unnaturally HEAVY.
I had never been on the Bright Angel trail before and didn’t really know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by the presence of shaded sections and the availability of water was fantastic. However, BA is a MAJOR thoroughfare. Compared to my experience on South Kaibab, I was amazed at the number of hikers and people who probably should not have been on the trail. I guess I am a hiking snob and prefer a bit more solitude. Once past the 3 mile rest stop, the trail thinned out and certainly by Indian Gardens all that remained were the serious hikers.
By the time I reached Indian Garden the temperature had climbed to 90-95 and I decided to take a nice break. I had carried a bottle of what I thought was defizzed coke with me as from my glory triathlon days I find the caffeine and sugar to be revitalizing. I’m not sure if it was the change in pressure from the rim, the heat, or the shaking in my pack, but when I twisted the cap that bottle blew like the bottles in the Mentos videos! Myself and everything with me was now covered with a spray of sticky coke. Not as refreshing as I had hoped, but I savored what was left in the bottle.
Now the hike “got real” as they say. The temperature creeped up to 100 and there seemed to be less shade – either real or perceived. Even where there was shade- it was 100 degrees in the shade and not very refreshing! I availed myself to wet my head and hat whenever I crossed the small creek which the trail intermittently crossed. There’s no need to mention how insanely hot it was as I descended the appropriately named Devil’s Corkscrew, but at least I wasn’t climbing up as several hikers I passed were. Eventually I met a Polish couple that was doing a South Kaibab to Bright Angel loop and we chatted. They were not thrilled at the looming switch backs I told them about. Curious as to what I had left to hike I asked them how much farther it was to the river- to which they replied- “it’s right around the corner.” Sure enough- if I had looked up I would have seen it! Sadly, I could not see the bridge and I really had no idea how much further it would be, but I trudged onward.
Anyone who has done it knows that hiking in 100 degree heat….well, it sucks. Worse was the sandy section of the trail I was now on which seemed to further sap my will and made forward motion a chore. But the bridge was in sight and I knew Phantom Ranch was not far.
Stepping from the arid blazing inferno outside into the air conditioned canteen at PR was like an oasis! I quickly downed two cups of ice cold lemonade and checked in to my cabin for the night. The shower in the cabin felt fantastic and rejuvenating. Dinner and breakfast were delicious. Although my ear plugs were useless, I actually slept well as the noise from the air cooler, which ran most of the night, drowned out the snoring (apparently there was no snoring in the woman’s cabin).
I set out the following morning about 5:45 and pretty much had the trail to myself. Other than one couple, it seemed that everyone else staying at Phantom was hiking South. Hiking through the box in the predawn semi-darkness was great, although my head lamp seem to attract several bats. Further down the trail there was a gushing water main break which made me a little nervous about water availability ahead, but I made very good time to the Cottonwood campground where I refilled my camelback reservoir and took a break to eat. The short hike to the Manzanita rest area was still shaded and I had made good time for me. I topped off with water again because they had said there might not be water at the Supai tunnel and I probably started up about 9-9:30 AM.
Once again, things got real. There was almost no shade on the North Kaibab trail! Now, I know from people that I met on the North rim the next day that started up a couple of hours behind me, that they found the trail to be well shaded. So, I guess it was just the time of day, but the sun was like a giant vacuum sucking the life out of me! Of course, there is no option but up, so I took breaks whenever I could find some shade. The last section before Supai tunnel was especially challenging, but there were other hikers coming down and it always helped to chat and take my mind off the climb.
Luckily, the water was on at Supai as I had pretty much drank all of my water. There seemed to be a small group of people climbing up that had now gathered together, and there were also day hikers coming down. Also, the small trees that now appeared along the trail added a little bit of shade to the hike. Still, because of the altitude, it was a tough final 1.7 miles and I swore I would beg for a ride to the lodge once I made it to the top.
It’s rather anticlimactic arriving at the North rim. On the South side, you have a spectacular view of the canyon, but on the North side you have the North Kaibab trail sign and some trees. I know when I show people the picture, they’ll be like- “that’s the North rim of the Grand Canyon”? Luckily, I have a nice shot from the Supai tunnel area so I’ll show them that one instead.
As luck would have it, the couple that was hiking from Phantom arrived shortly after me and offered me a ride to the lodge. I accepted immediately and now had a decision to make. Do I hike back to the South rim or take the shuttle? Sadly, as I am older, I now lack the lack of judgement I had when I was younger and I was fairly certain I would be riding back. It’s not that I felt that bad, it’s just a daunting task to think about repeating what I had just done. As many who have done this realize, if I go down, up is not an option. Ultimately, the weather the next morning reinforced my decision as it was pouring rain- the consequence of hurricane/tropical storm Paine that had moved over Arizona. I really did not relish the 5.4 mile decent down the North Kaibab and the eventual ascent up to the South rim in the rain. I would not only be tired, but wet and tired and I bailed.
I have some regrets about not hiking back, but honestly I had a blast on the hike. I met so many interesting people and repeat canyon hikers. My legs felt great, I did not have the “Kaibab shuffle,” and I gained invaluable canyon and desert hiking experience. Staying at Phantom was fantastic. There was only minor psychological trauma inflicted this year and I am already planning next years one day North to South R2R (assuming I have a pulse and I’m healthy). It’s one thing to look at the canyon, but a completely different experience to be engulfed by it. It’s a hike I hope to repeat many times. I don’t think I could ever grow tired of it. To all the other R2R-ers out there- happy and safe hiking. Hope to see you on the trail. Sorry for the long narrative!
Scott,
We LOVED reading your story! You took the route less traveled (Bright Angel then up North Kaibab) as most will take South Kaibab down. Happy to hear you didn’t take on the R2R2R as it sounds like the weather was not good and you listened to your gut. No doubt you will back to head on that North to South Rim to Rim. I just did a one day solo R2R in May and went up South Kaibab as I love the solitude of that trail but if you take that route know you don’t have water or shade.
Welcome to the club and let us know how your next hike goes!
It’s been 3 months since my husband and I hiked rim to rim to rim. My knees no longer hurt, my toe nails have all re-grown, and I’ve long since stopped trying to get the pink dust out of my hiking clothes. And I think I’m going through a bit of the blues right now even though twice I said I’m never going back in that canyon, I really wish for another trip to go back.
The canyon scarred me and challenged me for 6 months of training – running, setting the treadmill to the max incline, climbing stairs over my lunch breaks, and hiking every weekend we could make it work. But when we started down the South Kaibab Trail, we were just excited. . And the canyon seemed to give us strength as we hiked and it we so beautiful, and quiet, and peaceful. We parked at the Bright Angel Trailhead and took the hikers express bus to the South Kaibab trailhead. We started hiking at 4:30am and made it to Phantom Ranch just before it opened at 8:00am. Of course I had to write out a few post cards to mail them by mule, but I think we probably stayed there too long for how hot of a day it was. For those reading this blog in preparation for your first trip – if you are considering hiking rim to rim in a day, please realize that there is no shade and it’s hot in the inner canyon after 10:00am. I read the warnings but didn’t understand until we were hiking it. We took our shirts off to soak them in the water and kept them wet throughout the hike and used wet bandanas around our heads too. Per advice of rim to rim to rim hikers coming back that we talked with on the trail, we went to Ribbon Falls to cool off and find some shade. This was a good decision for us, but it was the one part in our two day hike that we got lost on the trail a few times, so a word of caution. After cooling off in the shade behind the waterfall our hike up was uneventful. It go quite a bit cooler as we went up in elevation. And after Cottonwood campground the scenery changes quite a bit and it’s beautiful too just in a different way. The incline gets pretty dramatic. We would walk about a half a mile and stop for a 10 min rest and repeat the whole way up. We got to the trail head on the North Rim at 6:30. We had a reservation at the lodge. I knew it was a rim hike at the top to get to the lodge, I didn’t realize there would be as much of an incline to keep walking up though. I was tired, my my knees hurt, and I think I was dealing with effects of the heat. My stomach was pretty upset on this portion of the hike. The nice thing though is that once you are at the lodge, they will bring you to your room by golf cart if you ask. We made it to our dinner reservation at 8:00pm. I called the bus and scheduled a ride home the next afternoon thinking we’d never make it back hiking – it was too hot.
But the next morning we didn’t hurt that much and we hadn’t taken any pain medication at all yet so would know how are bodies were doing. The lodge looks over the canyon with these huge windows. Over breakfast we realized there was no way we could get on the bus. We had to go back in there. It literally was calling us. We rested and did a few of the small overlook trails and cancelled the bus. They only kept $10. We stopped at the general store for an early lunch and walked back to the trailhead. We started back down at noon and went slow. We didn’t want to get to Cottonwood before 6pm. Our plan was to hike through the inner canyon in the shade and then hike up Bright Angel Trail in the moonlight (with headlamps). This was a great plan. It was still hot but there was no sun beating down on us. And since we were taking our time we got great pictures and have fun talking with the hikers going up. We got to Phanom at 8:30pm and took a half hour rest. The whole canyon was lit up in the light of the full moon. It was breathtaking. I was lying on the bench thinking I am so blessed to be down here coupled with I hurt so bad and I’m so tired how do I possibly hike another 10 miles and up a mile in elevation. The next flat mile was the toughest mentally for me as I was terrified I couldn’t do it. But I ended up slipping on a rock and stepping into the creek getting my feet wet. Which was enough to wake me up from feeling sorry for myself. I changed into dry socks and plowed on this time with a better attitude. The way up was much easier than the North Rim despite being more tired. We would walk a half hour, then stop for 5 or 10 minutes to eat and repeat. We cheered each other along a lot. And it was very peaceful hiking in the dark. We did see a scorpion on the trail. I freaked out just a little until I realized it wasn’t running after me and it went on its way. We climbed out at 3:00am. It was very cold. We didn’t whoop cheer or high five. But neither of us cried either despite how much we hurt. We just hobbled as best we could to the car. Our hotel was the Red Feather. They didn’t charge us when we asked for a late checkout and let us stay until 1 so we could get some sleep. We spent the rest of our day on the rim looking over it and thinking – we did that – twice! But I never imagined wanting to do it again. What an incredible place! I am jealous of those planning your trip right now. I’ve promised myself though to keep training since you never know when the canyon will call you back.
Hike safe and enjoy!
My husband and I have now completed the rim to rim hike for the second time. Last year we went down the north Kaibab, spent a night at Phantom Ranch and then hiked up the south Bright Angel. Last week we hiked down the south Bright Angel, spent the night at Phantom Ranch and hiked up the north Kaibab. This year we were joined on our journey by a very nice couple we met while leaving Phantom Ranch at 0400 in 2015. Additionally we were joined by two of their friends for the big hike on September 8, 2016. All 6 of us, 4 men and two women ranging in age from 57 to 76 trained as best we could for the rim to rim by hiking the hills of CA, ocean swimming, weight training, and, stair climbing.
The hike down the Bright Angel began at 0600 in the cool morning air. The weather was quite enjoyable for most of the hike down to Phantom Ranch. It was a balmy 100 degrees by the time we arrived at noon. After getting cleaned up we joined fellow hikers in the canteen for ice cold lemonade, beer and M&Ms. We all looked forward to and enjoyed a delicious steak dinner before heading off to a Ranger lecture and or our dorms for the night.
Our group hiked out at 0330 the next morning heading up the north Kaibab. We made our way to Cottonwood Campground by 0730 where we rested and ate before heading off once again. Everyone was doing well until we got to Manzanita rest stop. The sun was now on us for most of the remainder of our hike. Once we got to the trail cutoff to Roaring Springs I realized I no longer had any energy and felt as though I was not quite sure how I was going to finish the hike. One of our group is a biologist and recognized that I had not eaten enough and needed to get some much needed calories. He and another of our group provided me with a Cliff Bar, salt tablets, and GU. I followed all of this with water and started to feel better. We were able to get on our way again. It was decided that we should proceed slowly until we made it to the rim. With each stop I consumed more GU, salt, a bagel, electrolyte replacement and water. I was tired but knew I would be ok. Then something special happened. We came around a bend and coming toward us heading down the north rim was a group of Wounded Warriors. There were single and double amputees and a blind Warrior. Once seeing these fine, special men and women who have fought for our freedom and paid a price I realized I had nothing to complain about. We all thanked these warriors for their service and proceeded on our way. It makes one want to take the words, “I can’t” out of our vocabulary. The following day I had spoken to a woman who told me these warriors indeed made it to Phantom Ranch. Just seeing these men and women gave our journey much more meaning and such a sense of pride for them.
We made it to Supai Tunnel and took another nice break. While we were told water was available at all the stops we quickly learned there was a problem with water at Supai. Fortunately we were able to fill our packs but the water was running quite slow. A Ranger happened by while we were at Supai. He was informed of the water situation. Everyone should know you can’t count on water being available. Always have a little extra with you. From Supai we took the trail one switchback at a time and finally exited the trailhead at 1500. My goal was to finish before our dinner reservation at 1815 so we were very successful.
The last situation we had to deal with was how to get to the lodge from the trailhead. Nobody really wanted to hike the additional mile and a half after finishing the north rim. Fortunately for us there were some very nice people at the trailhead who gave us a ride back to the lodge.
We all got cleaned up and enjoyed some cold beverages before heading off to a delicious dinner in the lodge dining room.
My husband had already been talking about hiking rim to rim to rim next year. I told him I was done with the Grand Canyon for now. Another in our group also was not planning on doing this again. Oddly once that person returned back home the next day he was already on the phone trying to book a trip for six to hike rim to rim to rim for next September. Of course everything is booked already for next September but he will be calling for October. Something happens when one begins making these journeys. It keeps calling one back for more. I guess we will be setting ourselves up for enjoying another challenge next year.
Great story Fern and what perspective running into the Wounded Warriors brought to you for the climb out. Happy to hear your hike went so well and that the salt tablets and other food items helped you push through. We have no doubt you will be out there on the trails again!
I made my R2R this July 15-18, 2016. I first hiked the canyon 25 years ago. I retired a few years ago and started hiking the canyon again with several hiking buddies. In 2013 I spent a summer at the canyon as a volunteer. This allowed me to hike many of the trails and enjoy several backcountry trips. All along I planned to hike the canyon rim-to-rim. My original trip included two of my buddies, but due to various conflicts I found myself on a solo hike.
My trip stared with a night on the north rim at one of the hiker/biker campsites. The next day I started down the N Kaibab trail headed for my first stop the Cottonwood campground. The day’s weather started out very nice, but below Roaring Springs the temperatures soared above 100F. I made several stops along the way to eat and hydrate. Arriving at Manzanita (the pump house), I took a long rest, wetting myself and clothing. I arrived at Cottonwood around 3PM, set up camp, rested in the creek, and then climbed in bed for an early night only to be awaken around 2AM by ring tailed cats searching for a quick meal.
