Going Down is Optional; Going Up is Mandatory

Let me take you on an adventure- a beautiful, challenging adventure into the Grand Canyon very few get to see.

Did you know less than 5% of the annual 6 million visitors to the canyon go below the rim? Of those 6 million tourists, less than 1% attempts a Rim2Rim hike. Three months ago I knew very little about this challenge. For the past two months I’ve lived & breathed it.

The Grand Canyon Rim2Rim hike typically begins on the canyon’s north rim and crosses through the canyon floor up to the southern rim of the canyon. The strenuous hike, typically taking 12-15 hours, most often begins before dawn at the North Kaibab trailhead at 8,241 feet with an elevation drop of 5,781 on the way to the canyon floor 14 miles in. Once you reach the Bright Angel trail on the south rim, you still have another 4,380 feet elevation gain before reaching the top at 6,860 feet, close to 25 miles later. The hike is typically done over several days with an overnight stop at the Phantom Ranch bunkhouse or one of the primitive campgrounds in the canyon floor. In these days of lotteries & permit requirements, I opted to do the entire hike in one day.

How does a flatlander (code for those of us who live at sea level) prep for this adventure? Luckily, we were camping out west so to train for hiking, I hiked. A lot. At high altitude. Carrying a hefty pack. I had no access to weights & gyms so I laced up my boots & hiked up & down every ski mountain I could find. I obsessed about nutrition (did you know pickle juice works wonders to avoid cramps?) & tested out salt tablets (critical to avoid hyponatremia) & electrolytes to keep me fueled. Since temperatures would range from the 40s to 100s throughout the day, preparing for both cold and blazing sun took a lot of thought. I read way too many websites that made me question my readiness & sanity of taking on the trek at over 60. Since I would make the trek alone, I found a group to handle logistics & provide a guide to sweep behind just in case of emergency. And I bought insurance as the only way out of the canyon in an emergency is via rescue helicopter- at a hefty price paid by the hiker.

As I nervously arrived at my room near the north rim, Jeff gave me a pep talk to assure me I was ready. I felt like Rudy before the big game! At that point I was most nervous about oversleeping my 3am wakeup call so I cut a deal with another hiker to call each other as backup. As we donned our cold weather gear & headlamps at 5am, we entered the canyon. The first 6 miles were the toughest for me- all downhill in the dark using poles to help with uncertain footing while fighting jitters. Once the sun began to rise, I could enjoy the view & settled into a groove, hoofing along at a steady pace, being sure to eat small snacks regularly & keeping up on fluids. My goal was to hit “the box” early.

 

“The box” is the nemesis for Rim2Rim hikers. It is the portion of the hike across the sweltering heat of the canyon floor from about miles 9-13. I’m talking temps that can reach 120 degrees in the sun. There are several campgrounds down here (one along the Colorado River) & a rustic stop, Phantom Ranch, where you can purchase snacks, refill water & get a refreshing lemonade. The Ranch also has the only Post Office delivering mail by burro- and you KNOW I love me some burros. After mailing cards, I went to the stream to get ready for the box by wetting all my clothes & towels to cool my temperature.

This turned out to be a poor move as 15 minutes later, the skies opened, pouring with whipping winds for hours. We hugged the sides of cliffs on the way up & gave up on trying to keep hats on our heads & our shoes dry. But, the rain was a blessing in disguise, keeping temperatures in the tolerable low 90s. The next hurdle is Indian Gardens where you mentally & physically face the steep ascent.

These last 5 miles are tough. One area, the Corkscrew, has 27 switchbacks. As your legs get more fatigued, incline & altitude increases. You begin to think someone is playing a cruel joke and these marked distances can NOT be correct. But you drag on- focusing on pulling yourself up one step at a time. Near the top you pass ill-prepared tourists heading down for a quick hike & think, “they have no idea what the hike back up will be like.” Darkness began to fall, cooling temps but the full moon came up, lighting our way for the final steps of the 14-hour trek.

