May 25-27, 2013
Amazingly, we were able to score a backcountry camping pass for Bright Angel campground at the bottom of the Grand Canyon over Sunday of Memorial Day weekend by showing up on Saturday as the backcountry office was opening up. This solidified our plans of hiking the canyon. Folks can apply for this 6 months ahead of time, so we feel pretty fortunate.
Oh just looking out into my back yard for the night. After a 4 hour bouncy shuttle ride to the north rim, we pitched our tent at the north rim hiker and biker camp area. It was a beautiful sunset and got to use our campstove for the first time since we backpacked in the Smokies years ago.
Nighty night, its gonna be a long day tomorrow.
Ryan at Coconino Point, the first lookout. We saw several people day hiking down to this point and back up again, it was probably about a mile from the trailhead of North Kaibab where we started at about 8am this morning.
I like this view of the trail and that huge rock ahead, it resembles a sad face to me. The trail was always changing, sometimes steep, sometimes flat, sometimes sandy, sometimes rocky. I had to remind myself to look up and around from time to time.
One of the many flowers along the trail. There were also yellow flowers with big petals that reminded me of daisies and small light purple ones that looked like asters. Several cacti were in bloom with brilliant yellow and deep pink flowers which were usually covered in little bees.
This is a Utah agave plant with the upcoming trail over a bridge in the background. Their flowers are so tall and showy. Its Ryan's favorite plant in the trail.
Me taking a break from carrying my pack pointing the the South rim in the distance, our goal for tomorrow! It got into the 30's last night on the North rim, but it is getting hot in this canyon. Its forecasted to be 97 degrees at Phantom Ranch (the hotel near our campsite at the bottom).
A little frog couple chillin' on a huge rock near Ribbon Falls. This was a short side trail off the main North Kaibab trail. It offered shade and cool breezes with a waterfall that was reminiscent of Sitting Bull Falls in NM. We ate a much needed snack and drank water. I was fading at about 1pm when we arrived here.
Ryan getting his shoes back on after he waded in the cold water. I have yet to meet a waterfall Ryan wouldn't get into :)
We arrived at Bright Angel campground around 6:30pm. It was a super long day of hiking 14.5 miles plus that side trail with an elevation loss of 5761 ft. We both dealt with hiking boots that we thought fit us well, but did not. My pinky toes are both swollen blisters. Ryan's second and big toes were unhappy campers. Ryan went to find the Colorado River. I laid in the tent and cried, cleaned myself up, took some Motrin, then decided to soak my miserable feet in a ice cold creek. Four deer showed up and grazed on various plants. They walked right next to me and didn't have a care in the world I was sitting there. It was so peaceful and my feet were numb, which felt amazing!
We ate dinner and walked over toward the Colorado River. We were feeling better with full bellies, some more hydration and our foot soaks :) This little guy was cooperative getting his picture taken along the way.
This place is called the Boat Beach, its a stop for rafting groups. The sand was so soft, white and fine. I could have been in Playa del Carmen...a lovely place to rest until the wind kicked up and and we were getting pummeled with sand. Time to get back to camp and rest...another long day tomorrow! It was so hot, we slept on top of our sleeping bags in our underwear.
Day 2 in the canyon, we are hiking out following the Bright Angel trail, its 9.5 miles and 4380 ft elevation gain.
Here is a nice view of the trail zig zagging down the canyon and going down over the plateau, yes we've come a long way. I hiked with my iphone nearby and didn't even use our good camera. It was too much effort to take it out of the pack and too heavy to keep around our necks. Both of us were in survival mode. My pinky toe blister popped two miles into our hike today and nothing helped it feel better. Ignore and press on.
The canyon getting the best of Ryan. I had a rough time yesterday, so he decided to sherpa both my sleeping bag and pad along with everything else he was carrying. I don't know how the hell he did it, but he was determined. Thank you honey. Where is that damn South Rim already?!?
Us outside Bright Angel Lodge on the South Rim. Sitting feels good. Walking feels bad. Standing feels worse. I waddled my way to the backcountry office to pick up our car and the beast (Ryan REALLY deserved a break). Off we went to Flagstaff, AZ. We had a much needed shower and a great dinner and drinks at Lumberyard Brewery.
Total Miles on foot: 24 or so
Drank: who knows how much water?
Peed: 4 times each in 2 days
Sweated: more than I ever have in any two days of my life
Thoughts on hiking in general: The distance and appearance of the trail can appear long and really far away, but amazingly you put one foot in front of the other and you will get to your destination.
Thoughts on the Grand Canyon: You are complicated and immense beyond belief, more than I ever could have imagined viewing you from the rim. You are beautiful and peaceful. You are rugged and treacherous.
Thoughts of Rim to Rim to Rim folks (those who run the trails with nothing but water and some snacks from south to north and then back again): More power to ya! They are happiest people I have ever seen, kind of like UPS drivers. That will never be me.
Next time: I will stay at Phantom Ranch and not carry in all that camping crap!