Day 2 of the hike started out early morning. It’s neat waking up to the sound of pots clanking, gear being packed, and hikers filling water bottles. I had breakfast, packed up, and headed out. My destination was the Bright Angel campground and a steak dinner at the Phantom Ranch canteen. About 1.5 miles I passed the turn off and foot bridge to Ribbon Falls. What an incredible oasis in the canyon. After a few more miles, I found a great spot for lunch and a good nap before heading out again. Hiking down through the box the temperatures climbed and I found myself bushwacking down to the creek to cool off. I arrived at the Phantom Ranch canteen around 2PM and slammed down an ice cold beer. Then it was off to set up camp and clean up for dinner at the canteen. What a GREAT meal. Then another beer and another early night hitting the sack around 8PM.
Day 3 of the hike started out with a hearty breakfast at the canteen. I decided to hang out for the day at Phantom Ranch to rest up befor heading up the Bright Angel trail. I spent the day relaxing in the creek, taking a nap, and enjoying the cool canteen and cold, cold water. I left Bright Angel around 4PM hiking up the Corkscrew in the shade and cooler temps. I arrived at Indian Garden around 7:30PM. I had a lite dinner, cleaned up, and set up camp. I stayed up a little later this evening as I was contemplating hiking out at midnight. That thought soon left my mind and I crawled into bed around 9PM.
Day 4. The last leg of the hike. I’ve made this hike several times, but today was different. I was exhausted from the trip and hadn’t slept well last night. I had a good breakfast and an extra cup of coffee before packing up. I headed out around 9AM. The weather today was perfect. The monsoon had returned and kept the temps in the mid-80s with overcast skies. I made it to the 3 mile RH where I took a long break. I started up and arrived at the 1.5 mile RH a few hours later. Here I took a nice nap and had a good lunch. The last mile and a half was a challenge. I was tired, but I knew food, a cold beer, and hot shower waited at the top. Passing through the lower tunnel, I knew it was coming to an end. I made it up to the cinch up and through the upper tunnel. The adrenalin kicked in and I picked up the pace finishing up in the rain.
I had a nice meal at the Bright Angel lodge and enjoyed a nice hot cup of coffee before heading over to the shower house. After a hot shower I climbed into the Jeep and headed home to Gilbert, AZ. Now I’m planning my next trip!
Olan, sounds like you had a great trip and took your time hiking the canyon. Welcome to the club!
Thanks! It was a great and memorable trip. I’m heading back up in a few weeks for some volunteer work and plan to stop by the BC office to see if there’s a chance for a walk up permit in October. Fingers crossed.
Just completed my first R2R on 8/17/16. Amazing experience. I posted pictures on Facebook pages for Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers and my own personal page. They are open to the public.
Hi there. Enjoying all of the above posts. Have been planning my first R2R hike for a couple of years-and so excited that it’s coming up in October, 2016. I’ve dealt with plantar fasciitis (ugh) and knee arthritis (just got my last shot) during this time, so happy to have somewhat overcome those obstacles.
I have been scouring over details and hope I have covered everything. Hotel reservations made, permits obtained. If someone sees something off target- feel free to let me know : )
We (my BF and I, age 51 and 46) are flying into Phoenix and driving to South rim where we will be spending 1 night. Plan to stock up on any last minute supplies. Taking the Trans canyon shuttle in the morning to the north rim and will be staying at the Lodge. Dinner reservations made. Plan to leave as early as we can the next day, but may take advantage of the 5:30 breakfast and get a pack lunch to go. I understand there is a shuttle to the trailhead, not sure if this is necessary.
Will hike North Kaibab Trail and spend night 1 at Cottonwood, stopping at Roaring Springs on the way. Hope to leave at first light or earlier, stop at Ribbon Falls and land at Bright Angel Campground. I keep calling for dinner cancellations for Phantom Ranch but no luck yet. Next day will hike to Indian Gardens for night 3. Day 4 will hike out and have room reserved at South Rim. Next day will stay overnight in Sonoma and fly out following morning.
We both hike frequently but haven’t done multiday trips. Planning at least one in the next couple weeks as well as many hill climbs as we can. Working on gear prep and food organization. Learning something new with each hike- just ordered blister tape from amazon : ). I hope I have it all covered.
Sounds like you have it all covered. There is a pack list on our hike it page. Since you have had knee issues best bet is to bring poles and maybe knee straps for support as the descent is very tough on the knees. You have built an amazing trip. Good luck and we look forward to welcoming you and your wife to the club!
What I learned working off my 7 Thanksgiving plates running/hiking 46-54 (depending on if you ask the Internet or my GPS) miles, and climbing ~10k ft through the Grand Canyon…
There was a sign on the first descent “Going down is optional, coming up is mandatory.” I thought about this not so much as I trotting down the gentle slopes, but very much as I stumbled up the final 4.5 miles, heaving and trying to keep from crying and my heart to stop beating like a hyperactive college kid on adderall. I said no less than 5 times, “I can’t do it, I’m just go to stop.” Then I’d realize that wasn’t a really an option. Well I could stop but that most likely meant I’d a) face hypothermia, b) a bobcat eating my face, c) or an embarrassing and expensive rescue from a park ranger only a few miles from the rim. Moral of the story is that it’s easy to get into something – a bad relationship, addiction, unhealthy lifestyles, financial issues, legal problems, a canyon – but is a lot more work to get out of it. Still coming up is mandatory, one foot in front of the other and if telling yourself you CAN do it doesn’t work, remind yourself that you HAVE to do it.
Microspikes are the s. h. i. t. Especially for clumsy, graceless folks.
I’ve never been worried about being alone in most areas of life….except these types of adventures. After the first seven miles or so with Linda, and a few miles with my old CG’s niece (small world) I completed the majority of the distance alone. I knew this going into it and almost cancelled the whole trip, but I figured it was time to learn how to be alone – to learn how to pull myself out of dark places, to be the only one responsible for me. I wasn’t entertained by anyone or (gasp) the center of anyone else’s entertainment. I didn’t like it. I would have given my next paycheck to have just one of my friends or family with me, to share my misery. But being alone has its utility – and I learned a lot about myself in the 15 hours I spent wandering through the wilderness. You cannot and should not go through life alone, but you absolutely need to know how to be wholly self-reliant and comfortable with just yourself.
Finally, probably my favorite realization, you can accomplish anything as long as you’re willing to sacrifice time and comfort.
Happy to hear you made it! Quite an amazing accomplishment and way to keep on keeping on!
My sister and I completed our first Rim to Rim (North to South) hike on June 11 in one day. We stayed at the Grand Canyon Lodge the night before and caught the hiker’s shuttle from the lodge at 5 am (sunrise was at 5:10 am). It was a beautiful descent down to Phantom Ranch. We saw a few hikers and some runners but the North Kaibab trail is relatively empty compared to the Bright Angel trail in the summer. There was a pipe break near Manzanita. Although we didn’t stop at Ribbon Falls, we heard it was a nice and short detour.
We really lucked out with the weather since it was only 97 at Phantom Ranch (the weekend before was 115 and it will probably be close to 110 tomorrow). June is probably not the best time to do this hike because of the heat. Salty snacks, hydration pack, cooling towel (Frogg Toggs), and a wide brim hat with mesh are highly recommended.
It was a beautiful but tough hike! I would also recommend doing this hike in more than 1 day (spending a night at Phantom Ranch) so you would have time to go to Ribbon Falls. We spent the night at Maswik Lodge after we finished the hike and caught the Trans-Canyon shuttle the next morning back to the North Rim, which was alot of fun meeting people who had also completed the Rim to Rim hike or were going to hike it the next day. Eric (our driver) was really interesting too.
Michelle, thanks for founding the Rim to Rim club and for all the great hiking info. I really enjoyed reading your “Brand Loyal” book, too. My sister and I proudly wore our Rim to Rim t-shirts the day after we completed the hike. Best wishes to all and be safe!
Hi Jan,
Welcome to the club and so happy to hear that you and your sister had a great experience! A one day Rim to Rim is tough but sounds like you lucked out on the weather especially for June!
Thank you so much for your support of the club and for purchasing our products and my book. I am happy to hear you enjoyed reading it and as you know by reading it, this club and the people that make up this club inspire me as well!
Happy trails to you and maybe we will see each other out there one day!
We are planning to hike rim to rim this summer, providing we obtain our permit for early June. We have been training, hiking each weekend, starting to hike with weight next week. We went on an 8 day raft trip down the colorado in 2014 and when camping, we used cots, not tents. We have found some very light camping cots.
We want to ask if this is a good idea, using cots, no tent? Thanks.
Colleen,
That would depend on the weight of the cots on our pack. If you have not hiked the canyon prior to this you must realize the ascent you are embarking on. You have an elevation gain of 5,850 feet on the North Kaibab trail, 4,860 feet on the South Kaibab trail, and 4,440 feet on the Bright Angel trail so if you can haul that cot up that elevation gain, good to go. We recommend keeping packs under 30 lbs.
Good luck and hope you get that permit!
Started hiking the Grand canyon Rim to Rim about 5 years ago when I was 35. At the time , I witnessed three men come out the North Side on their way to going back and completing a Rim2Rim2Rim. I was shocked,stunned to say the least. Every year since then, I was completing Rim2Rim in some capacity. Over three days, two days then eventually in one day, going down South Kaibab and up The North Rim in 9 hours and 45 minutes. After that trip, we immediately planned and began training for our first Rim2Rim2Rim on Oct. 10 2015. We began at 215am, my buddy reached the North Rim in 6 hours 45 minutes. I reached in 723. I eventually caught him on the South Kaibab trail ascent, 2 miles from the top. I finished the Rim2Rim2Rim in 16 hours 30 minutes, my buddy finished n 16 hours 37 minutes. What an amazing , grueling , mentally demanding , adventure!!
My 2 friends Len and Bill and I hiked in on the North Kaibab on October 1st, camped at the Bright Angel Campground and hiked out the South Kaibab on October 2nd. We are all in our late 60’s and did not set any speed records, but we certainly enjoyed this wonderful treasure. I hiked in on the Bright Angel and out on the South Kaibab in 2013 while my wife did the mule ride to Phantom. That trip really stoked my desire to hike rim to rim. When Len later told me that if I ever go back he’d like to go along, I jumped at the opportunity. I couldn’t have had 2 better and more compatible hiking partners. At one point on the way out we met a group coming down and one of the ladies commented that something wasn’t quite right because we were hiking up and laughing. It was that kind of trip. I really enjoyed Roaring Springs, the Box and the open views offered on the South Kaibab on the way out. I know the South Kaibab is not recommended for hiking out, but I have done it twice and both times was glad to trade carrying more fluids for 3 less miles and as I mentioned earlier, the views are spectacular.
I hit the North Kaibab Trail at 5:30 AM on 9/31/15, about an hour before sunrise. Right now I could be hiking anywhere. It is dark, but the moon is yielding some valuable light. The trail is steep and uneven. After about 3 miles I reach the first rest stop, (Supsi Tunnel), and the sun is starting to peer over the horizon. It is reveling one of the most amazing places in earth, the Grand Canyon, 17 million years in the making. This is a water stop, but I was already warned by the rangers that it would be dry. There is a pipe break just north of Phantom Ranch so there will be no water available on the North Rim. This has made my 24 mile rim to rim even more challenging. Between my camel pack and the extra water, I’m carrying an additional 25 pounds. The next 11 miles are mostly downhill and I have become a human shock absorber. I reach Phantom Ranch around 11:30 and it is already 100°. I have descended 6000feet and am still 2000 feet above sea level at the bottom of the canyon. After filling my water supply, a couple PBJ sandwiches made by my lovely wife, a couple splashes of the cool Colorado River on my face, and I am ready for the 10????? mile accent up the Bright Angel Trail. The first mile of the trail is like walking in soft sand at the beach. I had to stop 3 times just to empty my shoes. It’s steep, hot and uneven. I’m probably averaging only a mile and a half an hour. Wow, I trained about a year, specifically for this, and I’m feeling taxed. Did I train hard enough…long enough? My body will soon let me know. I reach the 3 mile (to go) rest stop at 3:00. I text Roxanne, who has hiked down to the mile and a half mark, and let her know I’ll be there at 4. My energy tank is starting to register empty. I walk the final stretch with Roxanne and kiss the ground at the BA trailhead at 5:00. I now respect all the signs in the park that say NOT to hike rim to rim in a day….a little more. I will still do it again.
Its been almost a week since we did our rim to rim. There were 3 of us. Me, my boyfriend, and our friend Mike. We completed it Oct. 2nd, 2015. We did it in one day. The plan was not to do it in one day, but due to our permit denial, we had no choice. also because of my stubborn self and insistence that this be crossed off the bucket list.
We arrived at the south rim on Oct 1 and took the 130pm trans-shuttle to north rim to stay the night at the campgrounds. We had a bus full, so when we were the only ones getting off at the campgrounds, and NOT the lodge, we knew, we made it a little harder on ourselves for the next day. Since we’d all be hiking with full packs. (Tents, sleeping bags, food, water, clothes, etc)
Btw, North rim is absolutely beautiful at sunset!After setting up camp, we went and took some amazing sunset pictures.
Next day, our goal was to start at 6am, but after packing up and walking to the trailhead, we ended up actually starting at 7am. We reached the first water stop after 40 min, so i was pretty confident we’d conquer this canyon in one day with no problems. Oh silly me. The boys were much faster than me, so i was behind the entire time. Initially, before we started, our goal was to reach phantom at noon. But my toes were already beginning to hurt around 10ish and my back was killing me from my pack. So noon goal became a 1pm goal. Our friend mike reached there fairly early, so he came back up to meet up with us and take my back down to phantom. about half a mile. Talk about an angel! We took off our shoes and it was the best feeling in the world. i tried to moleskin some spots, but they were no help on what i was about to conquer. And the legs began to cramp. oh boy.
2pm we left phantom and started the way uphill. The colorado river was massive and raging. Slightly scary for someone afraid of the water, but beautiful, nonetheless. Then came the never-ending switchbacks. i was promised water at indian gardens, so that was my mind goal. Just get to the water! But by that time, i was beat. i was hoping i can get a site and just stay the night. But my boyfriend told me, it wouldn’t be any easier the next morning, so just keep going. Okay, fine.
Next was the 3mile rest stop. 3 miles left, and it was already approaching 6pm. Our goal of 12 hours was obviously not gonna happen. Our friend Mike, prob would have finished, if he didn’t help with my pack a second time, getting us to the 3mile mark. There we met a ranger, who was there to assist rim to rimmers who looked like they couldn’t finish. She had extra sleeping bags, and water to boil, and ramen soup for sodium. I thought this was amazing for the park to do. And I really, really wanted to stay, but again, boyfriend talking in my ear to finish. I may have cried here a little.
Next stop was the 1.5 mile water break. it was already dark by the time we reached here. Our headlamps came on around 7pm. The most gut wrenching thing is looking up and seeing all the headlamps and seeing just how far you have left to go. It was like stars across the mountain. So far away. I was at the point of nausea, bc i didnt pack enough food and my body was fatigue. Electrolytes and water were making me sick. The stops became more frequent. Every 8min, to be exact. “Just leave me here, i have my sleeping bag” i kept saying. Seems quite funny now, but i was serious then. haha.
