Last November I completed my first marathon. It was a great experience. Some friends asked me about what is next. There are people who continue to do more marathons and naturally that is a good thing to continue. Coincidentally I heard from my wife about the possibility of doing a hike across the Grand Canyon. We joined a group of her college alumni to plan and hike the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim
A natural wonder that is visible from space, the Grand Canyon is a marvel.The canyon carved millions of years back has a splendid variety of rocks and landscape. The rocks shimmer in the morning and evening lights. There are several creeks that run in the middle of the canyon with the wide Colorado river dividing the canyon walls. There are thousands of people who hike the Grand Canyon every year; The routes are well established.
A few prominent trails that traverse the Grand Canyon. We chose the north to south rim hike via the N. Kaibab trail in the north and climbing up the Bright Angel trail to the south rim. The rim to rim hike is nearly 24 miles of hiking. The north rim is at nearly 8,200 feet in elevation while the south rim is at 6,800 feet of elevation. The first 7 miles on the N. Kaibab trail is a steady slope down followed by a gentle slope for the next 9 miles. After 16 miles there is the uphill climb of about 5000 feet in the last 8 miles. In particular the last 1.5 miles is significantly steep. There are extensive details on the internet about the climb (useful Rim to Rim hiking link) and several books.
Preparation and Practice
Hiking through the Grand Canyon requires preparation – travel and stay plans, gear, and hiking practice. The easy part was the travel and stay plans. Many accommodations get booked out early, so it is best to plan ahead. Early in January, we all got together in a long zoom call to plan out the details. First we chose the day of the hike – Oct 9th. Next we planned the flight plans to arrive in Phoenix, rental cars, hotel stays, etc. Reservations meant we became committed and we had nearly 36 weeks to prepare.
Through a friend, we discovered a local climbing group in Seattle. Climb with Asha offers a climbing program for people interested in climbing west coast mountains including the Grand Canyon. There are enthusiastic and experienced volunteers leading climbing sessions almost every week from March through August. We joined them to learn and practice. There were progressively difficult hikes to go in the northwest starting with the West Tiger 3 trail (6 miles) in Issaquah, WA to the Umatum Creek Canyon and areas (20 miles) nearby Yakima, WA.
Week after week, going on these hikes, built our physical, emotional, and mental strength. There was a significant time commitment. Often we have to wake up at 4AM in the morning and plan to be out for 6-12 hours on Saturdays. We learned to tune our hydration plans with water and electrolytes. We have to plan ahead for the food. Often the hiking group members carried a variety of food that we shared with each other. We learned to manage bowel movements and care for the trails. It was an exertion to go on these hikes. The backpacks grew in size and weight; we carried it longer distances as well. The best part though was the natural beauty of the northwest; we saw a variety of plants, flowers, lakes, birds, and peaks. And the company we kept also helped us tremendously. Increasingly, I felt ready for the Grand Canyon hike.
Reaching the Colorado River
After traveling to Phoenix and via the south rim, we arrived at Kaibab lodge near the north rim on Oct 8th. For the first time, the virtual group met together and had a great time learning more about each other, sharing a lunch and the dinner, talking about the finer details of the hike. I reduced the items in my backpack for the 5th time, to pull out some more items bringing the weight to around 20 pounds. The smaller the weight, the better it will be on the hike. Off we went to sleep by 8PM in a nice cabin at the Kaibab lodge to wake up by 2AM and be ready for our long day hike.
A shuttle dropped us at the north rim trailhead by 3:45AM. After the customary group photos, we started our hike in the dark. Everyone had their headlamps turned on and we followed each other on the descending path. For nearly 2 hours, only the places lit by our headlamps were visible. Starting around 6AM, the sunlight brought magic to the canyon walls. The Kaibab formation is unique and it shines golden in color in the morning sunlight. We walked carefully through the steady descent for 7 miles reaching the Cottonwood campground passing through Supai tunnel and Manzanita rest area (see trail details). The temperature started at about 40F and stayed moderate reaching about 80F in the trail past the Cottonwood. Next is the area called “box” – a narrow section where sunlight can reflect off the rocks to intensify the heat. Being early October, we were spared extreme heat and hence crossed the box in reasonable shape to arrive at the Phantom Ranch by 12PM noon.
Phantom Ranch has a small restaurant, a post office, toilets, and freshwater. I got a tall cup of lemonade and a refill (highly recommended). I also got a few postcards to mail it out stamped as carried by the mules from the base of the canyon. Our hike was first along the Manzanita creek and then it followed The Bright Angel creek. We removed our shoes and soaked our feet in the fresh cold waters of the creek to refresh them. Rest in this oasis and refueling with lunch was helpful. We met some agile hikers attempting the 8-hour hike through the canyon!
The mighty Colorado River
Past the Phantom Ranch, we saw a big elk cross our path. There is a fully operational high quality restroom at the Bright Angel campground. We soaked our towels to wear around the neck and head for cooling down. We got freshwater to drink. Freshwater was available in most places that eased the burden of having to carry a lot of water with us.
