Rim to Rim 2018

Rim to Rim 2018 is in the books.  The terrain beautiful, and hike challenging, the comraderie unforgettable, and the experience a memory of a lifetime.  Dan Klein said as we started out that day, “It’s not every day you get to do something you will remember the rest of your life”, and I know that his words were correct.  I am not skilled enough with words to describe the majesty of the Grand Canyon, so I won’t try.  Instead I will explain the route we took, provide general commentary, and label plenty of photos in order to give you a taste of the inner canyon.

The day started early for our group of nine hikers, all men from St. Louis and Bowling Green, KY.  We had arrived late the night before at the south rim of the Grand Canyon, just in time to check into the El Tovar and complete some last minute gear preparation.  None of us slept well, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about the impending hike.  I woke up the my alarm ringing at 3:00 a.m., and scrambled to fill my pack with water and sloppy PBJ sandwiches.  After posing for a group pic outside the hotel, we scanned the horizon for the lights of the lodge on the north rim, our destination for the day.  The distant lights served as both a ray of hope and a token of fear, as they were in fact visible but they were so far away above the chasm so deep that it was something of a gut check.  We hopped onto the 4:00 shuttle that dropped us off at the trailhead for the South Kaibab Trail.  One more round of photos and prayer, and we were off into the early dawn half-light towards the north rim.

Spirits were high as we began the downward hike.  Even though sunrise was almost an hour away, we could see clearly enough to walk without headlamps.  My last rim to rim hike took me through Bright Angel Trail, so this was my first look at South Kaibab and it didn’t disappoint.  Ooh Aah Point lived up to its name, offering a spectacular view of the inner canyon from a spot only one mile in, absolutely suitable for a less experienced hikers.  Another half mile past that is Cedar Ridge, a vista found in many photographs and completely breathtaking.  One and a half miles beyond that is Skeleton Point, and I believe that this is the first place that I could see the Colorado River far below.

The next 1.5 miles saw a rapid drop in elevation, beginning with a series of switchbacks that led quickly to The Tip Off.  Not for the weary, this edge of the world cliff offers views of both bridges over the Colorado River.  We used this as an opportunity to take it all in as a group, exchanging thoughts while also standing in silence admiring the view before us. The awesome power of the river is clear, and the presence of God unmistakeable.  This is one of those spots where the Grand Canyon just grabs onto you, pulls you in, and transforms you to the core.  Somehow it makes you feel as small as an ant and as tall as a giraffe at the same time.

Back on the trail, we walked right past a small Great Basin Rattlesnake (at least that’s what I think it was).  We were more impressed by him that he was of us.  As we approached the black bridge, we met out first convoy of horses and their riders climbing back up out of the canyon.  Then onto the black bridge itself, built sometime in the twenties, and an experience in itself.  First you must walk through a tunnel cut through the mountain, then onto the narrow bridge. The views both upriver and downriver were mesmerizing, and everyone stopped to soak it all in.  The emerald green of the Colorado River offered a stark contrast from the brown and red of the surrounding landscape.

A few hundred yards past the bridge, in a small alcove on the right side, lies the grave of Rees Griffiths.  He was a trail foreman working on the construction for the bridge and was killed on February 6, 1922.  As you can see, the grave is maintained and a small placque is fastened to the cliff next to it.

It was beginning to warm up, and the sun reaching a bit higher in the sky.  However, as soon as we rounded the bend approaching Bright Angel Creek, the breeze picked up and the temperature dropped what felt like 10 degrees.  Some of us kicked off our boots and waded in the creek, truly invigorating and re-energizing my body.  In my last visit to the bottom of the canyon, I did not take advantage of this gift of water, something that I regretted and am happy to have completed this go around.  The desert heat dried me off quickly, and we worked our way the short distance uphill to Phantom Ranch.

Phantom Ranch is an experience all its own.  The small collection of dorms, cabins, and maintenance buildings lies across the creek from Bright Angel Campground.  The centerpiece is a small canteen that serves up breakfast and dinner for those staying at the ranch, and souvenirs, snacks, and postcards for those passing through.  I drank an absolutely perfect cup of icy lemonade ($4.75, $1 refills) while sitting outside soaking up the scene.  Some hikers ate lunch on the shady tables outside, others scribbled out postcards to home that would be carried out by USPS mules who make a daily run, and still others took naps.  There was a small group sitting around a man playing guitar and singing softly, with smiles all around.  It would have been easy to spend hours here, the peace like a drug freeing me of any worldly concerns at all.  However, the ugly uphill climb to the north rim lingered close and we all knew we had to get through ‘the box’ and to the relative safety of Cottonwood Campground before the temperatures got any higher.  By now it was 9:00, and time to get a move on.

’The Box’ is a several mile stretch between Phantom Ranch and Cottonwood where the almost black canyon walls squeeze into a tight corridor that absorbs the sun and heats the trail like an oven.  I understand that this can be a very dangerous place and must me avoided during the heat of the day.  But I have to say, ‘the box’ is beautiful.  The canyon walls tower above the trail and Bright Angel Creek races alongside.  The trail itself here is firm, easy to walk on, with only a slight elevation change.  I saw many lizards, another unidentified snake (appeared to be a type of large garter snake), and small songbirds darted quickly through the creekside vegetation.  About 4 miles in, the walls again back off and the landscape changes  back to a more desert-type feel and the sun had us completely in its sights.  This 3 mile stretch towards Cottonwood is where I had my first doubts about whether or not this was a good idea to try rim to rim again.  We passed quickly by the off-shoot trail to Ribbon Falls, but I know someday I need to explore that route.