Finally after 14hours, 9pm, we reached to top of bright angel trail. i cant tell you the relief, i felt seeing a building and a soda machine, and life again! All of a sudden, my nausea went away, my heart started acting normal. It was all in my head. It was over. 🙂 Next stop, Mather campground for sleep!
I don’t recommend anyone doing this in one day with full packs. Unless of course, you’re used to this sort of thing. But for normal folk, from Texas, i felt a piece of my soul was left in that canyon. I’m so happy its over and after a week to reflect, its actually pretty amazing what we accomplished. What this whole page of people accomplished.
Elisa, great story and explains why a Rim to Rim in one day is difficult but we understand the logistic troubles of a permit. You were fortunate to be there as PSAR and the park were doing a study on Rim to Rim hikers. Nice of the Rangers do to that! Happy to hear you made it. The canyon will call you back and maybe minus the heavy pack! Welcome to the club!
Elisa….thank you for sharing your story. My husband and myself along with another couple plan to hike the canyon for the first time this coming October 2-4. I would love to talk with you more about your experience and weather conditions. We are hiking rim to rim but with a one night stay at Phantom Ranch. Would appreciate any and all advice.
I had originally planned to make the rim to rim hike over four days, but unfortunately, my back country permit was declined by the National Park Service. So I decided to do it over two days, South to North, spending the night at Phantom Ranch. I called Xanterra reservations almost every week hoping for an opening at Phantom Ranch between my air travel arrival and departure dates. I finally succeeded in getting a bunk in the male dorm for Friday, Sept 11. I also booked dinner, early breakfast the next morning and a bag lunch.
My wife, grandson and I arrived in Phoenix at noon on Sept 10. After picking up a few camping supplies, we headed up to the Grand Canyon, arriving around 5pm. We set up camp in the Mather campground, cooked our dinner by campfire and then went to bed.
I was up early the next morning and anxious to hit the trail, but needed to do some running around Grand Canyon Village to make sure that my wife and grandson were well provisioned before I left on the hike.
I started down the Bright Angel Trail at 10am (the time your not supposed to be hiking in the Grand Canyon). I was carrying a large backpacking pack with approximately 20 lbs of equipment, spare clothing, trail snacks, electrolyte replacements and 5 liters of water. I made to the 1.5 mile Rest House without any problems. During the hike to the 3.0 mile Rest House, my toes were starting to hurt since they tend to jam into the front of my hiking boots when going down hill. The hike to Indian Gardens was a little more painful as my toes really began to hurt. While in Indian Gardens I came across a warning sign that stated something to the effect of “Do not attempt the rim to rim in one day…. Many who have tried suffered serious injury or death…”. I looked at the image of the man that was on the warning sign and it looked like an Asian man. I thought, are they trying to tell me something. You see, I am Japanese, despite my French Canadian last name. Fortunately, I was making the hike over two days, so no worries.
I made it to the River Rest House with some effort, as my toes were really killing me now. The rest of the hike to Phantom Ranch was much easier since the terrain flattened out quite a bit. I would have made it to Phantom Ranch by 5PM if I hadn’t been confused by all the detour signs at the confluence of the Bright Angel Trail and the South Kaibab Trail. I mistakenly hiked all the way to the black bridge and when I saw that it would take me back across the river to the south side, I stopped. Fortunately, someone was coming across the bridge and knew the way to Phantom Ranch. The mistaken detour did have one benefit. I saw able to see a rare sight, a Grand Canyon rattlesnake sunning itself on the trail. After the snake moved into the nearby brush, my temporary guide and I continued our way to the trail that lead to the Phantom Ranch. We parted company as he headed South and I North.
I made it to the Phantom Ranch around 6PM. It was starting to get dark and I parked myself outside the dining hall, waiting for the dinner bell to ring. In the mean time, I refilled my hydration bladder and watched the bats flying around the lamp post, catching the insects attracted by light. The dinner bell rang right on time at 6:30PM and I and the other hikers filed into the dining hall. I was too tired and sore to eat, but made it a point to eat at least one serving of everything, except dessert. I contemplated having a beer (or two), but decided in my tired state that it would be bad idea. My conversations with the other hikers and their stories were very entertaining. I was especially surprised to learn that for some, this was not their first rim to rim hike. They had done it before and came back for more!! Being very tired, I skipped the ranger talk, which under other circumstances, I would have attended eagerly. Instead, I found my bunk, washed up a bit and went to bed.
I was up early the next morning and was first to be waiting outside the dining hall for early breakfast. At a little before 5Am, no bell this time, just a verbal to come in and eat. Which I did and it was very good. At 5:15AM, I grabbed my bag lunch, put it in my backpack, donned by LED headlamp and headed out on the North Kaibab Trail.
It was relatively cool and shady for the much of the first half of the North Kaibab Trail. There were long stretches of trail where I did not see anyone else. As the morning progressed further, more hikers appeared. Some heading toward Phantom Ranch and others heading up the North Kaibab trail, bypassing me. The terrain being flat, my toes were not hurting, so I was able to make reasonable time all the way to Cottonwood Campground. At Cottonwood, I stopped to have my some of my bag lunch and refill one of my 0.5 liter water bottles. I would discover later that I should have filled all four of my water bottles.
The hike up to the Pump House was a bit challenging since I was beginning to tire. I was just passed the Pump House when I discovered that my 3.0 liter hydration bladder was nearly empty. I am not sure if I drank it all from Phantom Ranch or a good quantity of water had leaked out because I had not properly reinstalled my mouth piece on the end of the hose and I left the hose hanging down during the hike. I still had some water with electrolyte replacement in one of my 0.5 liter bottles and this sustained me until I reached water near Roaring Springs. Being 4.7 miles from the top, I made the mistake of not refilling my hydration bladder and only filled two of my 0.5 liter water bottles.
I made it the 3 miles to Supai Tunnel, drinking almost all my water. The remaining 1.7 miles to the trail head became very challenging, as the altitude and low water supply began to affect my mobility. Fortunately, halfway between Supai Tunnel and the trail head, two young ladies who had come down the trail to one of the overlooks saw that I was a bit distressed and gave me a bottle of water. Thank you again, ladies!!
I made to the top around 5:30PM, 2.5 hours too late for the Trans-Canyon shuttle. I sat down on a big boulder at the trail head, resting and contemplating my next move. I considered hiking to the campground (0.7 miles away) to see if they had an available campsite or to the Grand Canyon Lodge (1.7 miles away) to see if they had a cabin available. Again, good fortune from living a good life presented itself. You see, there was a group of hikers having a party of sorts at the trail head. They were there to celebrate the completion of the hike by each member of their group as they came off the trail. They also welcomed me and others who made it out. They were very kind, offering me water, which accepted, and delicious looking cookies, which I declined because I was too tired to eat. They graciously gave me a ride to the Grand Canyon Lodge in their van, saving me another 1.7 miles of hiking.
Good fortune again!! There was one cabin available at the Grand Canyon Lodge. It was a six person cabin, but I snapped it up. Had the porter drive me over to my cabin in his electric cart and he even carried my backpack for me. He mentioned that I was walking much better than most people he had similarly serviced. It made me feel better to know that others were in worse condition after the rim to rim. I tipped the porter generously (I hope) and settled into my room.
I telephoned my wife who was still at the South Rim and told her that I would most likely not be back until late the following morning. I next called the Trans-Canyon Shuttle to let them know that I made it out of the canyon and would need a ride back to the South Rim in the morning. My wife informed and my ride the next morning secured. I showered, put on clean clothes and hiked (walked) to the deli next to the Grand Canyon Lodge. I ordered and ate a pulled pork barbecue sandwich, which was very good. I went back to my cabin and went bed.
I was up early the next morning, cleaned up a bit and headed over to the Grand Canyon Lodge to check out. Next, I got coffee and a scone at the Saloon, sat down on a bench outside and waited for the Trans-Canyon Shuttle to arrive. The shuttle showed up around 6:30Am. We loaded up around 7AM, drove the 4 hours back to the South Rim, where I was reunited with my wife and grandson.
I realize that hundreds of hikers do the rim to rim each year. Some in one day and others over multiple days. The ages of the hikers run from the very young (late teens) to the very mature (over 60). And both the very young and the very mature find the hike to be easy or very challenging. I am 62 years old and live near sea level in Pennsylvania. I found the rim to rim hike to be very challenging despite 6 months of training. I found it to be an exhilarating experience and would have not missed it for world. I am already considering another rim to rim for next year, North to South this time.
To my now fellow rim to rimmers, I am proud to be member of an elite group of adventurers.
Hike on!!
James,
Love your story and so happy to hear your good karma! Welcome to the club and proud to have you and others in it as you have joined an elite group of the less than 1%.
BTW – I am originally from Pennsylvania (Quakertown) so totally understand where you are coming from. And thanks so much for your support of the club via the purchase of a sticker and t-shirt. They are on the way! Missing Tastykakes and a Philly Cheesesteak right now! Only downside of living out here = THE EAST COAST FOOD!
CHEERS!
As promised (to myself), I completed another rim to rim hike in August 2016. This time, North to South. And once again, my back country permit for a camp site at Cottonwood Campground was declined by the Back Country Permit Office. Which means, I was facing another 13.9 mile hike from the North rim to Phantom Ranch. Determined to break this long hike into two parts, I arrived at the Grand Canyon’s South rim in the early afternoon on August 16 and went directly to the Back Country Permit Office. The young Park Ranger, Shannon, behind the counter was very helpful and very patient. She was not able to grant me a permit for Cottonwood that afternoon, but suggested that I return the following morning when the office opened again and she would call the North rim’s permit office to check for openings at Cottonwood. Early the next morning, I was back at the Back Country Permit Office and waited outside until they opened. As promised, Shannon, called the North rim permit office and was able to give me a permit for Cottonwood Campground for August 18th.
I spent the next two nights in Mather Campground on the South Rim and took the Trans-Canyon Shuttle to the North Rim on the morning of August 18th. The shuttle dropped me off at the North Kaibab trail head at about noon. The weather was cool, overcast and looked like rain, so I put on my jacket and put my rain cover on my backpack. After allowing the other hikers on the shuttle to start their hikes, I hit the trail. Just before I reached Coconino Overlook, the skies opened up with pea size hail and rain. The hail stung when it hit my exposed skin, so I sheltered under a big tree and waited for the bad weather to blow over. Twenty minutes later, I was on the trail again.
The trail was now full of puddles, mud and soggy mule dung. Despite the mess, I made good progress down the trail and eventually reached the side trail to Roaring Springs. Since I skipped this side trail on my first rim to rim hike, I was determined to check it out this time. I hiked down the side trail and could see a big spring coming out of the side of the canyon wall. As I hiked further down the trail, I saw two other smaller springs emerging from the canyon wall. When I reached the end of the trail, I was expecting to see “the” big roaring spring, but only found outhouses and potable water. Did I not hike far enough or was that it? Not needing to use the outhouse or load up on water, I headed back up the side trail and got back onto the main trail. The rain had stopped completely now and I was making good progress on the trail when I encountered a group of young hikers standing about on the trail. One young hiker had a collapsible gallon jug of red wine and offered me some. Since I needed to keep my wits about me, I graciously declined. Another young hiker in the group asked if I had any vitamin C. Thinking that she was asking me if I needed vitamin C, I said I had everything I needed and continued on the trail. It only occurred to me much later that she wanted Vitamin C and was not offering me some. My apologies to the young hiker. I would have gladly shared my electrolyte replacement with her had I understood her request.
I made it to Cottonwood Campground and arrived there at about 5:30PM. I set up camp, ate a cold dinner and went to bed. I was up early the next morning, struck my camp and began eating a cold breakfast when the young hikers in the next camp site offered me a hot cup of coffee, which I eagerly accepted and was very grateful to receive. The young hikers hit the trail while I finished my breakfast and drank the last of the hot coffee they gave me. After about an hour on the trail, the same young hikers, who gave me hot coffee, came up on the trail behind me. This was a big surprise since I expected them to be miles ahead of me. I guess they were delayed leaving Cottonwood or went off on some side trail. I didn’t remember passing them. I waited on the trail for them to catch up, so I could let them pass. I was taking pictures of the surroundings while I waited and the young man in the group offered to take my picture. I accepted, the picture was taken and the young hikers continued on ahead me. I never saw them again on the trail.
I reached the side trail for Ribbon Falls later that morning. Thinking that it may be another disappointment like Roaring Springs, I debated whether I should take the time to go see it. Since I may never be in the canyon again and I had plenty of time, I decided I should take the short hike to see Ribbon Falls. I am glad I did. Although not big, it was very beautiful. I especially liked the big dome shaped rock with the green moss growing on it. The water passing over the holes in the rock formed curtains of droplets, which simmered in the sunlight. This sight was well worth the extra time.
I hit the main trail again and was at Phantom Ranch in the early afternoon. I was hot, dirty and stinky. I checked in, got my bunk assignment and went directly to take a shower and put on clean clothes. The temperature at Phantom Ranch was in the mid-90s and so it was not uncomfortable to be outside, but I opted to wait out my time before dinner inside the Phantom Ranch canteen. I filled out a postcard and mailed it by mule train, bought a locally brewed beer and enjoyed it while talking to the other hikers and the other guests who had arrived by mule. Promptly at 4PM, we were all kicked out of the canteen so the staff could prepare the first dinner. There was a ranger talk at 4PM, which I attended and found to be very interesting and entertaining. When the talk ended, it was dinner time. After a long hike, the steak dinner was very welcome and tasted great. There was another ranger talk later that evening, but I decided I should go to bed so I would be up in time for the 5AM breakfast.
I was up at 4AM the next morning, cleaned up as quietly as I could so as to not disturb the others still sleeping in the bunk house. I loaded up on water outside the canteen and waited until they opened. Breakfast was announced and I went inside and had a most welcome hot meal. After breakfast, I stayed back awhile to once again let the other hikers go ahead of me.
The hike to the South rim on the Bright Angel Trail was going to be long and hot, so I took my time. After crossing the silver bridge, I stopped at the River Rest House and took the short side trail down to the river. I stuck my hand into the Colorado River and it was cold. Took some pictures and had my picture taken at the river’s edge by one of the other hikers who had also come down to see the river up close. Somewhat rested, headed back up the trail toward the South rim. I made steady, but slow progress up the Bright Angel Trail until I reached Indian Gardens. There were a number of hikers resting there at Indian Gardens, some heading up to the rim and others heading down to the river. I found a spot in the shade, took off my back pack and filled up on water. I rested there at Indian Gardens for about half an hour before heading back up the trail. The air was getting thinner now, I was getting shorter of breath the higher I went. It took about two hours to reach 3-Mile Rest House, since I had to stop every 100 yards to catch my breath. I took another long rest at 3-Mile Rest House before heading to 1-1/2 Mile Rest House. I was seeing more and more hikers now. Mostly day hikers heading down from the South rim. Many of them stopped and asked how I was doing. Perhaps out of curiosity or concern seeing a senior citizen with a big back pack hiking up the trail. For those who asked, I explained that I had started at the North rim two days before. They were astounded that such a thing could be done. Or astounded that an old man would attempt such a thing.
