Hiking the Grand Canyon

Here follows a journal of sorts of our adventure hiking the Grand Canyon.

January 14, 2012 - I know we are planning on hiking this weekend because, after all, with three full days off why not?  I was a little surprised when Will suggested that morning to head for the Grand Canyon though.  It seemed a bit spur of the moment.  But I was game so we did our best to pack everything we could think of into the Jeep, then took off.  We set up camp at Mather's campground that evening, had some fabulous vegetarian chili at the Maswik Lodge, made some rough plans on what trails to take and how much we wanted to tackle, then settled in for a good night's sleep.

January 15, 2012 - We decide in a fit of optimism to hike all the way to the river and back in one day.  After all, it's only January so it isn't going to be hot, we are in somewhat good shape and, honestly, there isn't any way we could rustle up a camp site at Phantom Ranch at the last minute.  We are vaguely aware that it means hiking the last few hours in the dark, especially as our start time keeps getting pushed up due to frustrations at keeping our camp site another night (I absolutely hate setting a tent up in the dark when it's cold!).  But we have several (not joking here!) flashlights squirreled among us, enough food bars and gu to outfit an army, lots of water, so we are feeling really good about ourselves around 10 am when we start off down the trail.

Bad news for me; there is still ice on the first few switchbacks of the South Kaibab trail.  My adrenaline is pounding through the roof as I try not to slip and either A) break something, or B) slide right off into the vast chasm that is the Grand Canyon.  A tiny part of my brain starts worrying that there is a 40% chance of snow this evening and we still have to climb back out and I'm willing to bet there is ice on the Bright Angel Trail too.

The view, though, is absolutely breathtaking.

Mule train heading up from Phantom Ranch.

This goat was literally 15 feet above where I stood on the trail.  He's staring at all the noise I'm making.

Around 1 pm we make it to Phantom Ranch and I get to dip my tired feet into the Colorado River.  It's absolutely freezing but it feels delicious.  Afterward we grab a couple lemonades at the canteen at the Ranch before we load up our packs and start back on the trail.  I'm starting to get worried about how long it will take to get to the top.  It has taken us three hours to hike the 7 mile S. Kaibab trail and the Bright Angel is even longer at 9 miles.  We joke about begging for a spot with the mules for the night and don't talk about how our calves are already killing us.

We decided to take the longer Bright Angel Trail because of logistics: the shuttle stops servicing the S. Kaibab a full three hours before the other end and we don't want to have to walk back to camp.  The views along the trail are absolutely beautiful, with many waterfalls and tiny oases and a herd of deer that stood just off the trail and watched us curiously as we walked by.

Last picture of the trip.  One of the many waterfalls.  A portrait of sheer exhaustion.

We are really starting to wear out.  Our stops become more frequent and my backpack straps and back are coated in sweat.  We lose our sunlight with about three miles left to go on the trail.  Busting out the flashlights we forge ahead, even as I have to stop and rest from time to time and waves of dizziness and nausea sweep over me.  Will rubs my back and makes me drink water until I'm feeling better.  My lower back is in agony.

Then the snow starts falling.  Yeah.  Let the horror of that sink in.

We hike the last 1 1/2 mile in a snow fall.  It covers up the ice that indeed covers the switchbacks just like on the S. Kaibab so we are literally inching along.  Somehow neither one of us falls and we make steady progress all...the...way...to...the...top.

It's 9:30 pm by the time we stagger into the Maswik Lodge, covered in snow (!) and looking like we're more dead than alive.  We find out the last shuttle ran thirty minutes ago.  After getting down some hot soup and tea, we trek the last mile or so to the campground, pull off our hiking boots and bury ourselves in our sleeping bags.  Will slips and falls in the snow, 20 feet away from our tent; luckily he isn't hurt.

January 16, 2012 - There is an inch and a half of snow covering the entire campground when I blearily crawl out of the tent.  It covers everything; the jeep, the tent, the road.  We can barely walk and already the incredible feat of endurance and monumental stupidity of what we have accomplished is occurring to us.  We have hiked the Grand Canyon, to the river and back in one day and we are damned lucky that nothing horrible happened to us.  Do I want to do it again?  Hell yes!  But in April, when there is no snow on the ground and with a heck of a lot more preparation.  But it was by far the most challenging, beautiful and rewarding hike of my life and I cannot wait to go back.