Grand Stairmaster

I would have felt pretty good about what I accomplished during my recent trip to the Grand Canyon if it were not for the extraordinary athletes I met while on the trip; more about them later.

Actually the trip began almost 5 months ago when we applied for the backcountry permit. The Grand Canyon receives 30,000 requests for the 13,000 permits granted each year. I was surprised to get exactly what I requested.

After a 7 hour drive, I camped on the South Rim at the Mather campground. The sites are pretty big, the campground had quite a few open sites and I enjoyed siting by the campfire reading a good book.

I got a pretty early start the next morning, Monday April 27, packing up, moving the car to a parking lot, and taking the shuttle bus to the South Kaibab trailhead. Barb and I had hiked the first part of this trail back in October. It is quite steep, about 4800 feet drop in elevation in 7 miles. It is filled with steps as seen in the photo above but since it follows Cedar Ridge for much of the way has amazing views. In the photo to the right you can see the trail just leaving the ridge and also the switchbacks further down the trail as it heads for the lower canyon. Just prior to reaching the Colorado River you enter a tunnel that immediately connects to the black suspension bridge that carries you to the north shore of the river. The photo to the left gives an idea of the steepness as you switchback to the tunnel which is at the same level as the bridge that is just visible crossing the river.

Here I met a couple taking photos of one another. She was my age, he was much older. I volunteered to take their photo. They reciprocated for me inside the tunnel. As we crossed the bridge together I learned they were not stopping at Phantom Ranch (they were only carrying daypacks, like many of those using the cabins or dorms there) but were continuing on back up to the rim via Bright Angel Trail (9 more miles). By arriving at Bright Angel Campground by 11am, I had my choice of campsites and selected #9 right next to Bright Angel Creek which was roaring with spring runoff so sleeping was wonderful. The campground is on the left side of the creek in the cottonwood trees seen in the center of the photo on the left.

Tuesday was my "rest" day since my permit called for spending another night at Bright Angel Campground. I chose to do the 12.5 mile hike up to Ribbon Falls on the North Kaibab trail that eventually goes up the North Rim. I got an even earlier start and was about an hour up the trail when I was passed by a 20 something trail runner. This portion of the North Kaibab is one of the best hikes in the park. The trail is smooth and well maintained and follows Bright Angel Creek most of the way including through the canyon known as The Box. Ribbon Falls is a fabulous sight. This small feeder creek to Bright Angel, falls over a cliff through rocks made of calcium carbonate. It dissolves in the water and then precipitates back out as it falls to create a huge "stalactite" that is mostly hollow. I climbed up and had lunch behind the waterfall. After spending about an hour and a half enjoying the falls, I set off back down the trail. An hour later, the runner from this morning passed by, asking me if I enjoyed the hike. I asked how far up the trail he had gone. While continuing to run he turned his head and answered he had gone to the North Rim. I then asked, "You started at the Ranch?" He shocked me with "No, the South Rim... I do the rim to rim every year." He was not even winded. He was gone around the bend in a few seconds.

I talked to Rangers later who had seen him at different points confirming his route: South Kaibab from The South Rim to the river, North Kaibab to the North Rim and back to the river and then Bright Angel back to the South Rim. 44 miles in one day including 9600 feet in elevation!!!!

I saw 26 different wildflower species that day as well as 6 different lizard species.

The next morning, Wednesday, I headed across the silver suspension bridge and up the dunes. The three advantages of going up Bright Angel trail is that it is mostly in the ravine caused by the Bright Angel Fault so it is shady, there is water available along the trail and you can break the trip in two parts, as I did, by camping at Indian Gardens. I arrived and again got to choose the best site. I did an easy day hike out along the West Tonto Trail in the afternoon. I saw my first rattlesnake, a beautiful pink Grand Canyon Rattler and decided it was a sign that it was time to turn around and head back to the campsite.

The final morning, Thursday, I got on to the trail before 6 am and was able to surprise Barb with a phone call from the South Rim before 9 am. The last photo shows almost the entire trip: the South Kaibab trail is just to the right of the ridge seen in the image, the Colorado River is deep in the canyon crossing from right to left about 2/3 of the way up the photo, the hike up to Ribbon Falls is through the canyon seen on the far side and around the ridge that appears higher than the North Rim in the distance and Bright Angel comes right up the center of the image.