I reached 1-1/2 Mile Rest House at about 3:30PM and took a short rest this time, being anxious to reach the South rim as soon as possible. I was moving even slower now, but was still making steady progress. I stopped often to catch my breath and answer questions from the day hikers heading down the trail. I so impressed one older couple from Europe when I explained I was doing a rim to rim hike, the husband asked me to pose with his wife for a photo, which I did. I eventually reached the South rim at 5:30PM and ceremoniously placed by foot on the big stone Bright Angel Trail Head marker. I rested there at the trail head for a while and then debated whether I should take the shuttle bus to parking lot D where I had left my rental car or walk there. I decided I should walk to my car and spare the shuttle bus passengers from the stink of my hours on the trail. Surprisingly, I was still walking quite well and made it to the car without difficulty. Thus ended my second rim to rim hike.
For Park Ranger Shannon, who gave me the back country permit for Cottonwood Campground, thank you! For all those other rim to rim hikers on the trail who assisted me, thank you! For the day hikers who were astounded by an old man hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim, try it yourself!
James,
We loved reading your story! It sounds like you met some very nice people on the hike as well as Park Ranger Shannon. Your description took us back on the trail as you described everything like we were out there and it sounds like you took your time! Happy to hear you took the side trip to Ribbon Falls. We don’t know about Roaring Springs as it should have been flowing.
Congratulations on your hike!
I completed my third rim to rim hike on September 29, 2017. I started on North Kaibab Trail and finished on Bright Angel Trail. My goal was to complete the hike within 24 hours, which I did. My hike took 19 hours, starting at 2AM at the North Kaibab trail head and stepping out at 9PM at the Bright Angel trail head. No speed record here, but I made it! Surprisingly, the next morning I wasn’t sore and was walking just fine.
As usual, I met a lot of nice people before, during and after the hike. In particular, I met a young couple from Cincinatti who were celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary by hiking rim to rim in one day. We first met on the Trans-Canyon shuttle from the South Rim to the North Rim, but kept running into each other during the hike. Mostly, it was me catching up to them when they stopped to rest. I was hiking solo as usual, so it was nice to see familiar faces along the way. We met again by chance the next day on the South Rim. Wished each other well and parted company.
Needless to say, this was a difficult hike. As I was struggling up those last three miles in the darkness, I seriously contemplated this being my last Grand Canyon hike. But the next morning, when I looked down into the canyon, illuminated in all its glory by sunlight, that thought vanished from my head. So, I’ll be back!!
LOVE this James!
My friend Tim talked me into going to the Grand Canyon to do the Rim to Rim to Rim. We started at the South Rim and hiked down the South Kaibab Trail and over and up the North Kaibab. I was pretty tired after finishing the 21 + miles. It took us about 10 hours because of the photo stops and of course the cold lemonade at Phantom Ranch – but it took our wives a good 4 hour drive to go from the South Rim to the North Rim by car. We rewarded ourselves with a good meal at the North Rim Lodge Restaurant. We spent the night at the very cool Western Cabin and saw an awesome sunset. The next day we got up and saw an awesome sunrise and then proceeded down the North Rim and of course stopped at Phantom Ranch for another ice cold lemonade and then hiked up to the South Rim via the Bright Angel Trail. We actually felt stronger the second day of hiking this almost 24 mile trail again in about 10 hours. But our poor wives spent another 4 hours in the car driving back to the South Rim form the North Rim. 🙁 This was one of the most physical challenging things I have ever done but also one of the most rewarding. Seeing pictures of the Grand Canyon is one thing, but to hike it and live it and experiencing it is totally another thing that if one is able to do, they should take the time and challenge and adventure of doing it. This brief posted comment doesn’t even come close to telling the whole story but am so thankful for this opportunity to share.
I completed my first rim to rim on September 7, 2015 (one day hike). Although the following is a LONG narrative of my hike, my words cannot possibly capture the epic beauty and harshness of the canyon.
After visiting the Grand Canyon about 5 years ago, and being mesmerized by it’s stunning beauty, I decided that one of my bucket list items would be to do a one day solo rim to rim hike. Finally, the opportunity came and Labor Day 2015 would be my shot- I would have six months to prepare. I had hoped to be able to do the hike a little later in the fall when it would be cooler, but that was the only time I would be able to get off from work. I am an ex-triathlete and pretty fit person. I hiked every weekend (typically between 12-15 miles, but up to 20) and always carried a fully loaded pack. I climbed Mount Washington, Mount Garfield, and did some additional hiking in Canada about a month before my planned canyon hike- I felt really well prepared.
My wife and I set out from Connecticut and flew to Las Vegas. It would be A LOT of driving over the next few days and my wife had agreed to come along to be my support crew. After hundreds of miles of desert the drive into the North rim was simply fantastic. The majestic pine forests and beautiful flowing meadows were unanticipated, but spectaular to behold. We checked into our cliff side cabin- it was rustic, but was more than adequate for the one night we would be staying there.
After putting our bags in the cabin, we decided to head down to the North Rim Lodge. It was then we noticed the oncoming ominous looking clouds. The sign at the entry ranger station had indicated a 30% chance of thunderstorms, but this looked more like a 100% chance. Sure enough, as soon as we entered the lodge, the sky opened up- pouring rain, hail, and lightning engulfed the canyon. The storm was massive and all I could think about was the potential for flash floods in the canyon and washed out trails. According to the park ranger, more extreme weather was predicted for the next day- the day I had planned my rim to rim hike.
More bad news shortly followed- there was a serious water main break in the park- there would be no water on the North rim and water at Phantom Ranch was “restricted”. Water was available on the South rim that day, but the ranger could not guarantee there would be water the next day. Six months of preparation, and everything that could go wrong was coming together in a perfect storm. I had a Life Straw and water purification solution, but I hadn’t really considered that I would have to use them. Then- my wife read the Park Service material in our cabin and really started to freak out. She knew what I was going to do would be dangerous, but the reality struck home when she read their dire warning- “do not attempt to walk to the river and back in a day.”
Needless-to-say, I didn’t sleep well listening to the rain falling on the cabin roof and now more anxious than ever about my hike.
I had planned to start at 4 AM, but decided to hold back and start at 5 AM instead- assuming there would be more hikers starting at that time and that maybe I could at least begin my trek with some other people. Because of the potential for little access to water, I was carrying my 3L camelback, two 1000 mL bottles, and two 500 mL water bottles in my pack- which was now heavier than ever! My wife and I headed down to the North Kaibab trail head a little before 5 AM and I was shocked to see no one else there. I grabbed my pack and was about to set off, when coming down the road I could see two headlamps. I decided to wait and luckily the headlamps belonged to two other hikers who were both planning a rim to rim hike and didn’t mind if I tagged along. Relieved I would have company for at least part of the hike, I kissed my wife goodbye and headed off into the darkness- it was 5:15 AM. I could not have had more luck in stumbling on my hiking partners. Chuck was an experienced canyon hiker- he had over 50 canyon hikes and was doing the second half of a rim to rim to rim. Bob hadn’t hiked the canyon before, but he was a trail runner and a very nice guy.
The pace was brisk, but I knew why- it was key to get as far into the canyon as possible before the sun got too strong and Chuck knew the route by heart. The guy was an amazing resource on canyon history and he checked off each layer of rock as we descended deeper into the canyon. He even did some yodeling when we reach the spot of the decent when the canyon gives you a perfect echo.
Bob was clearly in great shape and after a couple of hours, his pace took him well beyond Chuck and I. The two of us paused briefly at the pump house residence. I was concerned that I might be slowing Chuck down, but he assured me the pace was fine (of course, he had already done this the day before) and that we would be OK as long as we kept moving. There was no water at the Cottonwood camp area and I could see Chuck was a little concerned, but he was upbeat.
When you hike in New England, you are usually surrounded by trees with little views of anything until you reach a summit. In the canyon, there was nothing by spectacular views around every corner. I had to restrain myself from taking too many pictures, because stopping took precious time from moving forward. “The Box” was simply beautiful and the sun had not yet reached the trail so it was cool and enjoyable to hike trough.
We made Phantom Ranch by 10:30- Chuck said that was a solid time to cover the distance from the North rim. I felt good- no hot spots or blisters and I had more than adequately hydrated. Phantom Ranch was an oasis- cold water and a place to sit and reenergize. There was also water available, so we could refill our bottles and camelbacks. I changed socks and we actually spent about an hour at the Ranch.
I would soon have to make a major decision though. Chuck had originally come down the South Kaibab trail and he was planning on hiking out the same way. I knew from what I had read that South Kaibab was beautiful, but that it had no water and as a result, I had always assumed I would be hiking out via the Bright Angel trail. But Chuck was a seasoned canyon hiker and I felt safer hiking with him. Also- there really were not that many people on the trail that day and I knew it would be best to have a companion if something went wrong (especially someone who really knew the canyon). Chuck assured me that I could do South Kaibab- “it was not a race” and it was three miles shorter than Bright Angel- but to be sure to bring enough water! We set off at 11:30 AM and I had 5 liters of fluids in my still very heavy pack.
As we left Phantom Ranch I felt fantastic. I was rested and my feet and legs felt great. I knew it would be hot (temperatures were predicted to be 95 degrees), but I also knew it would eventually get cooler as we climbed up. We quickly made the black bridge and crossed over the Colorado river- swollen and brown from the runoff from the storm the day before.
I first sensed something was amiss as I walled through the tunnel on the other side of the bridge- fully expecting it to be a bit cooler inside, but surprisingly it was just as hot as the air outside (not a good sign). We started the assent and it was STEEP and HOT. I had anticipated this, but reality is sometimes a wake up call. After climbing for only about a half hour, I was feeling spent and definitely beginning to overheat. I told Chuck and he knew a shady spot not far up the trail where we could rest. I pressed my sweat drenched body against the cold rock and it was like my own personal air conditioner! I drank some Gatorade and some more of the heavily chlorinated Phantom ranch water and after about 5-10 minutes I felt much better. I also realized that if I was going to make this climb, I had to change the way I normally hike up. I would have to go much more slowly and with shorter steps- less energy and less heat generation. I would have to make use of every bit of shade we encountered and constantly remind myself- “It was not a race.” I just had to put one foot in front of the other. As they say- going down is an option, but coming up is mandatory.
Unfortunately, there was no way around it- the hike was getting tough and little did I know what was in store. The “red and white section” of the South Kaibab trail (Chuck’s name for it) is a very long, steep switch back section that is completely sun exposed- there is absolutely no shade. The wall of the canyon is like an oven radiating the heat back at you. It is an absolutely miserable piece of scorched dry earth and it will eat you alive. I could see there would be no rest until we cleared this section of the trail- it was my own personal death march. After what seemed like an eternity, we came around a bend and into a little shade. And that’s when I saw the sign- “3.5 miles to the trail head”. It was devastating and I honestly began to panic- we had been hiking for what seemed like a long time, I was HOT (seriously HOT) and I was soaked with sweat. I had been drinking TONS of fluids, but hadn’t pee’d since we left Phantom Ranch and I still had 3.5 miles of UP to go! I had read that the climb out was brutal, I had read many other peoples experiences, but nothing can really prepare you for just how difficult the climb out of the canyon can be. The rim to rim is the reverse of every hike I had ever done- UP and then DOWN, not DOWN and then UP. It was becoming my worst nightmare and had I been alone I’m sure I would have really started to regret my decision to do the rim to rim a single day. But Chuck was there, unworried and solid as a rock.
With no other option, but fearing I may eventually run out of water- we pressed on. Chuck tried very hard to help me memorize the various strata as we climbed up (probably to help keep me distracted), but my brain was not processing information well and I failed at each attempt to guess where we were. I also did very poorly at remembering the names of the various plateaus and monuments. However, I do vividly remember looking out over the Tonto plateau at the beauty and utter harshness of the canyon and feeling very insignificant. I also remember the fossilized tube worms in some of the white rocks- something I would not have noticed had I not been with Chuck. I also remember a group of turkey vultures circling overhead and thinking- “they are just waiting for me to fail.”
After a little while, I had gotten cell phone reception and had let my wife know that we would be coming out South Kaibab and not at Bright Angel. She said she would be waiting for me at the trail head. We started to pass day hikers and it definitely began to feel like we were closing in on our goal. The day had also cooled, there was more shade and eventually we made it to Cedar Ridge. I had enough water left and I could see that the end was in sight- although it would still take a while to get there.
We crested the South Kaibab trail head at 6:30 PM. We had hiked rim to rim in about 12 hours (not counting our break at Phantom ranch)- certainly not record time, but not too bad for a couple of old guys (I’m 55 and Chuck was 60 and more impressive was that this was the return trip of his rim to rim to rim!). I was exhausted and made my oft spoken promise to my wife- “never again”. Looking back over the canyon from the top of South Kaibab as the sun was going down over the horizon is a memory that I hope I never forget. Surprisingly, I get a little choked up writing this- perhaps because I recognize these opportunities may become less frequent as I get older. I believe that to grow you have to challenge yourself- mentally and physically. The rim to rim hike had been an enormous mental and physical challenge, but I had grown tremendously as a result. It had been a VERY long day, but I could, with much satisfaction, cross another thing off of my bucket list. It was also special that my wife could be there to share the moment with me.
I really don’t have enough praise for Chuck. He didn’t know me or need to stay with me. I’m sure my complaining on the climb out was driving him crazy, but he stayed with me and continued to encourage me to push on. It’s really remarkable to meet people like Chuck when you are hiking. Completely selfless- a truly amazing person. I can only hope that our paths may cross once again.
On a final note- doing the canyon rim to rim in a day is really very dangerous and perhaps a bit irresponsible- especially if it’s hot and you lack desert hiking experience. That said, it is enormously satisfying and had I been 20 years younger, I probably would have come through with fewer emotional scars. If you made it to the end of this long winded piece and are still planning your rim to rim hike- please be safe. As Chuck said- “it’s not a race”- enjoy it.
Scott,
Awesome story and recap of your experience. It felt like we were in your backpack experiencing this with you! Glad you made it out South Kaibab and love that you met Chuck as it sounds like he was a huge help!
Welcome to the Club!
i’m 20 yrs younger, it still hurts the same. haha. and i complained probably more 🙂
Scott,
I just read your story and it is a great one! I completed by first rim to rim the week after yours, South to North over two days. You hiked the entire trail in 12 hours. That is an awesome accomplishment! It took me that long just to get from the Phantom Ranch to the North rim.
Also, like you, I experienced the kindness of other hikers on the trail. I guess when you accomplish something as physically and mentally challenging as the Grand Canyon rim to rim, you have empathy for others experiencing the same ordeal. They are a great group of people!
6 Lessons Learned on hike from North Rim to South Rim via North Kaibab Trail to Bright Angel Trail July 26, 2015 – July 30, 2015:
1. We carried too much water. On the North Kaibab Trail there are water fountains at Supai Tunnel, Roaring Springs, Manzanita Rest Area and Cottonwood Campground. There is no water fountain on the 7 miles of easy hiking between Cottonwood Campground and Phantom Ranch. But I personally only needed two 20 oz bottles of water for that 7-mile part of the hike. Note that we started our hikes everyday about 5 am and reached our destinations between 7 am and 10 am.