Next stop was the small campground at Cottonwood.  I took the opportunity to go soak my legs again in Bright Angel Creek, then took a short siesta on a large rock at the edge.  Mike woke me up and reminded me that it was time to move on, so I loaded up on water, had some more trail mix and jerky, and we moved on.

It was in this stretch where one of our fellow hikers started to get sick.  His muscles were cramping up and in an effort to treat that he drank some powdered electrolyte mix that did not sit well in his stomach.  His pace slowed considerably and we became concerned knowing the elevation change that lied ahead.  Fortunately we were able to get to Manzanita Rest Area and regroup.  It was decided that the lead group could carry on, so 5 hikers set off to tackle the climb uphill on their own.  There had been a broken pump somewhere so no more water was available along the trail, so everyone loaded down filling every container before embarking on the 5.1 journey to the top.  The other 4 of us sat in the shade, and rested, giving our ill companion time to recover a bit.  While he did vomit, he was eventually able to stomach some more water and some pretzels and peanut butter.  Weary but refreshed, we soon began our hike uphill as well.  We got an assist from the weather.  Late June in the canyon can be deadly, but the temperatures maxed out around 100 degrees and their was a strong breeze that kept things cool.  Also, the majority of the afternoon uphill hike was in the shade.

At this point, though, the hike became more of a grind.  Walk slowly, keeping one foot in front of the other, until the legs weaken or heart rate accelerated to the point where you just had to sit.  Sometimes this was 1/4-1/2 mile at a time, and others it was only 100 yards up a switchback.  Somewhere 1-2 miles in, our sick companion vomited again, this time violently and repeatedly.  The rest of us were concerned, knowing that this is one of the worst places in the world to be sick and also knowing that we would not be able to carry him out.  Of course we were frightened, but we all knew the saying well – “down is optional, up is mandatory”.  So we kept close watch of our friend, helped with his pack, ensured he got some water and salts, and did the only thing we could do – put one foot in front of the other and kept moving forward with a purpose.

There were some punches to the gut along the way, most notable the elevation that we surrendered going downhill to the Redwall Bridge and the ensuing and immediate climb back up the hill.  Our gps devices were not working properly even though they had been all day, so now we had to estimate distance remaining.  And the 2 way radios we had with us had lost range in the tight canyon walls and we were having difficulty communicating with the lead group.  Then we hit Supai Tunnel, a welcome sight signaling the 2 mile mark to the top and the tide began to turn a bit.  Everyone was feeling OK, and we kept moving upward.  The last big break was at Coconino Outlook, a mere .7 miles from the trailhead and a spectacular vantage point over the canyon.  From here we labored, as the North Kaibab trail is unrelenting and is a steep climb to the very end boasting a 790’ elevation change over the .7 mile stretch.

Finally we were there, met by our fellow hikers and our two logistics people who had driven all of our luggage from the south rim and got us checked into the cabins on the north rim.  Of course they had iced down coolers and snacks, and they also communicated our progress via text message to our concerned families back home.  Molly and Rebecca were fantastic in their role and I highly recommend utilizing your friends in a similar fashion if you plan on doing a rim to rim hike.  After celebratory hugs and handshakes, and more than a few photos, we headed back to the cabins to clean up and get some dinner from the majestic lodge on the North Rim.

Again I was struck by what has become a familiar feeling to me, yet each time it makes me feel odd.  Sure I was glad to be out of the canyon with a cold drink in my hand.  It was easy to find joy in my success as well as in the successful hikes of the others, 7 of whom had just completed their first rim to rim hike.  There was a strong sense of relief around the fact that we had all made it out safely, especially our sick fellow hiker.  However, the actual completion of the rim to rim seemed anticlimactic.  I have written this before, but the real joy and peace came from somewhere else.  Perhaps it was a singular moment with the inner canyon, or the discipline that comes with training for the hike, or even just the companionship that comes when men work together as a team to complete a difficult task.  Undoubtedly, for me, the journey itself is the source of my joy.  I am thankful for a wife and family who have supported this journey, and thankful for my companions who were there beside me.  I also am thankful for previous generation who preserved this great space and for the National Parks Service who maintain it now.  The Grand Canyon is counted in as one of the 7 wonders of the natural world, a worthy tribute.  Hopefully you can make time to visit the Grand Canyon, and while there, venture somewhere into the inner canyon and get a taste of what it has to offer.  I have no idea if I will ever take on another rim to rim hike, time will tell.  But I also have no doubt that the Grand Canyon is in my blood and is now part of who I am.  Hopefully I can get back there myself some day, but in the meantime I will just share some photos of some of my experience with anyone who cares to listen.

On the flight home, I started reading a book that Dan Klein purchased in the book store on the North Rim.  The book is titled “The Mystery of Everett Ruess” and written by W.L. Rusho.  The book contains letters sent from a young writer, artist, and wanderer named Everett Ruess to his family and friends.  While he wrote in great detail about many places in the southwest, he was also at a loss for words when describing his multiple and long visits to the canyon.  On October 9th, 1931 he wrote to his brother Waldo – “Nothing anywhere can rival the Grand Canyon.  I must come here again some day.  There are things I must paint again.  I think it would have given you a new lease on life to have seen what I have seen”. 

Feel free to check out the archives under my field trips page for the reports on last year’s rim to rim as well.  Thanks for reading!

 

PJM