I have an athletic friend, Julie. We all have one of those, right? I like to envision myself as being in the same physical caliber as Julie . . . but in reality, I am not. When Julie said she was going to hike the Grand Canyon by herself (because none of the friends she would be traveling with had interest), not only did I lecture her how dangerous that would be (like a good friend), but I invited myself to go with her.
Julie and I are both engineers; she had already done her research on what this trip would take. I had not. As I started my research, I realized I had committed myself to a very extreme endurance hike. Let me make it clear, I am a reasonably active 44-year-old that loves a good adventure. I have also been blessed with pretty good genes that have allowed me to just go do things often with little to no training (not recommended). With that said, I am not a runner (like Julie) and the only endurance event I had ever done was on a bike. Oh, and did I mention I have a bad knee? A rim-to-river-to-rim Grand Canyon hike was not something I could take lightly. In fact, the park service does not recommend attempting this hike and after doing it, I would only recommend it to extremely fit and experienced hikers.
Although reality hit that I was in over my head and needed to do some serious preparation, I was excited for the adventure and overcoming a challenge. I only had about a month to prepare, so I got to work.
Training
Pre-COVID I was an avid Orange Theory Fitness (OTF) member and have to say I was in pretty good shape. COVID changed all that and my fitness level had declined with my inconsistent home-based workouts. With my plan to hike the Grand Canyon, I had renewed motivation and got to work! I started walk/runs, stair stepper, squats, lunges, planks and a lot of yoga/stretching. I also did ankle strengthening exercises to prevent ankle injury. On the weekends, I loaded up with all of my gear and did long hikes on the hilliest trails I could find!
Honestly, I think I did all the right things, just not enough of it! The endurance aspect was the most difficult part of the hike. It was a long day with the hardest part (at least cardiovascular) at the end as you hike out of the canyon. If I would do this again, I would start training earlier and do some longer endurance days.
Packing
I live with three Boy Scouts, so I have the luxury of having lots of gear at my fingertips! After raiding their supplies, I only had three things on my list to buy.
New Gear Purchased:
- Shoes – The most important piece of gear for hiking! Get them early and break them in and then break them in some more! I had some hiking boots that were broken in, but with the pace we would need to go for doing this in one day, I opted to purchase a trail shoe. If you are buying shoes/boots for a Grand Canyon trip, get ones that are snug side to side and will hold your foot securely. Your foot will slide hiking steep terrain even when you think it won’t! I would also suggest a little room in the toe box (and trimming toenails short). The trails were dry when we went (except for water crossing in areas of Bright Angel), but there was still a lot of loose rock and slick areas. Get a good hiking boot or trail shoe that is designed for grip and stability. I ended up with a Saucony Peregrine trail runner.
- Socks – With 10.5 hours of hiking your feet take a beating . . . . so yes, I bought a $20 pair of socks! I got some hiking-specific, moisture wicking, padding in all the right places socks and they were completely worth it.
- Backpack – I splurged and bought a day pack with hydration system that fit me rather than using my husband’s. When I say “fit me” it is important to get a pack with a hip belt (preferably with some padding) that will rest on your hips. You want all the weight on your hips, not on your shoulders. This was one area I was able to help Julie on the hike. Her shoulders were starting to ache from the weight of her pack. I was able to help her tighten the hip belt and loosen the shoulder straps to get the weight off of her shoulders.
I tried several packs and liked all the features of the Osprey packs, but the ones specifically designed for women didn’t fit me right; it seems they are designed for petite women. The Talon 22 pack with the 3L hydration system is what I ended up with. It was a splurge, but worth every penny for a trip like this.
Packing List
Only carry what you need and keep the weight light. This was my list for a day trip, but obviously it gets more extensive with an overnight. It is important to note that if you are planning on an overnight you do need a permit from park services.