2. A tent is not necessary. I used a small tarp. If it would have rained, I would have slept on top of the picnic tables at each campsite. Indian Garden has a small pavilion at each campsite, also. You may have to deal with wind, however.
3. Do lots of stairmaster and uphill treadmill workouts to get in shape, as opposed to long distance running/walking for the sake of endurance. Get your legs in shape, trust me.
4. Pack light. Really only need food that doesn’t need to be cooked, some water, mole skin, ground pad, first aid kit, maybe one change of socks, money (Phantom Ranch Canteen takes debit/credit cards), toilet paper, small tarp for shade/rain cover, some string to tie up tarp, small pocket knife, a dew rag and a spork. I personally like to bring camp slippers, Chapstick and hiking poles. You don’t need a change of clothes or a map. Anything else is just for convenience and adds extra weight that you will wish you didn’t have to carry.
5. Hike early, as suggested above. Start before the sun comes up. It will make your trip 10 times more enjoyable.
6. The most beautiful portion of the hike was the easy 1.5-mile side trail to Plateau Point right near Indian Garden Campground. We hiked there at sunset. Trust me when I say don’t miss this short side hike.
Have fun on your trip. Reply and and I’ll answer any of your questions. Bon Chance!
Cajun Hiker
4.5 million individuals visit the Grand Canyon each year and explore its outer North and South Rims. It is a mere 57,000 each year that will venture into the Canyon itself and enjoy one of the corridor trails. Of that 57,000 there are very few who will venture further to the Canyon floor and even fewer who will attempt a rim-to-rim hike over a two-day time period. And then there are those rare few who attempt a rim-to-rim hike in the SAME day… and during the hottest season of the year… this would be our personal journey and gauntlet.
My colleague Chuck Fabijanic and my 17-year-old son Leo and I feel it is much easier to share our journey through video and you can view that journey here: https://youtu.be/Pt2B25x3J0E
Thanks to rimtorim.org for its organization, information and motivation!
For this year I was planning to cross canyon from North to South in one day, my plan was to leave car on south side. On June 30 I parked my car on parking lot D next to Maswik Lodge that is where I was told to leave car for overnight with no problem, then boarded Canyon Shuttle for North Rim at 1:30PM. By 6 PM driver of van dropped me off by Kaibab Lodge where I had reservation for that night. This lodge has also services shuttle rides for someone who planning to go to North Kaibab Trail Head and since I am with no transportation this service was good for me. The only thing is they not starting earlier than 5:30AM. My plan was to start from North trailhead at 5AM. I was a little frustrated that of not being able to be by my planned time at trailhead, since I had only one day for this trip. Driver of morning shuttle showed up at 5:20 and with no time to waste we were on the way to trailhead. I was dropped off by North Kaibab Trail 5:45AM and I started my way to Phantom Ranch. On that day July 1 sunrise was 5:15 sunset 7:45 with temp 113F at river. I purposely picked this time of the year because of longest daylight time and at same time it could be the hottest time in Canyon, I was aware of it. In my backpack I had 5 bottles of water, snacks for day and five empty bottles which I planned to fill before ascend. You have to be on “light” mode – no phone, no car keys. By 11:42AM I reached Phantom Ranch. At 2PM started to my way back up using short route South Kaibab Trail. As I expected the most strenuous portion is first two hours on climb up(it is hot and heavy backpack with water). My suggestion will be not to use South Kaibab trail on ascend on a hot sunny day(it’s a killer)- you need to have a lot of water in order keep moving. I was under the sun on my climb up some where 40-45 minutes after I crossed Black Bridge and then just in luck sun disappeared behind clouds for next couple of hours, this gave me huge relieve, but still my pace was slower than usual. For last half mile that is left maybe 7 or 10 in time till end of trail for the first time on this day I felt short pain of my left leg and literally can see the head trail on top of edge – well it is just a reminder that muscles giving a message “ we are getting close to limits, give us a break”. And final break for the day was just a few minutes away – 7:05PM at South Kaibab trailhead. It was not easy day, but pleasant moment at the end of long day spent with Nature.
Hi everyone!
I just completed the Rim to Rim (South Rim – North Rim) this past Thursday! My buddy and I have talked about doing it, and finally both had time off to scratch it off our list! We did it much differently than your average joe would tackle this monster of a hike. So here is our story…
Thursday, July 9th, its 5 O’clock and I just got off work, after working for 10 hours! I was already tired. We rendezvoused at my place, packed a few extra items we had gathered that day, and then started on our way to the South Rim! The drive was going extremely smooth, we were really excited to get up there. I guess I should also tell you readers where we live! We live in Prescott and both just graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. So back to the story, we are about 35 minutes out, I am in the passenger seat, Trent is driving, its almost dark, but not completely, and right in our headlights is a huge elk! Standing directly in the middle on our side of the road. He takes one glance up, stares right into our headlights, just seconds away from turning him into road kill Trent jerks the car to the right, screeching the tires and forcing me to fly over onto him! The elk jumps and just barely missed the car! Our hearts stop and skipped more than a beat at that point. At first we didn’t really say anything due to the fact we could have just died hitting that massive elk! This no exaggeration, he was HUGE! Then, we started cracking up saying whoa…that was a close one! But the weird part was, before that happened, about 20 min before, we were discussing how a group of friends of ours decided to do this same trip last year, however slammed right in an elk ending their trip just short of getting there, and also talking about how 2 female Embry-Riddle students 2 weeks ago hit an elk in Flagstaff going 80 mph but walked away with a minor scratch on their hand!
So, here we are, wide awake now! We pull up to the Bright Angel trail head. Park our car, gather our belongings, and off we go! We started on the trailhead at 9:40 pm. Headlamps on, packs tightened, fueled and ready to go! We passed some people who gave us a very confused look, as if, “You two idiots are hiking this trail? Now? At night?!” Yes, yes we did! And it was amazing! About 5 miles down the trail, almost to the river, we see these bright beady eyes that are staring right at us on the trail! It was a beautiful large big horned sheep, eating away on some grass. We were less than 10 feet away from this magnificent animal. I had personally never seen one this close in the wild. He stared at us and didn’t flinch a muscle. He knew we weren’t going to harm him. So we said hi, tried to take a photo, and then continued on our way.
Conversing, telling stories, talking about our future jobs that we have lined up, and much more! We stopped a few times, ate, stretched, and refueled for the long hike ahead of us. While on the trail, the duration of the whole trail, we must have seen more than a dozen deer. Some skittish of us, others not so much and watched us as we walked by.
We finally arrived at Cottonwood. By this time, it is about 4 am. I’m beat. I have 4 screws and a plate in my right knee, and it was barking. I was thinking about our original plan, which was to hike South Rim –> North Rim….and then back to the South Rim! We had friends do it the previous year (not the ones who hit the elk). So I reached into my bag, grabbed a couple ibuprofen, and was ready to get back on the trail! At this point, we had our first interaction since we started the hike on the trail. Believe it or not, with 2 very good looking females! We chatted up, refilled our water bottles, they brushed their teeth, we said good luck and farewell! Refocused and once again refueled, off we went. Encountering more animals, smaller though. Scorpions, raccoons, etc! It was amazing.
Alright, well I have probably bored you readers enough (if you even read this!) so I will get to the end. Coming up the North was definitely the most brutal of it all. Steep, huge elevation gain, and i’m beat. We see a lot more day hikers, tell them our story, say hi, and continue on. Finaaaaally we get to the top. I sit down and chug water and eat the rest of my trailmix and pre cooked chicken from the night before. We hitch a ride from the Mule Van up to the lodge, reserve a shuttle. And here I am, back at work, sitting in a comfy chair, telling my story.
I truly hope you enjoyed this! Please feel free to email me and ask me any questions! Would love to hear from you! My name is Davey. And a big congratulations to all of you out there who have accomplished this task! It’s not easy! Cheers!
Respectfully,
Davey
My sister Tammy and I (age 52 and 58, no hiking experience) hiked the Rim to Rim June 5 – 6, 2015, stopping at Phantom Ranch for the night.
We first visited the Grand Canyon in 2002, joked about hiking to Phantom Ranch and pretty much didn’t give it another thought for 12 years. When we seriously started considering the hike, we were just in the what if phase, which went on for about six months and then it was time to make Phantom Ranch reservations. That turned out to be more stressful than anything else connected with the hike. We had six cell phones going and it took one and a half hours to get through but once we did the reservations were made and it was official, we were going to hike the Grand Canyon.
Started the research, read everything we could find, one of the most helpful was the Rim to Rim Club and following them on Facebook kept us excited to be doing the hike. The great equipment hunt required lots of research, didn’t really even know where to start. It was all new to us so the review reading began and as we narrowed down our choices we began purchasing our equipment.
As the equipment (backpacks, shoes, and hiking poles) started arriving we began practicing with them, best thing we ever did. We had a good cardio base, had just trained for and run a marathon, but being Florida girls the biggest hill we have is stepping on a curb. So off to the gym we went. Incline on the treadmill, arc trainer and weights plus our normal 25-30 miles a week. Then two months out we started carrying our loaded packs to get use to the weight on our backs.
The day finally came, we flew out of Orlando on June 3, 2015. Landed in Las Vegas and drove to Mesquite to spend the night before heading to the North Rim the next day. We were very lucky to have a built in crew with us; my husband, Dan and our Mum and Dad. We didn’t have to worry about shuttling from one rim to the other and that was extremely nice. Had a nice leisurely trip and checked into our cabin before dinner. Then we did some exploring, took a ride to Point Imperial then checked out the North Kaibab trailhead on our way back.
Back to the cabin to get all our equipment ready for the morning and settle in for a good night’s sleep. Got up at about 0400 and arrived at the trail head at about 0500. Ate our banana, and bagel and peanut butter. Time to say our goodbyes and we were on our way. So many feeling, we had waited so long for this and we were finally heading into the Grand Canyon.
We took it easy to start, getting use to walking downhill. I’m going to tell you right now downhill and I didn’t get along, I don’t have any knee problems but it was just hard for me. Tammy on the other hand loved it, up, down, it didn’t matter to her she just kept moving.
We were picture taking fools and after realizing our pace was less than a mile an hour, decided we should get a bit serious and pick it up. Didn’t want to miss our steak dinner at Phantom Ranch.
Along the trail we were eating a mixture of cashews, dried pineapple, craisins and sport beans with caffeine (hoping to ward off the effects of no diet coke on the trail) and pretzels. We also had a couple of Kind bars. We should have started eating sooner, our first break was about 4 hours in and we really needed to eat every hour to hour and a half which we did from then on. We were drinking constantly from our camelbaks. We had a total of five liters of water each. That was just enough for the trip down and more than enough on the way up. We learned as the camelbak was emptying we should have filled it from the two bottles we were carrying. So much easier to drink from the camelbak then try to get the bottles out.
Saw lots of little wildlife; squirrels, chipmunks, lizards, birds and butterflies. It wasn’t until just after Ribbon Falls that we saw a mule deer, only one but I’m sure there were others out there.
We did have a few rain showers and we would pull out our $.97 Wal-Mart ponchos and put them on, walk a couple hundred yards and be ready to take them off, it almost wasn’t worth putting them on but we didn’t want to take the chance of getting soaked. This scenario has a big impact on a decision we make tomorrow.
By this time we are talking about getting to The Box, really wishing there was a big sign that announced the location. We finally figured we were in the box because the canyon walls were getting closer and closer, but because the weather was so perfect the temperatures weren’t rising like we had anticipated. So we just kept going, enjoying the sounds of the river, shady spots and a breeze every now and then. I can’t reiterate enough what gorgeous weather we had for our two days of hiking.
Before we knew it the sign for Phantom Ranch appeared and we were there. Arrived at about 1515, checked in, had our lemonade, and headed to our dorm. We were the first ones there so had our choice of bunks, we chose the one in the back corner, out of the way and by the back door so we could get in and out easily. Took our showers and we were refreshed and ready to go out and explore.
Two of the best things we carried with us were flip flops and compression sleeves. I had hemmed and hawed about carrying mine but I was so glad I did. Every step I took that night my feet and calves thanked me. I can’t imagine putting my hiking shoes back on after taking a shower.
Dinner was at 1700 and it was the best meal, filling and a good variety. Steak, cornbread, corn, peas, baked potato with butter and sour cream, salad and chocolate cake for dessert.
More walking around after eating, keeping those legs stretched out and moving. We had brought peanut M&M’s for an evening snack, so we found a place to sit and enjoy them. Also watched two mule deer enjoy their dinner right in the middle of camp.
We waited until 2000 for the canteen to open after serving meals, had to get stamps to mail our post cards from Phantom Ranch.
Then it was time to turn in for the night and we were out like lights. The dorm was air conditioned and that really helped with making it easy to sleep.
We got up at about 0415, grabbed our gear and went out the back door, hopefully not disturbing anyone. We used the bathrooms by the canteen because two of the ladies in our dorm were spending another night and didn’t have to get up early. It was beautiful at this time of morning, the moon was setting and the walls of the canyon were starting to light up.
Breakfast was another wonderful meal and everything was delicious, best bacon ever!
Time to get the hiking shoes and backpacks on and we were on our way at 0517. As we walked through the Bright Angel Campground it was 78 degrees, quite the change from yesterday’s 43 degrees.
Before we knew it we were crossing the Colorado River and starting the upward climb, so much easier for me. Because there seemed to be more landmarks on this side, time and distance seemed to go much faster.
Just before the Three Mile Resthouse it started sprinkling, we decided to fore-go the ponchos and just carry on. Well, we chose poorly and at the switchback just below the Resthouse the skies opened and a torrential downpour ensued. We are now trying to get ponchos on, they are flapping and flying in the wind. Then the rain seems to be getting harder and the next thing we know it is hailing and that really hurts. Then I feel a river run through my shoes. Ponchos finally are on but they did nothing to protect us. The only thing to do is carry on and start walking which we do but first we have to get by the mules that are parked on the trail. We spoke to the mule wrangler and were told to stay to the cliff side of the mules. This was easier said than done but we squeezed by and were on our way.
For about a mile or so the trail was a mini river and there was running water cascading everywhere, it was very beautiful. We watched the storm move off and the sun reappeared.
Every time we looked out over the canyon we had to say, “We were down there this morning, look how far we have come.” It was amazing!
By the time we hit the 1 ½ Resthouse we were seeing more and more day hikers and the trail was getting very crowded and noisy, so different from yesterday.
The closer we got to the top the more we wanted to get there but the less we wanted this fantastic journey to be over. But alas it had to come to an end and there was Dan, with two ice cold diet cokes and Mum and Dad cheering us on at the end, it couldn’t get much better than this.
Got our damp shoes off, our comfy flip flops on and headed to the El Tovar to shower and get some lunch. We were so lucky to have others traveling with us. They drove from the North Rim to the South Rim and spent the night so we already had a room, didn’t have to wait to check in to get our shower.
This was a fantastic trip and we are now hikers on the lookout for our next big one.
