The Grand Canyon, Rim to Rim,
Extreme Day Hike
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Introduction (and Disclaimer)
I am not an expert. I have done the Grand Canyon Rim To Rim Extreme Day Hike, two times so far. Both were successful, fun, medically uneventful trips. In 2008, we hiked South Rim to North Rim, in 2011, north to south. The first trip included four hikers. The second trip was nine. My partner and I did the many logistics for the second trip. We hike in Vermont’s Green Mountains, New York’s Adirondacks, and New Hampshire’s White Mountains. That is my credential and my disclaimer.
In preparation for the first trip, I did the research to learn about the trail, get advice for training and what to carry. Many sources said “Do not hike it in one day. You might die.” Information was sparse. This is my effort to shed some light on a once-in-a-lifetime-fantastic and potentially very dangerous hike.
Rim to Rim, as an extreme day hike, is do-able. There, I said it. If you like to hike, if you do the training, if you don’t underestimate the distance, terrain, or heat, there is no hike like it. It is a 25 mile walk, and a lot more. It can be done by mere mortals who take the challenge seriously.
For my 50th birthday, I wanted to do it again. The original four grew to eleven….ten hikers and a driver. Since I did not want us to need rescue and I did not want any regrets, my partner and I created “The Trail Mix”. This was our newsletter to motivate ourselves and the group -- to get to the canyon, and to reach the other side. We created an issue of The Trail Mix every few weeks before the trip and these will be posted on this page.
Nine of us successfully made the hike. One member opted out. She realized, when looking into the canyon from that short rock wall at the South Rim, her fear of heights was overwhelming. The decision was sad but wise. She can run a marathon with ease and she really wanted to do the canyon. It took a lot of courage to not go with us that morning.
Our demographics: mid 40s to nearly 60, all female, one ordinary runner and two marathoners, half of us hiked regularly and fewer than half were regulars at a gym. We were from Alaska, Arizona, California, Illinois, and Vermont. Some of us trained in the mountains of the Northeast while others could only walk hill repeats in Chicago. One had to train in the relentless summer heat in Phoenix. One was a UPS driver spending 10 hours each day on her feet, carrying really heavy boxes. She did not train at all. Among us were an Episcopal priest, an urban planner, a chiropractor, a corporate IT/accounting guru, a State court administrator, a jack of all trades practice manager, a veterinarian, and a full time mom. Our driver was a juvenile correctional officer/Iditarod dog musher who wanted to see the Grand Canyon and spend time with friends. Only my partner and I knew everyone in the group when we arrived in Phoenix.
Good luck on your hike. Work hard. Do your best. Do not go unprepared.
It is a fantastic journey if you go in understanding what you need to do to get out.
Our goal was to be out of the canyon before sundown. 6:27 a.m. sunrise and 6:28 p.m. sunset. Twelve hours of daylight. We had specifically chosen late September: shorter but cooler days. We were at the North Rim in varies cabins and rooms. Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge rooms have small fridges and coffee makers. I was up by 3:30 so I could have some coffee and prepare without rushing. Pam jumped up at 4:20 with just enough time to eat a hardboiled egg and throw her clothes on. We’d met the night before to discuss final logistics. Meet at the van by 4:30 and on the trail by 5. It’s just a five minute drive from the lodge to North Kaibab trailhead. We were packed and ready to go the night before: clothes laid out, snacks packed, Camelbaks full and luggage ready to be picked up by Barb and Bobbi Jo when they checked out later to drive back around to the South Rim. We had stopped at the trailhead the evening before to check it out. If you’ve ever gone to a trailhead parking lot in the dark, you know it can be difficult to actually find the trail. It had happened to us on our first rim to rim hike. Everyone had jumped off the bus and hit the trail, leaving the four of us standing in the dark, not quite sure where the trail began.