- Trail maps (for S. Kaibab Trail and Bright Angel Trail) marked with water sources and facilities. We also noted our expected times we would hit each point on the map. If we were not on track to be to the bottom of the canyon within 4 hours, we planned to turn around. Although we had a goal of going rim-to-river-to-rim, we did not have a death wish or anything to prove!
- Hiking poles – These were a knee saver on the descent. Note, you cannot carry these on to an airplane; Julie got hers confiscated by TSA. I initially couldn’t get mine to fit in my checked suitcase, but found each one could be completely taken apart in three pieces and then fit it.
- Headlamp w/extra batteries – We started in the dark and we were prepared to end in the dark. I brought a backpacking-specific headlamp that was super lightweight and used a watch battery. Julie had some little lights that clipped on her shoes which were super helpful for the first hour of our hike in the dark!
- First aid kit – All the basics plus moleskin and ace bandage. The only item I pulled out of the first aid kit while on the hike was ibuprofen. My knee started swelling on the last mile or so of the descent and the ibuprofen helped get the swelling down.
- Water bottle & hydration pack – I used the water bottle to mix in powdered Gatorade a couple of times throughout the day and kept my 3L hydration pack with just water in it.
- Lifestraw – We threw one in for emergency. We should have also brought some water treatment tablets as there were a few non-potable water areas on the trail.
- Crampons – In December the upper portions of the canyon are often snow and ice covered. We lucked out with dry ground and no precipitation, so I left these in my suitcase.
- Extra pair of socks – I was not prepared for the water on Bright Angel Trail. If we had gotten our feet wet our ascent would have been miserable. I had extra socks with me but would have needed extra shoes if my feet got wet. Extra shoes would have added a lot of weight. I would suggest checking trail conditions when you are going and make a judgement call if you think you also need extra shoes.
- Buff – This was essential as the ground was dry and dust got kicked up. Also no one talks about the mule poop. There is a lot of mule poop! There were times I pulled up my buff due to the smell and I am sure this is worse in the summer! The buff also doubled as a COVID mask on the bus and when we saw other people on the trail.
- Toilet paper in Ziploc bag – we didn’t actually need this. Since we stayed on main trails and didn’t go to the backcountry there were restrooms every time we needed them, but better to be prepared! I did use the Ziploc bag to pack out trash from our snacks, etc.
- Sunglasses
- Rain jacket
- Hand warmers
- Pocket knife
- Lip balm
- Sunscreen stick
- Battery backup for cell phone
- Hand sanitizer
- Food (see what we ate below)
- Lots of Layers (see what I wore below)
What I wore
Layers! We hiked the canyon December 2. Low was 19 degrees F and high was 39 degrees F! It sounds cold, but it was way better than attempting this in the heat which I would never do! I had two layers on the bottom, yoga pants with a thin weatherproof layer over it. On the top I had a long sleeve underlayer, t-shirt, pull over, zip up and then a synthetic waterproof jacket . . . 5 layers! It may have been slightly overkill as I started shedding layers fairly quickly, but I did use all of my layers and I am glad I didn’t start the day cold. I also wore a compression sleeve on my bad knee, headband type head warmer (Julie wore a stocking cap), buff I could pull up over my face and gloves. Julie used hand warmers, but with gloves and trying to grip poles I didn’t use the hand warmers.
What we Ate
Phantom Ranch at the base of the canyon has food for sale, but I am glad we didn’t plan on it. It was a little further off of our path and we didn’t have the extra time to hike over there. We packed light weight, calorie dense food focused on fueling our bodies! We took electrolyte powder, trail mix, dried fruit, jerky, protein bars, etc. Julie brought a few packets of Gu that she had used on marathons before, specifically designed for endurance events. She gave me one when I was hitting a wall at the end of the day with about 3 miles left . . . . it seemed to give me a little boost. Since exercising suppresses your appetite, we kind of had to force ourselves to stop and eat every few hours so we would have the energy to finish the day.
