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Grand Canyon - epic trip below the rim

My son asked if I would go to the Grand Canyon with him and a couple of buddies for an attempt of Rim2Rim2Rim. In December. Three days of hiking with two nights of tent camping. I had never tent camped in below freezing temps nor hiked with anything more than a day pack. I said, "Yes." So we flew from SW FL to Phoenix Saturday, picked up one of his friends (the other bailed due to COVID-19), and drove up to Williams, AZ, about an hour below the South Rim of the Canyon. The night temp was in the 20s.

The next morning we packed the bags and headed up to the South Rim. Temps were below freezing when we left, but in the mid 30s when we started. My first mistake was leaving my new hiking poles on the shuttle bus from the Visitor's Center to the South Kaibab Trailhead. No sweat, I'll go without them. Didn't need the packed crampons, either, as there was scant snow and ice at the trailhead. We walked down South Kaibab to the Colorado River, crossed the Black Bridge, and hiked another 7 miles up to Cottonwood Canyon Campground, arriving after sunset. We set up camp, admired an amazing star filled sky, including nearly conjoined Saturn and Jupiter, and slept in 20-something degree temps.

My legs had stopped working normally about half way down South Kaibab, and had stopped working altogether just before Black Bridge. A little rest and hydration and nutrition got them going again. I knew then that if I was going to walk out of the Canyon in two days, I wasn't going to attempt the North Rim on Day 2. My son and his friend had a go at it, though. While they went for the rim, I only went a mile and a half up the North Kaibab Trail to fetch potable water at Manzanitas Rest Stop, and hiked back down to wait for my son and his friend. It turned out that they made it a mile and a half from the North Rim, but turned around as we had dinner ordered at Phantom Ranch and we didn't want to miss it. Day 2 hobbled those boys! Both finished with a painful knee and blisters. I wasn't sure they were going to make it the 7 miles back to the river. We camped the second night at Bright Angel Campground after having a warm meal of hiker stew at the Canteen at Phantom Ranch.

Day 3 was getting back out of the Canyon, up Bright Angel Trail, after crossing the Colorado at Silver Bridge. It is a 9.2 mile trek with 4,000+ feet of elevation. The views were spectacular everywhere, but Bright Angel was especially beautiful. We saw the most wildlife here, too, including mule deer and mountain goats. We also yielded to a team of mules headed down to the bottom of the Canyon. It took 6 hours and I thought I would never be able to do it with that pack on my back. I know why folks go ultralight now. Thirty-three miles hiked in 3 days. Pretty strenuous.

I came away relatively unscathed with sore calves and quads, primarily from the braking on the way down, and a couple of toe blisters that I didn't find until I got back to FL this evening. We were extremely fortunate with weather, despite the cold nights and mornings. No precip! Those cheap eBay tents would have never kept the rain out.

I have incredible respect for anyone who has ventured down to the Colorado and back out. The ultra runner we met who did Rim2Rim2Rim on Monday, though, was a beast!

If you are a serious hiker, I totally recommend putting this on your bucket list. If not, get to the South Rim and experience its magnificence and humbling immensity and record of time from the top of the trail!
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Epic adventure! You'll be talking about the trip for years; great memories. R2R2R is a bucket list trip for me. How far in advance did you make reservations?
 
Reservations were easy this time of year. My son’s friend obtained the Backcountry pass and campsites more than a month ahead of time. There were many sites open at both Cottonwood Canyon and Bright Angel. I reserved the meals at the Canteen at Phantom Ranch about 2 weeks ahead of time. We had to eat outside on the picnic tables due to COVID, but the warm meal of hiker’s stew was so needed at the end of Day 2. I believe some cabins were still open at Phantom Ranch.

I have no idea how folks accomplish these hikes late spring through early fall in higher, sometimes blistering and fatal, temperatures. I kept thinking how easy it would be to get in over your head in the Canyon.
 
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Beautiful photos. The Grand Canyon is a great experience.
Thanks! All but 2 were taken by my son. I kept my phone off except to take a picture of each campsite. When we got within 3 miles of the South Rim, my son announced cell service and I mistakenly turned my phone on to find 145 texts, mostly from work. 😡 The almost three days in the Canyon, unconnected, were awesome!
 
Here’s a screenshot of the Colorado River taken from video my son captured walking across Black Bridge as we finished South Kaibab Trail.
F3CE9B2E-316A-4FA0-B5CF-25843D9918BC.png

The photos don’t do it justice.
 