Lauri,
Welcome to the club and proud to have you and Tammy in it! So happy our club and posts helped you. Couldn’t help but get goose bumps reading your story as it brought us back to our first Rim to Rim! You did this and we are so proud of you as it is an amazing accomplishment! Welcome to our Rim to Rim hiking community!
Rim to Rim Club®
I Just did the Rim2Rim on 6/19/15. After 45 years with ATT, I put this on my bucket list to do before the big 7 oh – which by the way is next week! I did everything against the grain – solo, in one day, and at a blistering temperature.
My wife (Mary) dropped me off at North Rim at 6:30am with a plan to meet up at 3 Mile Resthouse between 3 to 4pm (after her 4 hour drive to the other side and walking down to 3 Mile RH to meet me). I was doing good and I reached Bright Angel Camp by 11am. The temperature was already soaring at 105 degrees, and the ranger tried talking me into staying until it cooled off as there was a death the day before due to exhaustion. However, I was feeling good, was making good time, plus, I had a commitment to meet Mary no later than 4P at the 3 Mile Resthouse so that we could hike up the last 3 miles together.
Well – I misjudged the heat effects, I didn’t anticipate the elevation change between stops and I felt pressured to reach the 3 mile Resthouse no later than 4p. Needless to say, things we’re not looking good and I was moving real slow. But guess what – a mile from the 3 Mile RS I received a text from Mary, and I was able to respond that I was running late. She walked down a mile to greet me and we both continued on and reaching the top by 6:30 P – and we were having a glass a wine by 7P. I did the hike in 12 hours, but I have to tell you it kicked my butt, but I’m looking forward to the next one. I still want to do a one day hike, but take it slower, and wait until its cooler. By the way – the text I got was the only one that came thru in the entire journey.
Cheers!
George N.
Trip all planned. Flew to Vegas for New Years Eve so could be at the BCO on the first to ensure I got my sites and dates. Training was going well, getting in canyon shape. Then heel spur flared six weeks before launch date. Suddenly wearing a rocker boot with no: walking, swimming, biking, or anything else to maintain cardio fitness. Out of the boot 10 days before launch date, decided to go for it.
Snow was heavy on the North Rim that year and the opening was delayed until the actual day of my North Rim departure. Spent the night near Navajo Bridge and arrived at the trailhead much later than planned. A short ways down the trail snow melt from the Rim provided a nice ice cold shower to all on the trail. Cottonwood was made without incident, though a few minor washouts on the trail. Similarly the trail to Bright Angel Campground/Phantom Ranch was uneventful, but the lost training started to make itself known. The final stretch was a push.
Phantom Ranch is always a delightful mix of day hikers, mule riders, and backpackers. A very pregnant doe was an object of great interest.
An early morning launch across the Silver Bridge and up the corkscrew got me to the mule corral at Indian Garden by mid morning. A good tired is still tired, and I sat there for awhile weighing my options.
Most Rim to Rim hikers go up Bright Angel Trail. I chose to do my permit going down West Tonto and out Hermits Trail. One I don’t like Bright Angel Trail; the ruts, the mules, the traffic. Second, I love the solitude of the Tonto. A days hike from Bright Angel to Monument Creek exceeds the NPS recommendation and you get the “You are going to die” letter and have to fill out a bunch of forms to aid Search and Rescue. I didn’t tell them this hike was going to be solo.
Anyway I sat at the corral for quite a bit weighing the option of exiting up the five miles of Bright Angel or continuing the planned trip. I eventually decided to go for “the trail less traveled.”
I love the West Tonto. I met no one on the trail. There was a research group at Salt Creek talking about the unexpected large number of snakes found in the campground. I spent a couple hours resting in the shade at Salt Creek and letting the sun get a bit less intense. I timed my departure to ensure I got to Monument well before sunset. Again the experience of hiking the Tonto on the floor of the canyon cannot be described, nor can having the Canyon to yourself and your thoughts.
The descent into Monument was much steeper and more exposed than I had anticipated, though in retrospect should have been anticipated. Would not have been much of an issue, but the legs were spent.
Early morning out of Monument again on the West Tonto heading toward the Hermit Trail. Again the wonder of having the whole canyon to myself. Hit Cathedral Stairs before the sun did, a much easier ascent than I remember, but again pretty much wiped out my physical reserves. Mid morning I hit the wall: tired, sore, out of water. I sat in the shade to regroup. “Was that a flash of color at the next bend” “No, nothing there” It was enough to get me up, the spring had to be close. Around the corner was the spring and the shelter. A group of students from a Kansas Community College was ending their rest break and getting ready to head out. One of the girls had gone back to look for stragglers, and that was the color I had seen. After a lengthy break and filling my water bottles, I also headed out. A short time later I passed the leader of the College group working to get a couple of out of shape students up the hill. My ascent had many stops and took close to two hours longer than my previous time on that section, but i eventually arrived at Hermits Rest. After four days in the Canyon I must have been a sight.
Hot showers and Arizona Steak House are every Canyon hikers just reward.
I first did a R2R in 1999 with an old friend in his late 80s. We started by driving a vehicle that belonged to another friend who worked at Phantom Ranch and wanted her car brought to the North Rim. We left the South Rim before midnight and drove around and left her car at the parking lot close to the N.Kaibab Trailhead. We started down the trail at 4 am on a early October morning.
I was 43 years old and my old friend was about 86, it was both of ours first true R2R. I hiked to the North Rim from the South side but during a 28 day backpacking trip in the month of January 2001. My friend and I both had many years experience hiking the canyon, I had been doing it 4-6 months a year since 1983 during some of my fall,winter and spring vacations. My friend had started hiking the canyon in his 70s when after he had retired from the military and later by 2006 had done as many as 106 R2R’s in one year, he originally was going to do 89 to commemorate his birthday in 2006 but by early October had done 89 so he continued to do them till Christmas and ended up with 106 by Xmas and quit.
Anyway we started at 4 am as in early October it was still quite warm to hot in the inner canyon so we wanted to get an early start. We hiked to Cottonwood camp and took our first break. When I was ready to go my friend told me to go on and wait for him at Phantom Ranch as his hiking pace was 1 mile an hour, compared to my 4 mph. So I went on. I stopped at Ribbon Falls and continued on to Phantom Ranch. I arrived about 9 am and waited for him. he arrived at noon and then I started off again. he got into a conversation with the woman who’s car we dropped off at the NR. I waited for him again at Indian Garden where I had arrived around 2 pm. But he never showed and had told me if he had not arrived by then to go on. He was a good strong hiker for a man his age so I went on to the South Rim getting out about 4:30 pm. I went to his house where he lived with his wife, they both worked at the Grand Canyon Store. At 11 pm he finally made it out. This was his first R2R. I did about 3 more until 2002. He passed away in 2009 just a few months short of his 99th birthday, believe it or not!
My husband Dave and I completed a four day, three nighter from the North Rim to the South Rim, September 14 thru September 17, 2014. We are both 57 years old and this was our first time backpacking rim to rim. Our itinerary was: (Day 1)-start at the North Kaibab Trailhead from the North Rim to Cottonwood Campground, (Day 2)-Cottonwood Campground to Ribbon Falls to Bright Angel Campground, (Day 3)-Bright Angel Campground to Indian Garden Campground, (Day 4)-Indian Garden Campground to Bright Angel Trailhead.
I was a little concerned about doing this backpack because I had knee surgery nine months earlier for a torn meniscus. The trip was a piece of cake for Dave. Dave and I are experienced backpackers, in fact that is how we met and eventually married. Hiking and backpacking are our passions.
The most difficult part of the hike for me was the descent on the first day. Mainly because of my knee and my fear of exposure. At Roaring Springs I was beat and the heat was becoming intense. It was so nice to cool off and soak my knee in Bright Angel Creek at Cottonwood Campground. The night sky was amazing! Having outhouses and running drinking water is a treat too!
Because of the heat, we started out before sunrise, met a rattle snake in the trail and visited Ribbon Falls, continued on a path recommended by a ranger, skipping a climb, but forging the creek was fun! Ribbon Falls was so spectacular, I wished we were spending another night at Cottonwood. Onward to the Box, it wasn’t hot as the sun wasn’t in the Box. I loved hiking through the Box with its red canyon walls following Bright Angel Creek. It was way cool to get to get to Bright Angel Campground early and get a campsite right along the creek. We soaked in the creek as it was over 100 degrees in the shade and we had lemonade at the Phantom Ranch in the AC. We visited the Indian ruins, Colorado River and crossed both bridges while there. Flush toilets and drinking water are real treats for us as well, lol!
Another before day break start to beat the heat, on our way to Indian Gardens. Going up was easier on my knee than going down, but my knee was pretty fatigued after we reached Indian Gardens. The views with the Colorado River were amazing and entering the Indian Gardens was like finding an oasis! We got there early and found a choice camp spot. Soaked my knee in the creek and explored the campground. There are books there that you can borrow and we relaxed and read a good bit of the day and the air temp was pleasant. Dave went to Plateau Point at sunset and I really wanted to go but my knee needed to rest. However, while Dave was enjoying the Plateau, I got to visit with the residential pink Grand Canyon rattle snake! The ranger, who was female told us all about the resident snake and where it likes to hang out and why there was no reason to fear it. The snake just does its own thing not really caring about us. haha she was a really beautiful snake and only found in the Grand Canyon. It would have been nice to have spent two nights at this campground to relax and enjoy the area. It was sad to be spending our last night in the canyon!
Slept in, as the temps are now cooler and hiked out, stopping many time to look back at the canyon! The climb out wasn’t hard, we just took our time. We took the Canyon bus to Mather campground, set up camp and headed for the showers, then to dinner at the Bright Angel Lodge. We bought rim to rim tee shirts too! Oh yes and we had ice cream!
The next day. We took the shuttle from the south rim back to our car at the north rim and drove home (St. George UT area), with a stop at Jacob Lake Inn Restaurant (yum!). It is impossible to ignore their bakery.
This was such an amazing backpack for us, a bucket list event! We hope to do it again in October and every year for as long as we are capable. There is much to explore there!
I began planning for a Grand Canyon hike in September 2013. Initially had hoped the entire family (four of us) would hike down Bright Angel, spend the night at Phantom Ranch, and then hike back up Bright Angel. I soon found out that reservations at Phantom Ranch are nearly impossible to get. My 13 year daughter also proclaimed that to make her hike down into the canyon would “kill her” – decided probably not great to force her to do something like this. As soon as my husband learned Phantom Ranch was out, he was out – no way was he going to sleep on the hard canyon floor. That left my 15 year son and myself. Over the next 9 months this turned into a rim-to-rim hike. We live in Michigan and the likihood of frequent trips out West are not going to happen, so I wanted to make the most of it. Our trip, to include multiple National Parks, began June 12 2014 in our fully-loaded Yukon.
We reached the Grand Canyon South Rim on June 17 2014. At 6:15 am on June 18 my son and I hiked down the South Kaibab Trail. It took us about 3 1/2 hours to reach the river. We stayed at Phantom Ranch for several hours – hoping to avoid “the box” during the hottest part of the day. Temp was between 106-114 degrees at the bottom. However, by 1-1:30pm my son was very anxious to get going, so after soaking in Bright Angel Creek one last time we set out for another 7 miles to reach Cottonwood Camp where we would be staying that night. We each had 2 liters of water in our packs and back-up water bottle/gatorade bottle. The heat didn’t bother us anymore than humid heat back in Michigan – in fact I prefer the dry heat of the West. We made it to Cottonwood Camp between 4-5pm. I was exhausted after this 14 mile day – I think my son could have kept going and climbed right up the North Rim.
We went to bed early and were up by 5am on June 19 (my son’s 16th birthday!), packed-up and started hiking up the North Rim by 5:30am. The last four miles were the most difficult hiking I have ever done. My pack was in excess of 30 pounds and I thought of throwing it off a cliff multiple times (of course I would never actually do that). I had to pause and rest about every-other-switchback. My son was getting VERY impatient with me but got the message when I told him: “If I don’t stop and rest I will never get out of here”. We reached the top at 11:00am.
Things we did right: hiking with packs on 2-3 times a week for 4-6 weeks prior to the trip; my son plays Lacrosse and is in great shape to begin with; days I didn’t hike I would run 3-4 miles or use my elipitical (this I had been doing for more than a year); extensive research on hiking in the canyon (literally 9 months), including getting the right equipment from head to toe; adequate hydration.
Things we (I) should have done better: gotten my son a larger pack to divide our load a bit more even (being the over-protective-mother I wanted to make this as easy for him as possible); which resulted in my pack being too heavy (we should have hiked with full water bladder in our packs to get better idea of the pack weight); eaten more food – by day 2, probably from exhaustion and heat, I had zero appetite. I forced my self to eat a nutrigain bar before hiking out, ate maybe 1/4 trail mix later in morning – that’s it. BIG MISTAKE – keep munching to keep energy up; I remembered this the last hour of our hike and forced myself to eat some cheese/crackers.
This was all totaly worth it! I will do it again if I have another chance – maybe hike North Rim to South Rim the next time (also, everyone says to avoid hiking in the Canyon during the summer – I didn’t have a choice due to my kids being in school; heat wasn’t as bad as what I thought it would be but if YOU have a choice, opt for September or early October!)
A friend and I did the Rim to Rim this summer (2014) hiking down from the North Rim on 8/31 and out to the South Rim on 9/1. While it was a great experience I would highly recommend spring or fall. It was extremely hot but this was the only date we could get an overnight reservation at Phantom Ranch. All the fresh water sources were available which helped greatly. The temperature prior to the Box was 115 and it was still 103 when we reached Phantom Ranch. The Ranch was an oasis. Great food, service and a chance to recover. We started our hike both mornings by 5:30. We drank plenty of water, electrolytes and salty snacks. Although we are both in our sixties, we were well trained and physically prepared but it was still a challenging hike. We enjoyed meeting and sharing the trail with others. It is an awesome experience to stand on the footbridge over the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I thank God for the opportunity to see such amazing ruggedness and beauty. I will never forget the experience.
It was back in 2009 that we completed our first Rim to Rim. My wife and I had been in Phoenix for business, and we took a day trip to the South Rim. We walked in a little ways and began talking to people as they hiked out. At that point, we decided we would eventually hike to the river. We came back home to Alabama, bought a little hiking gear and began training. Since we knew absolutely nothing about back country backpacking, we decided to hire a guide for our first trip. When looking at the trips they offered, Rim to Rim just seemed to be the logical choice. Our guide company by the way was Four Seasons out of Flagstaff. Highly recommend them if you are looking for a guide. They gave us training guidelines which we followed diligently. For the better part of a year, we carried heavy packs on long hikes and we climbed stadium stairs with our packs on weeknights. We were in pretty good shape, which made our hike very pleasurable. We recruited one of my nieces to join us and met in Flagstaff. There we met the two other members of group. Two guys from Amsterdam. Really great guys who we stay in touch with via Facebook. We hiked North to South. Our first night at Cottonwood, we saw the Milky Way. Pretty Cool! My wife celebrated her 50th birthday on day two. She will tell you it was her best birthday ever. We drank beer at Phantom Ranch on night two. We saw the most incredible sunset on night three from Plateau Point. Rimmed out on day four and felt like rock stars as we got closer to the rim. People wanted to talk to us and ask us questions. For us, hiring a guide for our first trip as the best decision we made. Omar taught us how to be respectful of the canyon and other hikers. He taught us how to be safe and to protect our food. Since then, we have been to the river five times, and I have had the pleasure to teach those same lessons to others who we have taken with us. My favorite thing now is to take someone who has never been, because I get to see the Canyon for the first time through their eyes.