Travel Day / Hiking Prep
We came early the day before our hike to finalize logistics and rest. I flew to Phoenix and then drove a little over three hours (picking Julie up in Flagstaff along the way) to the park at the south rim. We got there in time to figure out the bus schedule and do a little “warm up” hike along the South Rim Trail. We drove along Hermit Road and stopped at Trail View Point. That was a great overlook of what our ascent would look like the next day, but Hopi Point was our favorite view point. It had amazing 360 degree views where we watched the sunset and facetimed our families! We also saw our first glimpse of wildlife here with a big group of desert bighorn sheep and some deer along the drive.
We stayed at the The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon in Tusayan, AZ right outside the park entrance which was super convenient. We got a great deal, but likely due to it being December in the middle of a global pandemic! One thing to note: get gas in your vehicle before you get to Tusayan, they have one gas station and they are proud of it!
Hiking day – 12/2/20
17.5 miles 5000 ft. decent 4500 ft. ascent 6:10 am – 4:40 pm (10.5 hrs) 19 deg F – 39 deg F
The morning of the hike we layered up and headed to the park to catch the first bus (6 am) from the visitors center parking lot. We were on the South Kaibab trail by 6:10 am (about 20 min earlier than planned). Although sunrise wasn’t until 7:22 am, we had plenty of light with the full moon and our head/shoe lamps.
It was a little eerie as we didn’t see another soul for at least a few hours after that point. Even being off season in a pandemic, we thought this popular trail would have a few more people on it. Started to make us question if we were the crazy ones!
Only about a mile into the hike is an area called “Ooh Ahh Point” where you get your first view of the eastern side of the canyon and can literally see 360-degree views. This would be a great option for those who want to do a shorter hike. I regret not getting pictures in this area, but we didn’t have enough lighting yet. I plan to take my family for a day hike when we visit! The canyon is so beautiful and it is amazing how going into the canyon just a mile can give you and entirely different perspective.
One of my favorite parts of the entire day was between Ooh Ahh Point and Cedar Ridge where you walk along a ridge with O’Neil Butte in front of you; it feels like a path bridging over the canyon and it was beautiful. If you can go a little further than Ooh Ahh Point, I would recommend seeing this site.
We continued on to the first rest stop at Cedar Ridge, about 1.5 miles in and 1,140 ft. down. This is the first place we saw anyone else when two guys leading a mule train went by loaded with supplies heading to the bottom. As the sun came up we warmed up and started to shed some layers and were both feeling pretty good.
We saw the first view of the river at Skeleton Point, and then the trail got really steep from there. We also started to see more hikers, a few overnighters hiking out of the canyon. The last mile or so of South Kaibab trail was a struggle. It was very steep and my knee was feeling the pressure. We finally made it to the bottom of South Kaibab Trail where it meets Phantom Ranch River Trail and took a short rest. It did take us about 4 hours to get to this point and we had allowed twice as long to hike out. Planning for twelve hours of hiking when there is only 10 hours of daylight meant our rest stops couldn’t be too long!
The river was beautiful with the bridges across. We got re-energized after the rest and with the change of elevation and scenery. The river trail was very sandy and the footing was challenging, but my toes, knees and muscles were so happy to not be on a steep descent! Julie (who didn’t have poles) actually lost her footing on the river trail and fell. Of all the places to fall, this was the place to do it as it was on sand and she was able to hop up and keep going. It could have been disastrous if either one of us had a fall like that on the rocks, so luckily that was the only tumble of the day.
My favorite pictures we took all day were at the river. It is not easy to get there, but it was beautiful. I didn’t realize how many different kinds of scenery we would see in the canyon, from the colorful red rock, the brown desert, the beautiful river, the flower covered meadows, and the springs surrounded by lush greenery. It was worth it to go down South Kaibab (even with the steepness), across the River Trail and up Bright Angel as trails were completely different experiences!
