Grand Canyon Rim to Rim, Version 2017.3

0400 hours sounded like it would be early, but I was awake before the alarm even sounded.  So were the others it seemed, as we all met outside quickly and made our last minute preparations and began fueling up for the day with peanut butter & Jelly and breakfast bars.  It was chilly, with temperatures in the 40’s and a brisk breeze many of us were considering last minute wardrobe changes but I decided to stick with hiking shorts, mid-height Merrell hiking boots, hiking shorts, and a cotton t-shirt.  Some of the information I read about regarding gear to bring recommended cotton over many of the dry-fit clothing out there because it would actually retain some of your sweat long enough for the sweat to help cool your body.  More on that later, but I am glad I took that advice.

All 10 of us piled in the van for a very short trip to the trailhead.  Wearing headlamps, we gathered around the signage, said a prayer for safety, and the 9 hikers headed off onto the North Kaibab Trail just about 15 minutes before first light.  While we hiked, David acted as our logistics guy.  He got us all checked out, and drove our luggage to the south rim where he got us checked in at the hotel and filled a cooler to greet us on the other side.  Everyone taking on this adventure should have a David with them.  The timing was beautiful, as we could see well enough to be aware of where we were heading and it wasn’t long until the headlamps were unnecessary.  The walking was easy, as the trail very well defined, hard, and the surface flat.  Less than two miles in we encountered the Supai Tunnel, a popular landmark and rather appropriately, a tunnel through the rock of the canyon.  

 

Shortly after passing through that, we came upon a park service ranger, who asked us where we were heading for the day.  Once we replied “South Rim,” her brow wrinkled, she sighed, and her shoulders slumped.  While she was not happy to hear of our plans, knowing that she very well may be involved in some sort of rescue of one of us dummies, she composed herself and preached to us the necessary plan of attack.  Eat all day, drink all day, get out of “The Box” as quickly as possible, sit in the river every chance you get, don’t hike during the heat of the day, take care of each other, etc.  She was 100% serious and we did our best to take what she told us to heart.

 

Spirits were high, at least for most of us once we put any fear of heights aside, but there was a sense of uncertainty as we tried to settle into a routine for the journey ahead.  But this is what we saw and what we were walking into:

 

Every portion of the trail is remarkable, and every stretch has its own character.  The vegetation along this upper portion is a reminder of the high elevation along the north rim.  There were few people out, and most looked like they were just heading out for a quick morning stroll with no plans of spending the full day in the canyon.  Generally speaking, I have a mild fear of heights.  However, on this day, I really enjoyed these stretches of trail where there was no side rail and the edge was a sheer cliff.

Enjoy more of these photos from early on in the hike, while we were all fresh and full of hope.  We all took plenty of photos during the first half, but later on most of us were preoccupied with things like breathing and putting one foot in front of the other, and photos became a luxury.  

 

As we descended lower and lower, I could not help but feel the power of the Grand Canyon, the unmistakable beauty, the sense of grandeur and the power that comes with something so immense in scale that I began to wonder about my place in the world.  My big worries that rule the daily grind are minuscule, a lonely star in the sky when placed against the backdrop of this place.  I was drawn in, hooked, walking in a place that I knew I could never get enough of.  It was early on in this hike that I began to sense that the Grand Canyon was going to be a part of my life as long as I live, and that is not a feeling that we get every day.

 

We moved along at a steady pace, and found water was readily available on the trail.. The water is piped in, and is ice cold and really hits the spot.  We breezed past Roaring Springs, a beautiful, noisy, cascade of water rushing down the canyon walls to Bright Angel creek.  About 5.4 miles in is Manzanita Rest Area (formerly known as the Pumphouse Ranger Station), a true oasis, surrounded by Cottonwoods and a fast moving, very cold Bright Angel Creek.  There is a ranger station here (mostly unmanned), as well as an emergency phone.  Another nice touch is the composting bathrooms, a welcome sight along the rugged trail.  Manzanita was a great place to swap out socks, eat a larger snack, and catch up with the entire crew.  It was also a wonderful opportunity to talk with fellow hikers, people from all over the world and from all walks of life, and of all ages and religions.  We were united by our journey in the Canyon, and we spoke, laughed and traded stories and tips like old friends, and then went on our own separate ways.  Some we would see at the next stop, and some never again, but I remember many faces and imagine that I always will.  Once it was time to saddle up and get back on the trail, I paused to pose by the ominous sign that spoke of tougher times ahead.