Ten things you should Know About the Grand Canyon
10. Hiking Poles/Walking Sticks are not just for senior citizens and Europeans.Hiking Poles are a huge benefit on the treacherous trails below the rim. Offering stability and redistribution of weight (hiking without poles requires the legs to exert all of the effort, while poles enable the use of arms to pull one up over a steep incline without having to crawl) it is easy to see how the small investment (poles run between $12-$100) can reap huge dividends in the Grand Canyon, especially if planning a rim to rim trip.
9. Double Trouble. If hiking below the rim either for a day hike down beautiful Bright Angel Trail to 3 mile point or a longer trek to the river or beyond, it’s important to know that the time it takes you to get down the trail should be at least doubled by the time it will take you to make it back up to the top. If you are an especially slow hiker, have a heavy pack or like to take a lot of pictures and enjoy the scenery, you might even want to plan on averaging only 1 mile per hour of hiking.
8. Don’t be fooled. As a runner myself, when planning the trip down the South Kaibab trail (7 miles to Bright Angel Campground) I foolishly thought it shouldn’t take that long. After all, at a slow-moderate pace on a jog I could travel seven miles in 65 minutes. Not only is hiking very different from running, but the Grand Canyon is unlike anything you will ever hike. The climb down the canyon is a rough one. Not only are the trails are steep and require attention, but the loose sand on the trail can lose footing and slip. The hike down the trail also requires the use of muscles not commonly used by the average American and it is difficult to even trail for down-hill paths because of that. The hike back up the trail is also deceiving. When hiking the 5 miles from Indian Garden Campground to the South Rim the Campground never gets too far away in eyesight, but the elevation gain of almost 3,000 feet will require a lot of steps.
7. Respect the Park. Death is a possibility. About 600 deaths have occurred in the Grand Canyon since the 1870s with 65 of those due to heat stroke or some other environmental cause and 53 were due to falling. Some trails in the park have little to no shade the entire day and descending into the canyon only brings rising temperatures with the bottom of the canyon averaging about 20* hotter than the rim. Some trails also have no water. That means no water. No river. No water stations. Be aware that the average person requires at least half a liter of water per mile of hiking. So if you are planning a hike down south Kaibab that means at least 3.5 liters of water and that’s not counting the return trip!
At the South Kaibab trailhead there is a picture of a Boston Marathon runner who died in the canyon. Margaret Bradley, 24, died of dehydration while running in temperatures around 105 degrees. While the story might seem extreme, people underestimate just how intense hiking the trails can be.
6. Take Your Time. Chances are you’re traveling to the Grand Canyon and might not have the opportunity to get back anytime soon, if ever. Enjoy it. Take time to appreciate the scenery. It is magical. Spend time in the visitor’s center learning about the canyon. Take part in a program or two and learn something of the geology or ecology of the Park. Don’t make it all about getting to the next location. If available, take an extra day at a campsite simply to see what else is offered and ask a ranger about any side trails that might be worth the trip.
5. PLAN AHEAD. Like, WAY ahead…especially if you aspire to hiking below the rim. If you plan on one day hiking rim to rim you will need to have your back country permit faxed and into the Back Country Office of the Grand Canyon at least 4 months in advance just to dreamabout getting Cottonwood Campground. Located on the North side of the Canyon, all rim to rim hikers must pass through Cottonwood, but there are only 12 campsites in the entire campground compared to the 30+ campsites located in the other campgrounds. If you don’t get approved to stay the night there, and still want to hike rim to rim, the only other option is to hike 14.1 miles in one day down to Phantom Ranch or a bit farther to Bright Angel. Either way, know your options, and do your research.
4. Weather changes. Most visitors to the park come during the summer months. Hikers wishing to drop below the rim typically hike in the Spring and Fall. No overnight guests are allowed below the rim during the summer months. Weather also varies a great deal. Check up with local weather stations or talk with a ranger about the predicted weather for the day. Plan on a hat, jacket, sunscreen, sunglasses and plenty of water.
3. Food. Bring extra. We unexpectedly needed to spend an extra night in the canyon and had not brought enough food. Like water, food is fuel to the body, especially when demanding high performance. Luckily, we were able to get some extra food from a ranger which made the trip not only more enjoyable, but actually do-able.
2. Camaraderie. On the trail it is easy to strike up conversation with other hikers and learn their stories. We met a man who had hike the Appalachian Trail in 6.5 months and many hikers from other countries out enjoying one of the most spectacular places on earth right in our backyard! It is fun to share that feeling of accomplishment with others who are sweating alongside with you mile after mile.
Looking down Bright Angel trail to Indian Garden Campground
1. It’s Worth It. The Grand Canyon is a magical, spectacular and mysterious place. Its equal cannot be found. Hopefully you find yourself among the lucky ones who were able to visit and catch a sense of its grandeur.