The River trail was fairly short, spanning between the bottom of South Kaibab Trail and the Bright Angel Trail, both of which had their own suspension bridge across the river. At this point in the day we had seen a total of 5 other hikers (plus the mule train). It was so quiet and peaceful! As we started up Bright Angel Trail we ran into a park ranger that checked in with us. When we told her we had only seen 5 people all day coming down South Kaibab trail, she just exclaimed that she loved December!
We did start to see more people as the day progressed and being on the more popular Bright Angel Trail. I kept wanting us to ascend, but the lower portions of the trail were actually quite flat in places going along streams and springs. It was very challenging in some areas with the trail completely covered in water and having to find creative ways to cross and stay dry. It really was a completely different experience than South Kaibab. Bright Angel Trail is not as steep as South Kaibab, but it is longer. It seemed to take forever to get to Indian Garden, the only stop we had all day with water available. I was well hydrated at this point as I had gone through my 3L hydration pack in its entirety and was down to my water bottle. That was the one piece of advice my husband drilled into me – stay ahead of my hydration, it was great advice!
Indian Garden was a great rest stop with water, unexpected lush greenery and even some deer wandering around. I was able to refill my hydration pack and drank at least another liter after this stop for more than 4L for the day. This was a bit of the calm before the storm. At this point we had 4.5 miles left and almost 3,000 ft. to climb. On ascent out of the canyon my knee was fine, but it was more of a cardiovascular challenge. I had on my Apple watch and I just watched my heart rate and went at a pace I knew I could sustain for a long period of time. Julie could have gone a bit faster, but I just kept going and that was all that mattered. Although we planned for it to take as long as 12 hours for the hike, we had a goal of getting done by dark (5:30 pm). When we made it to the 3 mile point and I was starting to hit a wall, Julie gave me one of her packets of Gu energy gel and a little encouragement and we kept going. I just kept putting one foot in front of the other! The last 30-45 minute segment was pretty miserable. The sun had not set, but we were in the shadows of the canyon and the temperatures were dropping fast along with the wind picking up. We made it to the top of Bright Angel Trail about an hour before sunset!
Recovery
Immediately after our hike, Julie and I jumped in a car and started driving back to Phoenix. In hindsight, we should have stretched first, but the temperatures were dropping and we just wanted to get in the warm car and start driving. We stretched and got in the hot tub that evening. Although we were both sore the next day (mainly my calves), it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it might be.
The only “injury” I had from the hike is a bruise under my big toenail (I know, gross). This is pretty common with steep hikes with all the pressure on the toes. A little more room in the toe box of my shoe and shorter nails may have helped.
Julie made a comment that about the last ¼ of our hike (from Indian Garden to the top of Bright Angel Trail) was about like a 14er. I have never hiked a 14er, so maybe that will be my next challenge. It is a much shorter distance than the rim-to-river-to-rim hike, but has different challenges with the thin air and potentially more climbing/obstacles.
Lessons Learned/Advice
- We got lucky on weather. If I were to do an extreme Grand Canyon hike in the future, I would never go in the summer and I would pick a less risky time for winter conditions as well. Weather is always unpredictable, but fall or spring would be when I would go in the future.
- Be honest about your physical capabilities and train more than you think you need to! I found some really good information here on the various trails with videos and detailed descriptions of their difficulties at hikingguy.com. I would recommend checking out this site to research the trails you are considering.
- Think about who is setting the pace. Everything I read said the slowest hiker should set the pace. This makes sense if you have as much time as needed or if there are physical concerns. I was the slower person on this hike but I was happy to have Julie set the pace. She made sure we kept moving and kept us on track to finish before dark.
- Do a shorter hike. I would not recommend this extreme hike if you are not an extreme athlete. I am planning on coming back with my family and taking them on the beginning of S. Kaibab Trail to Ooh Ahh Point or maybe Cedar Ridge and back. I also think this hike would be fun at a slower pace staying overnight at Phantom Ranch (if you can plan ahead 18 months for the lottery system for a room) or camping. Just remember you need a permit for overnight hiking.