We hiked along the north side of the Colorado river for the next mile arriving at a large suspension bridge crossing the river. Surrounded by the beautiful rock faces of the canyon, the green fast flowing river was a beauty to behold. The steel bridge is narrow allowing only a couple of people to cross each other. I had to be careful not to drop the phone down for it may fall into the river via the open lattice of the bridge path.The river has its own song and music. The river is merry and fearless in its flow through the mountains. Years of steady flow has helped it carve a path through the canyon. It reminds us to consistently strive in our efforts too; steady efforts can erode any resistance and help us grow!
Crossing the bridge, we started climbing up and down along the south side of the river. All along we have the beautiful view of the canyon and the river. The cliffs are tall, but the path was wide enough to allow easy movement. There are no trees in sight which can cause serious heat exhaustion if we do not have a hat, head cover, and adequate cooling. Otherwise, the sights are a delight. Slowly the steep uphill climb comes into view. Starting at 2400 feet of elevation near the river we had to climb up 4500 feet to reach the top.
The climb up
It was about 3PM when we started a serious climb up from the Colorado river. Our path was winding through the infamous corkscrew climb, a series of switchbacks that steadily helped us climb up. We found some surprises along the way – a small restroom on the cliffs, a small creek running on the trail, a horseshoe bend around the mountains with cliff walls on both sides ,etc. We worried that the blazing sun would heat the valley and make our traversal difficult. Luckily there was some cloud cover and a potential for rain. We got cool breezes instead of rain which made it delightful. The climb was steady and non ending!
After nearly 2 hours we arrived at what is called the Indian Garden, though no garden was visible. This rest stop at 4.5 miles from the top is the place where the climb becomes steeper. After a long rest, we started the climb along the canyon walls. The trail was wide and comfortable, the breeze was gentle, and the company was pleasant. I started to play the music to reduce the burden of the climb. We reached the 3-miles reststop and caught our breadth. Sun was setting and so we turned on our headlamps. Some of us pulled out a warm layer of clothing too. Silence set in except for the deep breaths and stomping feet.
To break the monotony and reduce stress, we practiced interval climbing. We took 100-150 steps and took a small break of 30-60 seconds. Shorter steps are helpful too. Criss-cross walking also reduces the apparent impact of the incline. Frequently sipping the water and munching on some snacks was helpful. It seemed like a long march of about an hour per mile before we arrived at the 1.5 mile rest stop. The national parks had well planned rest stops which are super helpful.
The final ascent of 1.5 miles was one of the longest and steepest. We were taking longer pauses and sometimes more pauses. We were mindful of the need to arrive before 10PM so we can get some dinner to eat and easily check into the hotel for a good night stay. Pauses, huffs, and puffs, all help. Occasionally we saw some small insects and scorpions on the trail path; they were minding their own way. Each switchback was a rest stop; each 100 steps was a rest stop; each stop gave us energy back to scale the next few steps. Finally, we saw the sign board announcing the Bright Angel Trailhead. Yay! We are almost there. Within another 100 steps, we arrived at the end of the trail. We have done it!
The climb was long; the climbers were strong. The climb was cold; the climbers were prepared. The climb was seemingly unending; the climbers were not giving up. It was a long hike of about 17 hours from start to the finish. Strava reported that my moving time was short of 12 hours, which means we took adequate stops along the way. The temperature stayed mild below 70F with a few spots touching 89F. We are super thrilled to complete this hike.
Learning more
The mountains are inviting places. They are strong, resilient, and powerful. The mountains invite one to appreciate the beauty and learn about themselves. Canyons are mountains too, perhaps in an inverted sense. The Grand Canyon has formed millenia back and preserved itself to be a visible and inviting landmark.
Everyone hiking through the mountains comes back with immense appreciation for the beauty and strength of this place. Lucky to be alive and fit to hike here. This hike has taught me many things. I learned about myself – discipline, preparedness, getting and giving help, etc. Practice is important, a lesson learned during my marathon preparation as well. Doing more practice for this climb also helped me. I anticipate going back again to do more hikes.
Thanks!
Many thanks to my family for supporting me in the preparation for this hike. Many weekends and some weekday evenings were lost in the preparation activities. In some ways, the practice contributed to successful hikes as well as built endurance and strength. Many thanks to the KANA-Fit, Climb with Asha, and CEG Outdoors group who helped me in the preparation. We live in a wonderful world filled with natural beauty and more importantly people who are willing to step up and help. Immensely lucky to have this opportunity to hike the Grand Canyon.
A poem on the mountains and humans
(We are going to the mountains … and they are not coming to us … hence a reflection is due.)
Mountains awaken,
Humans harken!
Mountains beckon,
Humans recon!
Mountains seldom move,
Humans often move!
Mountains project confidence,
Humans build confidence!
Mountains offer peace,
Humans relish peace!
-murali (Oct 2023)
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