Hike #5/Top-10: Grand Canyon (Arizona)
Feb 27, 2017 12:16:48 GMT -8
desert dweller, mk, and 2 more like this
Post by GaliWalker on Feb 27, 2017 12:16:48 GMT -8
Hike #5, in my personal Top-10...
Top-10 hikes:
10: Lake Ida – Lake Edna loop (Washington)
9: Chesler Park and Druid Arch (Utah)
8: Presidential Traverse (New Hampshire)
7: Half Dome (California)
6: Pea Soup Lake (Washington)
5: Grand Canyon (Arizona)
4: Enchantments (Washington)
3: Nanga Parbat bc, Fairy Meadows (Himalayas)
2: Snow Lake (Karakorams)
1: Concordia and K2 basecamp (Karakorams)
Grand Canyon south rim to the Colorado River (7/20/2007)
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Route notes:
- I planned a loop hike: I would go down the steeper but shorter South Kaibab trail and come up via the Bright Angel trail. Water availability on the Bright Angel trail also meant that it was a logical return option over the dry South Kaibab trail.
- I carried 3 liters of water, supplemented with 3 additional liters of Gatorade.
Early Friday morning, my wife dropped me off near the South Kaibab trailhead; the last half mile was only accessible by shuttle, so I walked that. By 4:50am, I was on my way down into the canyon. The weather was pleasant, the trail was easily graded and quite wide so the going was quick.
Soft early morning light cast a dreamy glow on pink sandstone cliffs which lined one end of the trail. The other end of the trail dropped shear for hundreds of feet. Walking Cedar Ridge, leading to O’Neil Butte was a delight. As I skirted O’Neil Butte the sun finally appeared above the horizon. While the sunrise was quite stunning, I was also acutely aware that the rising sun would only raise the temperature.
I dropped lower and lower, passing 2 other hikers who had made an even earlier start than I had. Behind me, on the cliffs above, I could see a mule train on its way down; I did not want to be passed and then be stuck behind it. The mule train soon passed the other 2 hikers, and neck and neck we raced down to the Colorado River. I would build a healthy lead, only to see it disappear as I stopped for photos...
At 7:30am, I was at the Colorado River, which I crossed over the Black Bridge. 15min later I was at the lowest point in the hike, Phantom Ranch, located near the mouth of the Bright Angel Creek canyon, which joins the inner Grand Canyon from the north rim. I had a short break here and enjoyed the lush green surroundings and the coolness. Too soon, however, I was hiking again.
As I re-crossed the Colorado River, now over the Silver Bridge, and began to make my way along the River Trail towards the Bright Angel trail junction I began to encounter an increasingly larger number of other hikers. The day was quite hot now - a temperature of 105F (in the shade) - but bearable since the climbing hadn't begun. Soon I was at the Bright Angel trail junction. The initial portion of this trail (while exposed to the sun) was easy going alongside Pipe Creek. In no time at all though, it began to climb up through the Vishnu Formation in a series of switchbacks known as "The Devil's Corkscrew".
As the sun beat down on me, it began to get really hot. After a bit of trial and error I worked out a rhythm of hiking for short stretches, interspersed with frequent stops in any shade that I could find (usually from the looming canyon walls) to cool down.
A welcome, contrasting section was the green Garden Creek fed Indian Garden area. Slot canyons, shady trees and flowering cactus patches rose up around me as I walked beside Garden Creek. The Indian Garden area had drinking water available, so I finished the rest of my water and re-filled. I also had lunch here.
Refreshed, I began the final pull up and out of the canyon. A little after 1:00pm, I was at the rim, just in time for the wife to swing around and grab me, so that we could do some family style sightseeing.
Stats:
- Distance: 17mi
- Elevation loss/gain: 4,810ft down; 4,410ft up
- Hiking time: 8hrs, 20min
Top-10 hikes:
10: Lake Ida – Lake Edna loop (Washington)
9: Chesler Park and Druid Arch (Utah)
8: Presidential Traverse (New Hampshire)
7: Half Dome (California)
6: Pea Soup Lake (Washington)
5: Grand Canyon (Arizona)
4: Enchantments (Washington)
3: Nanga Parbat bc, Fairy Meadows (Himalayas)
2: Snow Lake (Karakorams)
1: Concordia and K2 basecamp (Karakorams)
Grand Canyon south rim to the Colorado River (7/20/2007)
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Route notes:
- I planned a loop hike: I would go down the steeper but shorter South Kaibab trail and come up via the Bright Angel trail. Water availability on the Bright Angel trail also meant that it was a logical return option over the dry South Kaibab trail.
- I carried 3 liters of water, supplemented with 3 additional liters of Gatorade.
Early Friday morning, my wife dropped me off near the South Kaibab trailhead; the last half mile was only accessible by shuttle, so I walked that. By 4:50am, I was on my way down into the canyon. The weather was pleasant, the trail was easily graded and quite wide so the going was quick.
Soft early morning light cast a dreamy glow on pink sandstone cliffs which lined one end of the trail. The other end of the trail dropped shear for hundreds of feet. Walking Cedar Ridge, leading to O’Neil Butte was a delight. As I skirted O’Neil Butte the sun finally appeared above the horizon. While the sunrise was quite stunning, I was also acutely aware that the rising sun would only raise the temperature.
I dropped lower and lower, passing 2 other hikers who had made an even earlier start than I had. Behind me, on the cliffs above, I could see a mule train on its way down; I did not want to be passed and then be stuck behind it. The mule train soon passed the other 2 hikers, and neck and neck we raced down to the Colorado River. I would build a healthy lead, only to see it disappear as I stopped for photos...
At 7:30am, I was at the Colorado River, which I crossed over the Black Bridge. 15min later I was at the lowest point in the hike, Phantom Ranch, located near the mouth of the Bright Angel Creek canyon, which joins the inner Grand Canyon from the north rim. I had a short break here and enjoyed the lush green surroundings and the coolness. Too soon, however, I was hiking again.
As I re-crossed the Colorado River, now over the Silver Bridge, and began to make my way along the River Trail towards the Bright Angel trail junction I began to encounter an increasingly larger number of other hikers. The day was quite hot now - a temperature of 105F (in the shade) - but bearable since the climbing hadn't begun. Soon I was at the Bright Angel trail junction. The initial portion of this trail (while exposed to the sun) was easy going alongside Pipe Creek. In no time at all though, it began to climb up through the Vishnu Formation in a series of switchbacks known as "The Devil's Corkscrew".
As the sun beat down on me, it began to get really hot. After a bit of trial and error I worked out a rhythm of hiking for short stretches, interspersed with frequent stops in any shade that I could find (usually from the looming canyon walls) to cool down.
A welcome, contrasting section was the green Garden Creek fed Indian Garden area. Slot canyons, shady trees and flowering cactus patches rose up around me as I walked beside Garden Creek. The Indian Garden area had drinking water available, so I finished the rest of my water and re-filled. I also had lunch here.
Refreshed, I began the final pull up and out of the canyon. A little after 1:00pm, I was at the rim, just in time for the wife to swing around and grab me, so that we could do some family style sightseeing.
Stats:
- Distance: 17mi
- Elevation loss/gain: 4,810ft down; 4,410ft up
- Hiking time: 8hrs, 20min
