http://www.jimmys-adventures.net/hiking-grand-canyon-north-rim/
Grand Canyon Hike?
Planning to hike the GC August ’07. South rim to North rim. Anyone done this one? Got any good tips? Hazards to be aware of? Sights to be sure to see on the way? Gear advice?
We are taking 5 days to do this hike. Resting during the hot of the day. We are photographers so hikes tend to take a bit longer to do. Good tips about the trial so far. Thanks guys.
I’ve done it – actually it was a Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in a day. (I wasn’t able to walk straight for 4 days afterwards!). I’ve also gone to the River and back in a day many times from the SR and once from the NR, including one trip last month.
Are you thinking of it as a day trip or an overnight? Doable either way. As an overnight, you’d stay at Phantom Ranch – either rent a spot in the bunkhouse and get served dinner and breakfast or stay in the campground. For the campground, you need a backcountry permit from the park and that can be a long permit wait (apply now) and they ask a LOT of questions.
As a day trip in August the biggest issue will be the heat of the day. You want to hit the trail from the SR as EARLY as possible. Nothing is too early. 3 am would be great. Bring a small headlamp. Then you’re at the River at 6 am and starting up the other side. When the sun really hits you at 9-10 am, you’re already more than halfway up the other side and you’ve gained some altitude (and therefore left some of the worst heat behind).
Hazards – a very few rattlesnakes, you often see scorpins on the trail at dusk, but no great risk there. The big hazard is heat – it kills a few each year there. Hence the early start. Be in shape – stair climb or hill walk for 2 months beforehand. Don’t avoid hot weather exercise at home – it will help your body acclimitize to hot weather. And bring a lot of water. One gallon each as you leave the river is a minimum. You’ll also be using a lot of calories – bring the equivalent of 3 or 4 lunches for the day.
August can be wicked hot, especially in the Inner Canyon – I’ve seen 110F “in the shade” except there was no shade PLUS you have 140F rocks all around radiating heat at you. Then you need two gallons per person plus more water to keep your T-shirt wet all the time. Better yet, hang out till the sun drops. Much better – get off the trail before mid-day. For August I can not stress that enough and you will be thankful for every hour earlier you get started.
Sun exposure is extreme at 7,000 feet. Hat, long-sleeve shirt AND sunscreen! The thin air will be an issue to. Especially on the way back up. If you can stay on the SR or in Flagstaff for a few days prior, you will do a lot better. You’ll still notice getting winded easily, but you’ll do much better than if you just drove up from Vegas.
Sights – the whole dang route. It is easy (and important) to watch your step as you go, but stop every few minutes to look all the way around – the view changes around every bend.
Gear – water bottles and more water bottles. Sunhat with a good, big brim. I like polypro or nylon shirt because they keep the sweat evaporating but a BIG cotton bandana to hold stream water around my neck to cool off with. (Somehow it is much less tiring to PUT water on me than to SWEAT it out). Shoes – great fitting shoes. You MUST have enough room in the toe, because are going downhill so much. A good outdoors store will have a carpeted ramp to help you test fit them. You should be able to lace them up so your toes have lots of room and don’t touch any part of the shoe except the sole. I like low-cut trail shoes (Nike, Salomon XA, Merrell Multisport, etc). Stiffer than a running shoe, they still are much lighter than a traditional hiking boot. Only if you have weak ankles would I get an ankle-high boot.
Bring extra, dry, comfortable wool socks (cotton if you must). And change them at the river. Dry fluffy socks help so much, it is worth the extra 3 ounces.
Sights on the way there? The I-Max theatre just south of the park seems a tacky thing, but it is actually an exciting and informative movie. I like the stuff E and S of the Park – Walnut Cayon (Native dwelling), Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest. Hoover Dam has tours. Vegas is, well, Vegas and I only make connections there, but some people like it.
Hope all that helps
Editted to add: sascoaz adds more good info, I agree with all that he says. I see my rattlesnake/scorpin comment got misread. You might possibly see them, they are hardly a hazard. In GCNP, heat kills. The critters are just interesting.
“Grand Canyon” North Rim Arizona Kaibab Trail Hike