Grand Canyon National Park: Rim to Rim Hike

Grand Canyon National Park: June 2-3, 2017

We needed another adventure, so we got James, Miranda, and Clint together in our car and set out for the Grand Canyon. We drove all the way to the North Rim of the canyon and made it in time to get some pictures of the canyon around sunset.

Clint had this crazy idea, to hike from one rim of the grand canyon down into the canyon, and up the other rim... in one day. The hike was the biggest reason for the trip. The rim to rim trail is about 24 miles long from one rim to the other. The decent consists of the first 14.3 miles and 6,000 vertical feet before hiking for a few miles along the bottom of the canyon. The ascent is then a 9.6 mile, 4,500 vertical foot climb.

I had already been training for some time for my July marathon, and Clint had recently completed a Disneyworld run series, and is generally in pretty good shape. We had researched about how strenuous the hike is, and the risks of doing it all in one day. Many people hike in one day, camp, and hike out the next. We couldn't really work out a reservation to camp in the canyon, and didn't want to carry all the supplies necessary for it, so we decided that we were macho enough to hike it all in a day.

Some pictures at the North Rim the evening before our hike. We got to this overlook and were amazed at how beautiful it all was. We also thought to ourselves, that it didn't look that far from one side to the other. Then we continued down the path, and found the real Grand Canyon. 

This was the Grand Canyon that I was imagining. The previous picture was just an adjacent canyon. We actually started our hike in that adjacent canyon to descend into the main canyon.

We had perfect timing as we got there just in time for the sunset, and were able to get some great pictures with everyone before Clint and I started our hike. Also, don't mind that guy standing in the tree.

We had some trouble finding a campsite, as all of them at the north rim campground were full. We ended up finding one off the side of the road in the forest about 20 minutes north of the rim. Clint and I had to wake up very early to start out hike by 3:00 AM. We needed to start early to beat the sun and the heat. As the North rim is a lot higher in elevation than the south rim, it got pretty cold at night. When we left the campsite at 2:40, James drove us to the trailhead and the car's thermometer indicated that it was 32 degrees outside. Carli and Miranda stayed sleeping in their tents while we got dropped off at the trailhead and started our dark descent. 

When we started the hike, it was pitch black outside and 32 degrees out. We were both bundled up in a long sleeve shirt and lightweight jackets with headlamps and hiking poles. It's probably a good thing that we couldn't see off the edge of the trail, because there were a lot of really steep cliffs like this picture! This is Clint leading the way as the first bit of light started creeping into the canyon. It turned out pretty grainy, because I had to amp up the exposure in Adobe Lightroom. 

As we were hiking, Carli, James and Miranda slept and woke up when normal people do. They took the car and made the long drive around the canyon, taking a stop in the Kaibab forest to stretch and explore.

We made very good time as we hiked, and were down into the bottom of the canyon and almost to Phantom Ranch before the sun hit us. This is the last picture of us thinking the hike was easy, as we were headed right for the sunlit area in the background.

We had been hiking smart by taking lots of breaks, and drinking lots of water and staying fueled. We brought along plenty of GU energy gel packets, beef jerky, PB&Js, electrolyte pills and trail mix. We probably had more food than we actually needed. This picture was taken right after our long lunch break at Phantom Ranch, and you can tell that it just looks hot. From the 32 degree start, it had warmed up nearly 100 degrees and was well into the 110's, and possibly 120 degrees. We had long since shed any optional clothing, and couldn't drink enough water. 

This is the bridge we used to cross the Colorado river and start our ascent! At this point in the hike, it was so hot!

On our way up the south side of the canyon, we started running into more and more tourists. The north rim is far less popular and less accessible than the south rim which is just a few hours from Las Vegas. We had to pull to the side and let this mule caravan pass us by. 

I think that this water stop was at Indian Springs, just a few miles shy of the north rim. As we were coming up to the water stop we were talking about how much cooler it felt than in the heart of the canyon, and were relieved to be out of the heat. Then we saw the thermometer and were surprised that it was still 100 degrees.

With about four miles left in the hike, we were still going strong and making great time. We were on pace to finish the hike in less than 10 hours, but those last few miles were brutal, as was the heat and the sun beating down on us. Both of us bonked pretty hard and had to take a lot of breaks. In the end, we made it!! I just laid down on the sidewalk and let everyone walk around me. We were met by Carli, James and Miranda, and made our way out of there after taking a picture by the park sign. 

We drove to Carli's parent's house near Las Vegas and made a stop at the Hoover Dam because James and Miranda had never been there before. It was closed, but we were able to drive across and get a good look at it before continuing on to Carli's house where we went swimming, sat in the hot tub and ate Papa John's Pizza. Checked that one off of the bucket list!