On the trail at 5:04 am. Not bad. We made sure our driver Barb had the keys to the van, not one of us. We mostly had headlamps on, walking sticks adjusted, boots tied, and gear ready to hike when we got in the van. The parking lot was pitch-black. It was fifty eight degrees, ten degrees warmer than last time. The trail is well maintained and not particularly steep but there are roots and rocks and steps. Leaving the darkness, the canyon was slowly revealed. With the light, by 6 am we picked up speed. Early on, but not before day break, we came in to sections with steep drop offs. You walk many, many switch backs as you drop down into the canyon. gc_7 It’s all quite safe, if you are careful. Watch your footing and do not multi-task while hiking!
We made Cave Bridge by 6:40, Falls by 7:20, and the House by 8:00. We were already off my goal pace. This is a once in a life time hike and can only be rushed so much, especially with a big group. Time estimates based on long walks may not be comparable due to the terrain and all the photo ops. It seems that the bigger the group, the slower the pace. We had agreed the night before to basically stay together for safety reasons. It is an amazing experience and is tough to rush people but you have to just keep moving. You have miles and miles to go before you sleep. You must carry out anything you bring in. There are latrines at the water stops but for in-between pit stops, you must carry in and carry out your TP. Bring a little zip-lock for used TP. Phantom Ranch does not want your trash since it all has to be carried out by mule. Travel light and leave no trace.
Cottonwood Campground at 9:15 was 70 degrees. We tried to really drink a lot going into rest stops so we could fill up at every opportunity. Early in the day, even though it is still cool, we consistently tried to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated before the heat. So you sip away whether you want to or not. We had also actively pushed hydration for 48 hours before the hike. The drive up to the North Rim was a long one with so many pit stops but we arrived well hydrated. Somewhere around the half-way point, as the trail follows Bright Angel Creek, we stopped and went down to the creek. We took off our boots and socks and soaked our feet in the cold clear water. You can just feel your core temperature drop blissfully, and you will never regret taking even 20-30 minutes to stop, rest, and cool down. It vastly improves both attitude and endurance, and will increase the miles you can put on your feet without injury. Lube up your feet with lotion before putting on clean socks. It decreases friction, and heat. You will have a whole new outlook right when you need it in the heat of the day. Just north of Phantom Ranch is where the creek is easiest to access and it is a great place to stop. There is a short rock wall along the trail and a very short scramble to the creek. When following the call of nature, remember the cactus! We had a bit of a run-in between an exposed cheek and a cactus. The cactus won. We had tweezers in the first aid kit just for this. Cheek emerged sheepishly unharmed.
There are still ten miles to go and the easy, cool part of the day is history. At our pace, we could not stay long or we’d be hiking well into the night. Whether you are on the North Kaibab Trail heading out to the North Rim or on the Bright Angel Trail to the South Rim, if it is mid-day, it is hot and dry and hard. This is where you get into trouble if you have not been drinking lots of water and electrolytes, or are not conditioned for the long haul. This is when people over-heat. So, you watch for signs of heat stroke and fatigue. We checked in to be sure each of us was engaged, clear thinking, and still drinking frequently. If someone starts acting “shut down”, be concerned and take action. In the canyon, during the day, shade is hard to find, and once someone is in the danger zone, you cannot just carry on. You have to stop and fix it and it’s not easy once someone is showing signs of dehydration or heat stroke. Stay ahead in the hydration game. 1 pm and we were crossing the Colorado River which was a challenge for a couple people in our group. It’s an open bridge. Not high up but with an open grate walking over the river. We talked them across. At the rest house where the trail leaves the Colorado, there is a latrine but no clean water. We met two people who had hiked down from Indian Garden Campground, each carrying one, now empty 8 oz water bottle. They asked us if we had tablets to purify water. Their “plan” was to fill up at the river and use the tablets to make the water safe to drink so they could get back out. Ellen refilled their water bottles from her own stash since she had two full camelback bladders. I can’t say how it would have turned out if they had not gotten help. They might have continued on nearly a mile to Phantom Ranch but still would have had to hike back up to camp, again without enough water. Or they might have refilled at the river and dealt with the possibility of diarrhea from the water when it hit them a few hours or days later. It was over 100 degrees, the sun broiling overhead, shade is non-existent, and miles to go to the next water. This is where people do die on that trail. Heading up the South Rim, in mid-afternoon in the desert sun, we knew it was imperative to cool down every time we got a chance. Some in our group were getting really tired and quiet. Not being engaged is one of the first signs of trouble. We did not pass water without dunking our heads, hats and bandanas. The trail goes along the creek for a while so we stopped at every chance for a quick dunk, even kind of forcing the guys who did not want to bother. It really cools the core. A couple of us with burning feet, stopped and cooled them too. Friction and heat on your feet are the enemy. And in between we just tried to keep moving.