I didn’t hike the Rim to Rim in a day or two as some have. Nor am I in top physical condition as some who hike the canyon. I’m over 60 years old and the extra weight I carried wasn’t only in my backpack. Even so, I was able to hike Rim to Rim in three days. The first morning September 17, coming down the North Kaibab was pleasant. I’m not as sure footed as some, so I probably go down slower than most. We still made pretty good time, leaving the trailhead about 7:00 and reaching Cottonwood camp by 1:30. Still, the hardest part of the day was from Roaring Springs to Cottonwood, as it was midday when we passed by there and very hot. Found out the next day that Phantom Ranch had registered a temperature of 120 degrees, so we probably got some of that at Cottonwood. We met some very nice people on the trail as always. There must some special credentials for backcountry hikers in the Grand Canyon, as we’ve never met anything but the nicest people who are true hikers. We met a sweet young man from Germany who befriended us for the day. We also met our great next door neighbors at Bright Angel campground, when my sister rescued their tent when it tried to blow into the creek. We ate a great steak dinner Phantom ranch after our minnow pedicure in Bright Angel creek. Of course like most in camp, we went to bed early so as to get an early start the next day. We left camp about 5:00 a.m. with bats flitting in the beams of our headlamps. We made it to Indian Gardens about 10:30 and met up with our campground neighbors. My sister at this point went ahead towards the rim with the intention of dropping off her backpack and coming back to help me with mine. After a quick lunch with our neighbors I started up the trail. About five minutes out of Indian Gardens I met two young women running down the trail. We had encounters many trail runners and I thought they were running the trail. Instead, they called out “are you Mary from Tennessee?”. Surprised, I answered yes and they said they were there to carry my backpack to the top of the trail. It took a couple of minutes to convince myself I wasn’t dreaming, but these young women spent the better part of the afternoon carrying my pack as well as one of the packs of my campground neighbors. They had met my sister up the trail who told them she was going to come back down and get my pack, and they told her they would help me out instead. It was still slow going, as neither my neighbor nor I were used to the altitude, but we still had a great sense of accomplishment. I looked out over the canyon the next day in amazement that I, at my age and condition, was able to hike across that natural wonder of the world.
Five of us recently hiked Rim-To-Rim (down from the North Rim on 10/8/14, up to the South Rim on 10/9/14) and found the experience to be everything we were hoping for, truly an awesome hike. Our group spent 10 days in Peru two years ago, including hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and planned to hit more epic hikes around the world every few years. This was a very worthy #2 on our list.
For those that are not familiar with the northern AZ region, there is definitely more to do and see beyond the GC. There is an awesome slot canyon north of the North Rim that was worth spending a day hiking. Buckskin Gulch is >30 miles of very cool slot canyon if you want to overnight and do it all. We did an out and back day trip and had a blast! This is also the trailhead to the “Wave” (very interesting rock formations that make photographers drool), but the permits are very limited (only 20 per day from a lottery process, we didn’t “win”). FYI, as with all slot canyons be very cognizant of the weather and don’t go if there is rain.
Antelope Canyon, just south of Page, was also a worthy stop. Not a hike, this is a guided tour of an hour into an incredibly beautiful and photogenic slot canyon. It was worth doing, but far from a remote experience.
Back to the R2M…we did this in two days and did utilize the mule duffel service to haul our camping gear down. Definitely worth the cost ($66 per 30 lb bag, each way) and glad the mules were hauling that stuff, not us! As has been noted in other posts, you can’t count on the potable water and going down there was only Supai Tunnel and Phantom Ranch was also having issues. There are lots of springs available, we treated our water, and this worked out fine. The views are incredible on both sides. The different stages of the hike had very different personalities as we worked our way down, and then up, the different climate zones and geological strata.
For those wondering whether they can make it, I’ll note that our group ranged from early 50’s to late 50’s, none of us are uber athletes, but we all put in disciplined training for the 3-4 mos. prior to the hike and took this seriously. We made it from the North Rim to Phantom Ranch in about 9 hours with lots of photo stops, fairly lengthy regular breaks, and probably an hour at Ribbon Falls. We’d had a stringy local woman a few days earlier look at us skeptically and telling us you needed to be in marathon condition to do this hike. She also said to expect that it would take twice as long going up as coming down. Going up took us less than 7 hours, we left the campground at 6:30 and hit the top before 1:00 PM. While there is no question this is a taxing hike and you need to understand and respect the range of temp extremes, you can do this if you’re at a decent level of fitness, have trained appropriately, are prepared, and have the right attitude.
We’d heard different comments about which trails to take and their pros and cons. Obviously coming off the North Rim we took the North Kaibab Trail. From top to bottom we didn’t encounter a lot of people and enjoyed a fairly remote experience. Even going up the Bright Angel Trail the next day, it continued to be fairly limited contact at least until about the 3 mile House. Then it was as if the hordes were descending from above and we started hitting loads of people at the 1.5 Mile House, some of whom were almost comical in their lack of preparation for even a 3 miles round trip.
On the whole, an incredible hike and the acclaim is appropriate. This was worthy of being high on the “bucket list” and I would recommend this to anyone looking for this type of challenge. Preparation is critical. As others have noted, there are logistics challenges. We chose to drive into the North Rim and stay at the lodge there. I shuttled our car and mule bags around to the South Rim. I’ll note that the drive around from North to South took about 4 hours and was quite scenic. Just watch out for the deer! The first hour or so driving in the early morning added years to my life as it felt like hundreds of deer were intentionally trying to play chicken with me. The Trans-Canyon Shuttle needs to be booked in advance, but worked out well and the 1:30 PM departure from the South Rim had me back to the North Rim Canyon Inn by 6:00 PM.
If I can be of assistance with any questions just e-mail me. For those that have done the R2R you have my respect and congratulations. For those contemplating this, I would strongly encourage you to plan it carefully, train appropriately, and do it! Just do it in the shoulder months (Spring or Fall) to avoid the dangerous heat down in the canyon during the summer.
All the best,
Kevin
My brother-in-law and I did a one day rim to rim on September 19th. We went from the South Rim (via the Bright Angel Trail) to the North Rim. We had been planning this trip for several years and it was very exciting to finally get it done. The Canyon is amazing and it was a great experience to be inside the canyon for the first time.
I was very surprised at how few signs there are in the Canyon. It seems that they should advise you how far it is until the next potential spot for drinking water. So our lesson learned was – – when water is available load up completely. It was 100+ degrees in the box and more water is always a good idea. Cooling down by placing hats/shirts in the stream helped. In the future, we will also carry Life Straws so that we can safely drink out of streams, etc. if needed.
I was happily surprised by the friendliness of everyone on the trail. It seems that the general assumption is that everyone is your friend — a very nice place to be. The encouraging words and information about what was ahead was greatly appreciated.
I would recommend going North to South. The ascent on the North Kaibab Trail is brutal and endless.
How many hours did it take you to complete the hike and would you recommend it to experienced hikers? We could not obtain an overnight permit so are looking at completing the north to south trip in a day, as well.
I just discovered this website. I made the rim2rim hike twice in 1973. We were 4 guys there flew to the north rim and then descended and slept at Phantom Ranch before going up next morning. We went up in full speed and managed to get up before the sun started to glow on our heads I think in 3½ hours.
My second trip was in 1975. I left at 6 am and went down for full speed met a moose almost face to face as I went around a corner. I carried a 6 pack of soft drink-nothing else. Unfortunately the ascent on the south rim was so late that I had the september sun glowing on my poor head but I reached the top just before 2pm. The guys I had been riding with from Vegas to the North Rim came and picked me up. They have had some troubles with the car, so I came up before them.
Best Regards,
Poul Nielsen
Denmark
My wife, Joan, and I completed a “bucket list” experience by hiking Rim to Rim September 2 thru September 4, 2014. We had originally planned on doing more training but things got away from us the past year. After having a great trip float rafting down the Colorado from Glen Canyon Dam earlier in the week we spent two nights at the North Rim before beginning our descent down the North Kaibab Trail at 6:30 am Tuesday morning We heard the day before that there was a water break that meant no potable water below Supai Tunnel and no showers, toilet , etc. at Phantom Ranch, where we had beds in the men’s and women’s dorms for 9/2 and 9/3. We made sure we carried about 5 liters of water apiece and plenty of electrolytes with protein bars and trail mix and started off. Things were fine but temperatures heated up as we descended. It was about 50 degrees when we left the North Rim and as we hit the Box it was about 106! We got a little behind trying to find the trail to Ribbon Falls and then backtracking after we visited. Once we recrossed the foot bridge over Bright Angel Creek, we continued thru the desert and then the endless and infamous “Box”. The Box seemed endless but once we hit the sign indicating 3/4 mile to Phantom Ranch we were ecstatic! We arrived just in time for our steak dinner, which we were too exhausted to really enjoy, but were extremely happy to find that the showers and toilets were still operating. Our joy was short lived as Wednesday morning showers and toilets were non functioning due to the water break. After taking a couple of short hikes on Wednesday and exploring the area we were ready for our ascent Thursday morning. After our 5:00 am breakfast we were on Bright Angel Trail by 6:00 am. As we were exiting the Devils Corkscrew we had sprinkles that also brought wind gusts and then a pretty steady downpour that lasted until we passed thru Indian Gardens and finally stopped by the 3 mile rest house. We slogged on thru and finally made the trek past the Kolb Studio and headed for a real shower at El Tovar. Looking down from the South Rim it hardly seemed possible and we both felt a real sense of accomplishment
Way to go Joan & Kurt…congratulations on your rim to rim adventure and on crossing off a ‘bucket list’ item!
My wife and I, along with my grandson and son-in-law, did the 4 day North to South. First day wrecked my knees, but we carried on. Second day was long, but much easier, ending with the rest at Phantom. Great people there, very uplifting. Day 3 crossed the river at 5, and was stunned to make Indian Gardens as quickly as we did. Day 4, because of the heat, we were on the trail at 3:50 AM, with our head lamps. The climb was tough, aided by the three previous days. Made the South Rim at 8, ready for breakfast and a shower. June 26 – 29 was probably not the best time, heat wise, but we were thrilled to have made the journey and experienced the Canyon as never before. At 66+ years old! this was a once in a life time for me! But glad I did it. Had been to the Canyon many times, but this was the best one!
My hiking experience first started in February 2013 when I was 12. My scoutmaster in my Boy Scout Troop was asking for people who are willing to hike the Grand Canyon. We thought it was a joke, so I raised my hand. He wrote my name down and then he smiled as more and more kids said they would. Eventually my best friend did as well.
Skip several months later to May. I had paid the trip money, gotten packed, and was ready to go. But I didn’t want to, since I was being forced to tent with a kid whom I extremely disliked. I almost didn’t before my parents forced me to go and told me it would be fun. They were right and I’m glad I did go.
The trip to still remains as the best experience in my life. I had my best friends in the troop in a big SUV with me. We traveled from Texas to New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and eventually Arizona. We met Apache on the way and they invited us onto their reservation. They showed us some fire tricks and we showed them how to use Doritos as kindling. It was very awesome.
We stayed at churches and national parks on the way. We also visited Monument Valley, where John Wayne shot some of his classic western films. It was really fun being able to look at all the history that was there, and to watch some of his movies whilst on the way to a campsite.
The morning came and it was time to go. Our big group of 12 kids was separated into two smaller patrols. One would hike to Phantom Ranch the first day, and the other would hike to Bright Angel. As we did it, I was unfortunately set into the second mentioned group. However, it still didn’t take my experience from the entire trip away. I still enjoyed everything.
Our descent from the North Rim was probably the second hardest part. There were rocky paths that weren’t wide at all that were over 50 feet+ drops, and having 40lbs. on your 90lbs. body didn’t help that equation. However, as it went on, the inclines got smoother and we eventually made it to Bright Angel campgrounds at around noon, which all in all was 6 hrs. of hiking.
The stream that ran through was really cold, but refreshing to sore bodies. I loved swimming in it in quick sprints of 5 minutes before it got too cold. After a relaxing afternoon in the streams, a quick nap before dinner in the sun was a good end to the first day. I enjoyed it and I couldn’t wait for the next day.
Tomorrow came and we had to hike through “The Box” before noon, which never happened. I was making good time by myself before I made it to Ribbon Falls. I waited for some of my friends to show up and then we just messed around in the water. We took photos, dunked each other, and took our only baths for the rest of our time in the Canyon. After that, we made good time in the nice area of vegetation before the Box. We ended up taking naps in solitude. As we got to the box, we were met with 115F weather. We kept going on, drinking several bottles of nalgene bottles.
As we finally got to our campsite at Phantom Ranch around 3PM, we enjoyed the scenery from there. Then, we unpacked and dove into the stream there. It was a lot warmer than at Bright Angel. It was also deeper, so we were able to put our entire body in it for longer. We tried to catch the fish that were eating our dead skin. Also, when we were eating lunch, deer sat right next to us and didn’t care. It was fun.
As night came, I did what I did the first night. I slept on the picnic tables at our campground. It was quite wonderful. I saw the stars beautifully, and I also heard some animals. I saw bats flying over me quite closely, and I heard the stream next to me quietly. I loved every second of sleeping there, and I think that that moment was my happiest moment.
The next day was a breeze up until we got a couple of miles away from the South Rim. Everything that hadn’t affected me earlier hit me like a devil then. I took tons of breaks, and the switch backs were a pain in the area where the sun doesn’t shine. However, I still loved it. Several people and families had seen my friend and me, our clothes and bodies dirty. They got up to the rim quicker than we did. As we kept going on, my friend wanted to take a break. I kept going and eventually, I made it to the 2 mile marker(I think it’s that). People were congratulating me and told me to keep going on, that it isn’t far.
I eventually was met by one of my friends who went to Phantom Ranch the first day and his mom. He helped me hike out and it was a lot easier. When I got out, several groups of people noticed me and gave me an applause that I didn’t deserve. Anyways, I again slept on a picnic table near our troop’s items. I missed lunch, but it was OK.
I am very proud of myself for this trip, because I never threw up or whined or complained. I kept going forward. I never put on sunscreen and the only sunburn I got was on the very tip of my nose and was hardly noticeable. I loved going, and when I’ll be going again next year when I’m 14.
I was an employee of Fred Harvey (Amfac) on the south rim in 1975. I was given the oppurtunity to fly to the north rim, camp, and hike back rim to rim. It was an amazing trip for a 19 y.o. who never really saw anything much other than the west side of Indianapolis. I loved the north kaibab trail. The first few miles were so different than any trails I’d seen in the canyon. When I was coming into phantom ranch I met a guy from Texas and three women from Mo. We came across a pink rattler who was trying to hide under a rock. What a rare chance to see a pink rattle snake. The three of them had hiked from south to north and now were on their way back. The guy had told the women all hike long that scorpions would not get a plastic ground cloth (he was lying…hehehe). This was the last night and he laid down on the sleeping bag and got stung by a scorpion.