If you ask me is it worth it?  Hell yeah. Would I do it again? Hell yeah. How few souls get to be among such beauty for an entire day? I was careful to heed advice I got to continually turn around throughout the day to enjoy the views I had just passed.  Did I ever think of quitting? Hell No… remember, starting the hike is optional. Finishing is mandatory!

 

 

Camper Life- 2 Months & no Murder or Mayhem

 It’s been two months since we’ve embarked on our camper adventure. What have we learned- both good & bad- along the way?

 The biggest decision- plan ahead or wing it? Either way, you WILL find a place to sleep. Without reservations, I had visions of us dragging the camper around only to be informed like Joseph & Mary that “there is no room at the inn.” If all else fails, you can find a hotel room or a parking lot for one night. Our favorite experience to date has been dry camping on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land where we were miles from humans & with no light pollution enjoyed the Perseid meteor showers in all their glory.

 We’d heard so many stories of crowds hitting the road across the US that it seemed alarming to   head off without a plan. My issue is that I want a “stellar” experience- a great campground AND a great spot. This takes a bit of time & effort.

 - Learn the system. Some parks take reservations 11 months ahead. Others are four. You KNOW I was online exactly the second the system opened. As a result I had waterfront spots or huge spots with no neighbors nearby. Download apps, input credit card numbers & be ready to roll!

 - Consider what you want in a spot. Are views or privacy most important? If so, grab spots on the edge of campgrounds. If proximity to showers or laundry is important, pick a more central spot. Apps even have pictures of each spot & reviews from past campers.

 - Water is king. Access to & water pressure are critical. I still find myself worried about how much we have. Another point- shower rooms are not gross. Many times I’ve opted for a long luxurious “Hollywood” shower in the campground shower. These are not prison-style showers- you have your own private rooms with a door, benches, sinks & hooks with access to plugs & mirrors. At Kodachrome SP, we had rain shower heads AND handheld shower wands.

 - We’ve cooked & prepared meals much less than we expected. We are out & about all day so often we opt for a linner (Lunch/Dinner) at a recommended local restaurant. I’ve had our meal plans delivered periodically when we can get packages (Yes, the Amazon driver can still find you!) & have focused on those that are easiest to prepare. Our freezer is still packed with the tuna, sauces & soups I brought from home but we whittle away at our stores.

 - We’ve found that we don’t like to move often & enjoy a wide mix of full-service campgrounds mixed with rustic state or national park spots with more limited resources. Staying put for a while allows you to dig into an area & learn the best hikes & restaurants from locals.  We’ve also opted for shorter days on the road- not much more than four hours max on the road, & mix music, news, audiobooks & pleasant conversation to pass the time.

 - Assume all of America does not have blazing fast wifi or any cell coverage. We are careful to download driving & hiking maps when we have a signal (a shout out to All Trails!) & even have paper maps (gasp!) Sometimes we have TV, sometimes not. A BIG shoutout to the Baileys for a loaner portable DISH Tailgater system to satisfy Jeff’s need for SEC football.

 Like home, we haven’t been able to control weather & have had near misses with mudslides, fires & rainstorms. A rain day is a chance to rest knees & catch up on laundry (also easy on the road.) With Covid, we have much greater control over our environment than if we were moving from hotel to hotel & have all our favorite “stuff” without repacking. We’ve found it important to us that we keep the rig neat & tidy so we can find things & it makes it feel much bigger with things put away where they belong.

What’s been surprising? How many friends we’ve connected with along the way- both by accident & on purpose. We’ve had several surprise meetups with pals & have made new friends at campgrounds- how often does that happen in a VRBO or hotel? Campers LOVE touring each others rigs & sharing favorite travel finds. We've had to purchase dog treats for all the visiting puppies.

Another surprise? How busy you will be. I carried books, puzzles & art supplies but am still reading my first paper book) albeit I’ve completed many audiobooks while hiking. Why would I go inside until we’ve enjoyed sunset?

My final surprise is how handy Big Red, our new big ass truck, has been.  At all times she has our outdoor gear, wine, portable office, trusty basil plant & much, much more in her cabin. Don’t’ even get me started about all that we have in the truck bed.  We have, however, realized we don’t need a lot of things we brought. And we haven't killed each other... not even close.