We arrived at Indian Garden Campground at 4:15, four miles to go. The trail was now mercifully in the shadows of canyon walls. The hot part of the day was over but the last miles are really tough. Fatigue sets in. At this point, you need to just keep walking. We had been munching on snacks all day. Most people should take in much of the calories before the heat of the day. By late afternoon, you may not feel like eating but it is a bad time to run out of fuel. Pam ate a bunch at Indian Campground and regretted it later when her legs and gut were like sludge A couple in our group ate a big snack at Indian Garden Campground and regretted it. The last miles are the steepest and it is hard to walk when your body is sending all that energy and blood to your stomach to digest a peanut butter sandwich. Many of us just topped off with electrolytes or Goo or Shot Bloks. We had committed to staying together. All day, the rule was to be within earshot to the next hiker. Since there were 9 of us, we were usually in 3 or 4 ever changing groups. There might have been a quarter mile from first to last. We always had a sweeper and the guys up front never got out of the range of a good shout. We regrouped at every water stop along the way…. until dark.
Once 6:15 rolled around, we had differing goals. Some wanted to move quickly and just get done, and others had to rest a lot to get through it. We were still together at 3-mile rest stop near and it was just about dark. After 13 hours, the time on your feet takes a toll. Lisa was nursing two badly aching and swollen knees and knew she needed to get out fast and get off her feet. She took the lead and headed out with Peggy. We didn’t see them again until the top but kept seeing their headlamps on the switch backs far above. Linda was tired and really wanted to just keep moving. I was with Linda and we quietly kept on, switch back after switch back after switch back. No conversation, just walk. Jodi was behind us leading the rear group of Keri, Ellen, Becky and Pam. The altitude was giving Pam some trouble so that group slowly made their way up the trail, resting often. And, as always, the rim does not come to meet you so, absent injury, you just keep walking. At 7:45, we had all emerged from the canyon. Barb and Bobbi Jo were at the Bright Angel trail head waiting for us, watching our headlamps slowly come up the trail. We’d been able to call out by cell phone somewhere between Indian Creek Campground and 3 mile rest stop to give them an approximate arrival time. They were there with a smile, a pat on the back, and, importantly, ice cold beer in the back of the van. There were tears of joy, one last group picture, and we were off to our rooms with plans to meet in the lounge after showers. Bobbi Jo and Barb had retrieved our bags at the North Rim Lodge, checked out, driven back around the canyon, checked us all in to the El Tovar, and placed our bags in appropriate rooms. That is service! We’d covered nearly 25 miles in about 14 ½ hours. In the end, the group was spread out over 30 minutes from first to last. My pedometer reported that I’d walked 57,000+ steps, from rim to rim. And we were all still speaking to each other! We had not made it out before dark but we’d made it. We gathered in the morning for breakfast in the El Tovar’s private room off the main dining room. We tallied our injuries: a few sore and swollen knees, a couple of bruised toes including one nail surely to be lost, two or three blisters, and some calloused hands and aching upper arms from walking with poles for 25 miles. Not bad. Smiles all around, but I was uniformly booed when I mentioned picking a date for the next rim to rim hike.
