Steerpike

Inspired by my success in May, decided to do it again last weekend, but this time, hiked down the steeper, more challenging South Kaibab trail - from 7,200 feet at the rim to 2,400 feet at the river in just 6 miles. No water on the South Kaibab ...

Left the rim at 7am, arrived at the 'Phantom Ranch' (past the river) around 11am. Headed back up the 'Bright Angel Trail' around noon, getting back to the top around 5pm. 18 miles in total (it's about 6 to the river, but then another 2-3 to the Phantom Ranch, and 9 back up Bright Angel).

It was fantastic! I can't wait to go do it again, maybe even later this month. I'm hooked!

Last picture is one of the mule trains, used for 'freight'. Food, supplies, etc are hauled down every day on these mule trains, and debris, garbage, even backpacks for the lazy are hauled out (you can pay something like $70 to have your gear carried out for you). People can also take them; not sure how much it costs.

I also got to see a helicopter rescue; a hiker had sprained an ankle and couldn't get out, so a helicopter had to be sent in. I heard from one of the rangers that that is a $7,000 item ...

SultanOfSwing

Looks amazing.

We are planning a trip to Arizona next year, as the wife's grandmother lives in Phoenix, so we can stay for free, and the Grand Canyon and Saguaro National Park are on the list of things to visit. I doubt we'll be doing that walk with a six-year-old, but I am looking forward to seeing it nonetheless.

Giantaxe

Excellent stuff... I'm hoping to go north rim to south rim next year with a group. I wish I'd done it when I was a bit younger, but better late than never!

username.exe

If you're taking a sprog I recommend taking the train from Williams (near Flagstaff).

They do a great pretend heist halfway to the Canyon and the kids were going beserk for the whole production. Great fun.

SultanOfSwing

That's certainly doable, we'll have to keep that in mind if and when we go.

Steerpike

That's next on my list; do you plan to stay overnight at Phantom Ranch, or do it in one day? There are both camping and cabin options at PR, but I hear they are booked up months in advance. PR looks pretty cool ...

At Indian Garden, I talked to a couple who were hiking North Rim to South Rim in a day, then turning around and hiking back the next day - thereby avoiding the logistical challenge of getting back to the North Rim via the 220 mile driving route. I left the South Rim (South Kaibab trailhead) at 7am; they left the North Rim trailhead at 8am, and we met at Indian Garden, so ... they must have been moving very fast!

The biggest concern I have over planning a hike well in advance is the weather. At various times of the year, the GC area experiences serious storm activity that would make hiking a risk. At other times, there are heatwaves that make the base of the canyon dangerously hot. So I've done my two hikes on very short notice, checking weather a few days ahead and deciding to go. This obviously doesn't work for larger groups, and also means I end up paying top $ for hotels/etc. I'm not sure what the recommended approach is to the storms; maybe you just find shelter for an hour or two while the storm passes ... obviously most people who hike the canyon do so with advance planning.

Below I've posted another bunch of pics. In this batch, you can see the helicopter at the 'Tipoff' rest area - one of the very, very few flat, open areas on the entire trail. I don't know how far the hiker had to hobble to get to this point. I can't imagine a helicopter being able to land near 99% of the trail. You can also see the mule train assembled there, getting ready to head up.

I was a lazy bum most of my life; I only got going with this serious hiking when I was past 50. Many of my friends, who were exercise nuts when younger, now have damaged knees, etc from too much jogging/etc. So there may be a silver lining to having been a couch potato for so long! (I've always had a high metabolism and thus remained skinny as a stick, despite no exercise).

ottotheboar

That is awesome we are avid hikers that is definitely on our list. Also want to ride motorcycles through Death Valley which is not to far away so could combine the two.

sir_eccles

Did that this summer with young sir. Good value unless when you get to the grand canyon your train obsessed child doesn't want to leave the train and you have to physically drag him away.

Apparently the same crew do a very good Christmas train, probably already booked solid for this year!

Giantaxe

The person organizing it favours all in a day. That's a tough hike even though north to south is easier than the reverse given the north rim is a higher elevation.

Wow, that is certainly something I wouldn't even consider. Our plan was to have half the folks starting from each rim, key swap, and then rendezvous back in Las Vegas.

I think the trick is to go as soon as the north rim trail is clear of snow (Mayish). There is less - but not zero - probability of thunderstorms that way.

username.exe

Haha, yes same experience .

We were thinking about the Christmas trip, too.

scrubbedexpat097

We did this in May, but we were a bunch of oldies

It really is fun, very well organised. I loved the entertainment, we had a Kenny Rogers look a like sing to us and the silly antics of the train robbers was fun ( although competing with us 4 mouthy Brits meant they got more than they bargained for! )

I would certainly like to return to see other parts of the Canyon. It is an amazing sight.

Ricky_85

Do visit the Northern Rim. From St. George it's less than a three hour drive.
The landscape is very different. This part of the Arizona Strip is very alpine, you wouldn't think that Arizona has the same amount of forest in percentage than Germany or France...

Noorah101

Many years ago I went with some friends who did the Grand Canyon Havasupai trip to see all the gorgeous waterfalls and ponds. That's quite a bit west of the touristy Grand Canyon area. We took a helicopter down, stayed 3 days and 2 nights camping, and then hiked out of the canyon.

The scenery down by the waterfalls was absolutely spectacular and breathtaking...the water really is as turquoise as the photos show it to be. But OMG, I hate camping, so sleeping 2 nights like that was almost torture. At the last minute, I didn't even want to hike out, I was so sore from just hiking around the falls area for 2 days....but by then it was too late to book a horse or helicopter....so hike out I did.

Rene

Steerpike

Hey Noorah!

I hate camping too ... that's why (one reason, anyway!) I do my hikes in a day. Aren't there some form of cabins at Havasupai?

I'm really interested in the Havasupai trip ...My g/f wants to see it, and she's hopeless at hiking, so is interested in the helicopter, and cabins. I would probably hike down and up.

Steerpike

Did you make any plans? I'm in AZ for a breather, and decided to book a couple of nights up at the Canyon this week. I'm going to redo the most recent hike - Down the South Kaibab, and up the Bright Angel. It's predicted to be 27 SHIVERING degrees at the top, which really freaks me out (I went hiking yesterday and today in Scottsdale - 90F both days!). It will be only 71F at the bottom, so I guess I should be thankful for that. Even though below freezing at the South Rim, it hasn't rained so apparently no ice and an experienced hiking colleague says not to worry about it. So this will be my first experience of COLD weather hiking.