I should add, concerning Backcountry permits, that in the winter you can stroll into the Backcountry office and get a permit for campsites. My son’s friend applied in August and submitted three possible itineraries. Because of wide availability, his first itinerary was accepted. If you plan to hike during a high demand time, it is wise to apply as soon as the period opens, because it is first come, first served.
 
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My son asked if I would go to the Grand Canyon with him and a couple of buddies for an attempt of Rim2Rim2Rim. In December. Three days of hiking with two nights of tent camping. I had never tent camped in below freezing temps nor hiked with anything more than a day pack. I said, "Yes." So we flew from SW FL to Phoenix Saturday, picked up one of his friends (the other bailed due to COVID-19), and drove up to Williams, AZ, about an hour below the South Rim of the Canyon. The night temp was in the 20s.

The next morning we packed the bags and headed up to the South Rim. Temps were below freezing when we left, but in the mid 30s when we started. My first mistake was leaving my new hiking poles on the shuttle bus from the Visitor's Center to the South Kaibab Trailhead. No sweat, I'll go without them. Didn't need the packed crampons, either, as there was scant snow and ice at the trailhead. We walked down South Kaibab to the Colorado River, crossed the Black Bridge, and hiked another 7 miles up to Cottonwood Canyon Campground, arriving after sunset. We set up camp, admired an amazing star filled sky, including nearly conjoined Saturn and Jupiter, and slept in 20-something degree temps.

My legs had stopped working normally about half way down South Kaibab, and had stopped working altogether just before Black Bridge. A little rest and hydration and nutrition got them going again. I knew then that if I was going to walk out of the Canyon in two days, I wasn't going to attempt the North Rim on Day 2. My son and his friend had a go at it, though. While they went for the rim, I only went a mile and a half up the North Kaibab Trail to fetch potable water at Manzanitas Rest Stop, and hiked back down to wait for my son and his friend. It turned out that they made it a mile and a half from the North Rim, but turned around as we had dinner ordered at Phantom Ranch and we didn't want to miss it. Day 2 hobbled those boys! Both finished with a painful knee and blisters. I wasn't sure they were going to make it the 7 miles back to the river. We camped the second night at Bright Angel Campground after having a warm meal of hiker stew at the Canteen at Phantom Ranch.

Day 3 was getting back out of the Canyon, up Bright Angel Trail, after crossing the Colorado at Silver Bridge. It is a 9.2 mile trek with 4,000+ feet of elevation. The views were spectacular everywhere, but Bright Angel was especially beautiful. We saw the most wildlife here, too, including mule deer and mountain goats. We also yielded to a team of mules headed down to the bottom of the Canyon. It took 6 hours and I thought I would never be able to do it with that pack on my back. I know why folks go ultralight now. Thirty-three miles hiked in 3 days. Pretty strenuous.

I came away relatively unscathed with sore calves and quads, primarily from the braking on the way down, and a couple of toe blisters that I didn't find until I got back to FL this evening. We were extremely fortunate with weather, despite the cold nights and mornings. No precip! Those cheap eBay tents would have never kept the rain out.

I have incredible respect for anyone who has ventured down to the Colorado and back out. The ultra runner we met who did Rim2Rim2Rim on Monday, though, was a beast!

If you are a serious hiker, I totally recommend putting this on your bucket list. If not, get to the South Rim and experience its magnificence and humbling immensity and record of time from the top of the trail!


Awesome! Congratulations! I did the mule ride but sorry to say never returned to make the hike. Beautiful country and amazing to leave the icy rim to the warmth below.

Tom
 
Awesome! Congratulations! I did the mule ride but sorry to say never returned to make the hike. Beautiful country and amazing to leave the icy rim to the warmth below.

Tom
I can’t believe how deftly the mules navigated some of that difficult trail! You could see depressions in the rock that looked as though every mule slid a shoe in. Were you ever concerned for your safety??
 
I can’t believe how deftly the mules navigated some of that difficult trail! You could see depressions in the rock that looked as though every mule slid a shoe in. Were you ever concerned for your safety??

As I understand things, they never had a mule fall off the edge. I trusted the mule, relaxed, and held on (I wasn’t going to let go of her). Within 10-yards my wife and I were trusting the mules and loving the experience. Amazing animals. When we went in March there was a decent amount of snow at the rim and the trail was compacted snow and ice for an hour in, then it cleared. Amazing place, I wish I spent much more time there.
 
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