January 24, 2021
This is a look back at the outdoor highlight of my year from 2020. I wanted to get this out sometime close to the end of the year but I just couldn’t quite hit the send button because I had to buy in myself.
When my college friends and I began planning a rim to rim hike in the Grand Canyon sometime almost two years ago for June 2020, we just knew it was going go be a perfect trip. We had been close friends for over twenty years. Best men in each other’s weddings, roommates, travel companions, and bonded by shared life experiences both good and bad. When I sent out the first e-mail suggesting a rim to rim hike to include a night at Phantom Ranch, a group of 11 almost immediately signed on to go.
Best laid plans…
All we needed now was to secure the hard to get reservation for Phantom Ranch and we would build the trip around that. What could possibly go wrong? All sorts of things, apparently. We persevered through cancelations of our reservations, a global pandemic, an untimely forest fire, a pipeline break, and general craziness for what did in fact turn out to be trip of a lifetime hiking the Grand Canyon.
Somehow we did manage to luck into a reservation for one night at Phantom Ranch. Nice work, Jason. We then secured accommodations to book end the trip, rooms on the north and south rim. Then we started training for the elevation change and the challenge of the 24.5 mile hike. Our group of hikers came from St. Louis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Bowling Green, KY. We trained together when possible, and often shared our results with each other when going solo. Accountability and encouragement should be part of everyone’s vocabulary when working towards a goal like a rim to rim hike.
We were on cruise control until COVID-19 hit, crashing the party for us and a few million other people on the planet. National parks were closed, reservations were canceled, and travel restricted. One day about 6 weeks out, our reservation for Phantom Ranch was officially canceled. Collectively we were ready to throw in the towel and try again another year. But not Frank. He persisted, and remained in contact with the powers that be. Against all odds Frank managed to resurrect our reservation for the same night we originally planned. Frank’s stubbornness, a well known personality trait of his, will instead now be known of as persistence.
Uphill climb
Of course in the days between the cancelation and the miracle we had canceled everything else; hotels, flights, rental cars etc. We went back to work, and after overcoming a few roadblocks, we managed to re-secure beds for the front and back end of the rim to rim. All was well, at least for a few days. Less than two weeks from our hike, we began hearing reports of a large forest fire near the north rim. Soon news followed that confirmed our fears that the north rim had to be closed. Of course this meant we lost our reservation and our ability to hike rim to rim. Another punch in the gut.
Slight change of plans
After some discussion and a series of zoom calls, we decided to trudge onward and upward and began planning for a rim to river hike. We would hike down South Kaibab, stay at Phantom Ranch, and hike out Bright Angel. Not what we had planned, but epic nonetheless. The worst news was that a few hikers had to bow out. We lost Brian, Tim, and Jason pretty late in the game. These men were part of our group and the rest of us would miss them on the journey.
The remaining 8 hikers all arrived at the Las Vegas airport before noon on a Monday. We were met by our drivers, Nick and Tamm. Nick is a two-time rim to rim hiker, and I had the pleasure of hiking with him in 2017. It was great to see him again. Tamm is a high school friend of Nick’s and a welcome addition to the team. We raced off to the south rim in two mini-vans and arrived around 4:00.
Peering down into the belly of the beast from the ledge outside El Tovar, we were blessed by the beautiful sight of the Grand Canyon. Almost immediately, 2 California Condors buzzed right by us, one above our heads and the other just a few feet below the rim. I had failed to see a single California Condor in my previous visits to the canyon. Our luck had changed, and seeing these rare birds was proof. Or was it…
One last punch in the gut
On our way to get a pre-hike dinner, we stopped in the Bright Angel lodge for information about our stay at Phantom Ranch. It was then that we heard the unbelievable news that our reservation for the very next day had been canceled. Something about a pipeline break. We were blindsided, and never even considered this to be possible. Jeremy, the man behind the counter, said that he would see what he could do to get us into Phantom Ranch for the day after, assuming that they were able to fix the problem and get it open. He told us to come back end of day tomorrow and he would let us know what he found out.
Dejected, the eight of us forced down a quiet meal as we went over our options for the next day as well as the next several days. We could just do some day hikes, or consider a one-day rim to river hike. Temperatures were forecast to be 110+ so this was an issue for a bunch of midwesterners just arriving to town for a tough hike in the desert.
Persistence
We ended up day hiking South Kaibab, some going as far as 1/2 mile below Tip Off. I lingered at Skeleton Point, content with a distant view of the Colorado River from the 3-mile mark. I found a spot in the shade and made friends with the few hikers who were passing through. There is great joy in these short interactions with people on the same mission in the same amazing space. I also enjoyed watching the ravens play and the Kaibab squirrels beg.
We made it back to our van mid-afternoon, greeted by a sticker on the back windshield indicating it was about to get towed. Apparently in our haste to hit the trail we parked in a ‘No Parking’ zone. Luckily we made it just in time and apologized to the ranger. Dodged another bullet. After hustling back to the lodge, we nervously sought out Jeremy hoping for the best. Immediately we were met by a big smile and all was good. Jeremy was able to find us two 4-person cabins at PR for the following night. Once again our mission to the ranch found new wings. Persistence, not stubbornness.