The hike in the next day was delayed because I waited to hike in with the Texas hiker, so he could regain some of his strength. We made it to the 1 1/2 mile water stop. We ate the last of our food and laid back to rest. The next morning we woke with no food, little water, and sore. That last mile and a half were the hardest miles I ever hiked. We made a beeline to the restaurant, stinky, and hungry. Must be rated as one the best experiences in my life.
My husband Markus and I had hiked to Plateau Point in 2010. Standing there and watching the river flowing down in the gorge below he said: “We have to come back and go down there. I must touch the river”. That was, when the idea of Rim to Rim was born. Last year in May we were lucky to get a permit for the date in September we planned. On September 3rd we got married at Red Rock Overlook near Las Vegas and on September 9th we started at North Rim. Is there any better way to spend a honeymoon? The next days really changed our lives and especially our perception of our mother nature and our essential needs in life.
On our first day we headed down North Kaibab Trail. Just below Supai Tunnel we encountered a place, where parts of the trail were washed away caused by heavy rainfalls during the summer. I was happy to manage that part with my fear of heights. It took us about four hours to get to Cottonwood Campground. We spend a lot of time inside our tent, because of the storm front which passed through the Southwest during these days. Cottonwood Campground is a really nice and quiet place, especially when the sun starts to set and the day ends.
On our second day we had a late start at about 8 am. Usually one should avoid a late start when heading for the bottom of the canyon. The last part before reaching Phantom Ranch is called “The Box” and with its narrow and dark walls you easily feel like hiking in an oven. Luckily the weather wasn´t that hot and the sky was cloudy, therefore our late start caused no problems. At around noon we found a nice place at Bright Angel Campground. We managed to dry our tent and then went to the Phantom Ranch Canteen to grab a T-Shirt and a cup of coffee. While drinking our coffee and writing some postcards we talked to a lot of hikers. This was really fun. We shared a table with mary and her family from Iowa. They were hiking on the same itinerary like us. After our coffee break we went down to the mighty Colorado and Silver Bridge. Rain started again and we went back to the campground. Bright Angel Campground has water toilets and really nice places.
Day three started with an early breakfast and we hit the trail at about 7 am. After crossing Silver Bridge we reached the River Trail, which beautifully winds along the Colorado. Near River Resthouse we went to Pipe Creek Beach and my hubby´s dream came true: we touched the river and felt the water and the red earth in our own hands. I cannot describe how that felt. Next part of the trail included some nice switchbacks called the Devils Corksrew and they were quite challenging. After four hours of hiking we finally reached Indian Garden. The campground has nice shelters and we enjoyed to sit under that roof while a thunderstorm roared over the canyon, talking to Mary and her husband and having some coffee.
Our last day started well before dawn and with our headlights on we went for our final spurt. I can hardly explain how I felt that day. The sun started to rise and bathed the canyon walls in golden light. My heart was touched deeply like I never knew before. While heading up Bright Angel Trail we met a lot of people who encouraged us and admired our trip. We met a ranger and she said “Looks like early morning folks out of the garden” and “Good to keep it slow”, when we told her that we had taken four days for our R2R trip. The higher we went, the better it felt. And then the last tunnel came in sight and the trailhead shortly after. Upon arriving at South Rim we fell into each others arms and were just happy. We really made it. The canyon is now enclosed in our hearts forever and we can´t wait to come back, jump into our boots and go down there again.
And that was our rim to rim story.
Our Rim to Rim trip we thought would not happen.
In late 2013 my wife, Beata, our two daughters, Susie and Shannon, and I wanted to plan a rim to rim hike in October of 2014. We got our reservation at the rims a year out (2013) but were unable to get Phantom Ranch reservations. My Susie would call a couple times a month to see if Phantom had any openings with no luck. Then in mid-September of 2014 we got reservations at Phantom Ranch and were good to go.
We all know what happened in October of 2014. There was a government shut down and the parks were closed. All our tickets were paid for, so we decided to go anyway hoping they would open. We spent some time in Sedona. Things were looking very bleak and we were set to leave for home soon. We heard that Zion was going to open so we headed that way. On the way we stopped by the North Rim, saw the barricades and briefly spoke to the Ranger guarding the entrance. We headed back toward Jacob Lake and while getting gas my daughter got a text from a friend who said the park would open the next morning. We checked it out and yes, it was true. The park would open the next morning at 8am. We were so excited; we could hardly sleep that evening.
We were at the entrance of the North Rim at 8am. The barricades were gone and not a soul in site, just us and 3 other cars. So In we went. We spent a little time at the lodge and by 9:30am we were all set to start our hike from the trailhead of the North Kaibab Trail at the north rim. There was snow on the ground and off we went. Hiking was slow at first but Susie and Shannon soon took off. My wife and I trailed behind. One exciting part of the hike was where the trail was washed out and you had to hold on to a rope anchored into the wall to get past the washout. The view was fantastic, truly a thing of beauty. Watching the scenery change on the way down was awesome, Supai tunnel was way cool. The hike down went well but slow. We saw roaring falls what a site. Took a break at the Pumphouse and off we went again. We took another break at Cottonwood campground and off again. I think Cottonwood Campground is where I got my case of poison Ivy. Yuk. Then night fall came. We were tired but kept going. The last few miles took 2 hours of hiking in the dark. We heard the water but could not see much. We arrived at Phantom Ranch around 7:15pm Needless to say we were beat. Totally spent. We missed dinner but the staff saved our meal and heated it up and took good care of us. Oh and my daughters. They just cruised along like it was a walk in the park. The exciting thing for them was when they came upon a rattle snake. Susie walked past it, it started to rattle and Shannon was still on the other side of the Snake. They were able navigate around it and continue the hike with a story to tell.
We spent the night at Phantom Ranch in one of the cabins. We would have loved to stay a full day at the bottom but needed to leave first thing in the morning to make our flight home. So our car is at the North Rim and we are coming up the South Rim. It was obvious I would not make it up in time for the shuttle back to the North Rim to get the car. Susie was the strongest hiker and she left at 6 am for the south Rim. She took one break the whole way up and got to the top around 11 am, in plenty of time for the shuttle. Shannon, Beata and I had a good healthy breakfast, grabbed our sack lunch and off we went. We were real sore but excited. It’s amazing what a little adrenalin can do for you. Shannon didn’t like the pace Beata and I had, so off she went. She got up a couple hours before us. We left from Phantom Ranch at 7:30am and got to the top about 7:00pm. Needless to say we stopped several times along the way to enjoy the hike. What a long hike that again ended in the last few hours in the dark.
This was a fantastic hike and we will do it again. I just hope we can spend more time at the North Rim and Phantom Ranch. While a rim to rim hike is truly a memorably experience, what made it even more memorable is it all came together at the last minute.
My reasons for doing a Rim to Rim have very little to do with taking on a challenge. And before I became addicted to The Canyon I had never done anything that involved a big physical challenge besides downhill skiing, and there’s a lot of gravity involved there. I just wanted to spend time IN the canyon.
There are only two ways to really be in the canyon: boats and feet. I chose feet. I started accumulating equipment and experience, and started hiking the canyon – in 1999. First day hikes, then down to Phantom Ranch and back, and then my first Rim to Rim in 2007, at age 60.
My ideal trip is Day 1: N Rim to Cottonwood Campground. Day 2: Cottonwood / Rainbow Falls / Bright Angel Campground (it’s between Phantom Ranch and the river.) Day 3: Hang out at the bottom / day hike the River Trail or an out-and-back on the Clear Creek Trail / sit in the creek (in hot weather) / play on the water slide in Phantom Creek / etc. etc. Day 4: up to Indian Garden Campground / explore around there / do an evening hike out to Plateau Point. Day 5: Indian Garden to the S Rim while feeling un-tired and absolutely exhilarated!!! And always – chat with anyone who is so inclined, hike slowly, and stop often to just look and just be there.
If your friends and family, like mine, don’t share your enthusiasm for long, hot dirt staircases,you will bond with your group and have someone who can explain Vishnu Schist, identify each plant around Rainbow Falls, tell you a great story about the (former) swimming pool at Phantom Ranch (and the hippies who skinny-dipped there) and show you where to place your hand over 1.2 billion missing years of geological history at the Great Uncomformity.
Haven’t hiked the Canyon since my hip replacement in 08, but am looking at a south rim loop. Previously I have done 12 one day rim to rim’s, two one day rim to rim to rims and one rim to river and back. The Canyon is my most favorite place and am looking forward to getting a couple more hikes in the future. I have met a ton of great people and love, when asked on the trial, where did you start?, that jaw dropping look. I prefer the north to south route on the one way and staring at Yaki for the double. If anyone wants any advice I would love to give it, as sharing this unique experience is a joy.
Mike
Hi Mike,
We just posted your comment! We wish you the very best in your recovery! Please like our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/rimtorim as many on there would appreciate your tips and advice!
Thank you again for posting!
Rim to Rim Club
Just got back from a 2 day Rim-To-Rim on July 6, 2013. It was fantastic. An experience of a lifetime. We did the North Kaibab in 10 hours and back up Bright Angel the next day in 6 hrs. what a great experience!
Just finished my 8th & 9th crossing of the Canyon. A Rim2Rim2Rim in 23:08. I never want to see the canyon again. more to come later!
We did the rim-to-rim this past August 31st. It was a beautiful hike, very hot as you can expect, and met great people on the trial and at the ranch. I would have to say sharing the experience with other people on the same adventure was the best part of the trip. The most frustrating was hiking along the creek on the lower part of the North Kaibab and having all of that cool water so close yet so much effort to reach it to cool off. A very strong wind in the ‘box’ made it like hiking into a hair dryer. It is privilege to join the 3%.
Cheryl and I were coming up on our 20th wedding anniversary. We also both turned 40 in 2010. We were looking for something “big” to do to celebrate. We decided to hike R2R after reading an article in Backpacker magazine. This adventure seemed to have so much in common with our lives together. Beauty, easy times, tough times, accomplishments, adventure and the list goes on.
We decided on the trip a little to late to get a permit to camp in the canyon so we did what we always do. We decided to hike the R2R in one day. We flew from Florida to Vegas. We rented a car and drove to the South Rim. Stayed one night there. Shuttled to the North Rim via Trans Canyon Shuttle (GREAT PEOPLE). We camped there until 4:05 am when we started our journey on 10/10/10. With head lamps on we desended down on what we called our 404020 trip. We made it to the Supai Tunnel in 47 minutes. The Sun started coming up and the views were incredible. There were some narrow paths with steep drop offs but that comes with the territory at GCNP. We made Ribbon Falls at 3 hours 22 minutes where we had some breakfast. We got back on Bright Angel Trail and continued on. We passed a series of footbridges know as the box and were at Phantom Ranch 5 hours 39 minutes into our hike. We crossed the muddy Colorado at 6 hours 3 minutes in and continued up the River Trail for about 45 minutes where we had lunch at a rest house there. The elevation is now going up. We passed the Indian Garden Campground 8 hours 19 minutes in. The elevation is now really going up. The 3 Mile Resthouse was a climb to get to but we made it at the 9 hour 25 minute mark. Rests became a little more frequent to the 1.5 Mile Resthouse at 10 hours 29 minutes. we finished our celebration trip 11 hours 31 minutes and 35 seconds after starting.
We saw wild life, rivers, people and at times no people. It was worthy of our birthday/anniversary 404020 R2R adventure that we were looking for. If you get the chance…….do it. That night we stayed back at Mather’s Campground on the South Rim.
I have enjoyed this challenge twice. I was much better prepared the second time, at least I could walk that next day. I had climbed The Highest Peak in Africa so when the chance came to do Rim to Rim I finally said yes. I would recommend anyone up for the experience they should train hard with many miles and get a very early start. Having a nice long lunch break at the bottom is time well spent, although difficult to leave and head up for the long hard hike out. I would say yes to it at least one time.
My wife Carol Sue and I enjoyed rim to rim on May 21st 2011. We were with friends and enjoyed the day very much. The highlight for me was ribbon falls, I have been in many canyons and observed many water falls but the green monolith of moss in the desert was really spectacular. It was difficult and challenging but a great experience.
I’ve done rim to rim a couple times now and hope to several more. My first adventure was as a 16 year old scout. We started at North Rim and I caught the flu the first morning. We were dropped of so there was no turning back. Everytime i would drink water or gatorade, it would come back up within a minute or so. After a while i wasn’t throwing up anything but pure water (or gatorade). It was oddly refreshing. Not the violent stomach convultions but the lack of terrible flavors and acidity normally associated with vomitting. So day 2 we stayed at Phantom Ranch.
Upon our arrival we found that mud slides had washed out the trail to Indian Gardens and we would have to take the very verticle South Kaibab Trail. So what was to be a 2 day out just turned into a 1 day out. I still haven’t been able to eat or drink anything at this point but strangely had some energy and a good mental attitude. I unloaded my pack at the bottom getting rid of every bit of extra weight. Because i was moving so slowly it was decided i should take a nap and leave around 9pm and hike through the night.
So myself and a leader started off and hiked through the night. Lots of stops, still trying to eat a little, still throwing it all up. The sun came up around the Chimney. I could have lived without seeing that part looming up ahead. I remeber at this point being out of water since SK Trail did not have running water at that time (don’t know if they do now or not). Everyone is telling me the end of the trail is at the top of the Chimney. I must have looked really bad because strangers kept asking me if i was OK. Halfway up Chimney there was a bottle of water sitting on the side of the trail with a note that said “Take if you need. Leave it if you don’t.” It was a God send. I kept that note as a reminder of this hike for about 10 years.
I finally did make it to the top of Chimney and was so excited. I had fixated on orange juice for the last 2 hours or so. It is what made me take every step. I could see a big glass of orange juice with ice sitting at the top of the trail. Funny with all that vomitting I still just wanted to eat. I was looking around for the parking lot where are cars would be waiting for us and asked a fellow hiker, ‘where are the cars?’ I don’t remember him saying anything, though i’m sure he did, but i remember his hand. It pointed way up the side of another mountain. It ends up that the top of Chimney is a lookout for people who want to hike a couple miles into the canyon. I felt like someone kicked my puppy. I layed down and fell asleep.
I awoke to the sound of ice slushing around in a cooler. I was a bit disoriented but i heard this distinctly and hopped up and chased the guy with this cooler. He must have thought i was crazy asking him for some of his water. I didn’t tell you this was in August and it was hot as hell so ice water felt amazing. This time i didn’t throw up. I hiked out about 10am. That is how slow i was – over 12 hours.
It was the best adventure i had as a scout. I was proud of my mental toughness. I never whined, cried or asked my leaders to take me home. It taught me that you can do more than your body says you can if your mind is in charge. I went again on this hike 12 years later and everything went perfectly smooth. It was better the first time.