At long last, the hike begins
The next morning we hiked South Kaibab. We hustled along, taking only short breaks most of the way down before lingering a bit in the nice new shelter at Tip Off. The last few miles went quickly, and soon all eight of us crossed the black bridge together. If you have ever been on that bridge, then you know what I mean when I tell you how special it is to cross through that tunnel onto that historic bridge over that amazing river. To experience that with these friends is something I will always cherish. We hobbled the rest of the way uphill to Phantom Ranch, and Eric bought a round of lemonades. All was right with the world.
The promised land
The day was spent napping, writing postcards, drinking lemonade, conversing in the shade, and of course laying in Bright Angel Creek. In other words, it was perfect. Well, almost. I missed the companionship of strangers. There were no through hikers since the north rim was closed, and capacity at both PR and the campground was minimal. There were a few others around, and of course we talked with anyone who wanted to listen. Steak dinners were served through a window and we ate outside on picnic tables together. Almost everyone else took their meals back to their campgrounds or cabins. An after dinner walk to the Colorado led us to an empty river, and we seemingly had the entire canyon to ourselves. A few waded in the cold water. The rest of us spoke in hushed tones and marveled at the beauty around us. Then it was off to the cabins for an early bedtime and a restless night’s sleep.
After a big hiker’s breakfast that was served at 4:30 a.m., we set out back to the south rim via Bright Angel Trail. Our group enjoyed a long break together at Indian Gardens, then split up and set out at our own pace. Of course I was way in the back, mostly because my legs and lungs just didn’t have it going that day. But in part I sensed that this would be my last time inside the canyon for a while. I didn’t want the journey to end. These past few years hiking the Grand Canyon have been great for my soul. The place is magical and has grabbed ahold of my imagination like no other. Every step upward was bittersweet for me. I knew that while each step meant I was closer to finishing the hike, it was also one step closer towards closing the door (for now) on a chapter of my life that has been so rewarding.
My 3:59
It really is all Dan’s fault anyway. Dan Klein started this madness and my love affair with the Grand Canyon when he invited me to join him in June 2017 on my first rim to rim hike. I was so moved by the beauty of the Grand Canyon that I had to go back with Dan again in June 2018. The rim to rim hike is no joke, and not to be taken lightly. The 22 to 24.5 mile hike features an elevation change of almost 5,000 down then 5000+ feet up. The conditions are difficult and the canyon is unforgiving.
When Dan first mentioned it to me, overweight and out of shape, I thought it would be impossible. But that is exactly where Dan stepped in with his “My 3:59” message. In part, Dan’s message encourages us all to live everyday giving everything we have to become the person we are called to be. Using his guidance I made changes in my life to make this and other wonderful things possible. It was only natural to round up the rest of the crew to tackle this hike together.
It was in being there alongside Dan, as well as Eric who hiked with us in 2018, leading the others that I found my new joy. Finishing the hike was no big deal. I knew I would eventually, it wasn’t a question of would I finish but rather when would I finish. The real joy came from seeing the looks on the faces of my friends who had just completed this milestone for the first time. It was being with them on the journey as they trained for it, and answering questions for them while trying to ease their anxiety. There was joy in other unexpected places, like overcoming every single obstacle that came our way trying to make this epic hike happen. Joy in talking to strangers on the same journey, sharing the trail and the experience with them. If you have never hiked these corridor trails at the Grand Canyon, make an effort to do it someday.
Zion, of course
Our group rounded out the trip with a visit to Zion National Park. We stayed a few nights at Zion Mountain Ranch, eating well and enjoying cold drinks and hot coffee. All of us stayed up late talking on the deck, and woke up early to pick up where we left off. We navigated through the COVID-19 challenges of no shuttle buses at Zion and managed to score a close up parking spot at the Narrows. All of us walked slowly and stayed together, trying to make the day last longer.
It is no doubt that we have a special group of friends, still close despite the distance and years apart. This trip was everything that we hoped it would be. It wasn’t the same without Jason, Brian, and Tim. We missed Chip, our friend who died suddenly in October 2018. We carried them with us, though, as they contributed to getting us there in more ways than one.
I guess I share this story in hopes that someone out there reading will find motivation to do the same thing we just did. Find a group of friends, gather them together, and seek out to do the impossible. Overcome the obstacles that come your way and make memories to last a lifetime. Dan likes to remind us that its not everyday you get to wake up and do something that you will remember for the rest of your life. Those days are few and far between. Set a goal, move with a purpose towards that goal. When it finally comes and goes successfully then you are reminded why you spent so much effort trying to get there. Life is good. Thanks for reading.
To Dan, Eric, John, Jeff, Frank, Michael, Kevin, Nick and Tamm – Thanks for being part of this chapter of my Grand Canyon adventure. I will always remember this trip and am forever grateful for your friendship. Maybe next time I will be your driver…
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