S. Kaibab Trail down to the Colorado to Phantom Ranch, go along the River Trial and come up through Bright Angel Trail
Party: David
Distance is 17.5 miles
Elevation gain is ~4460 ft
Trail head to the Colorado River - 2 hr 30 minutes
Started at Phantom Ranch going up at ~11:50am
Arrived at Indian Garden at ~1:50pm
Started from Indian Garden at ~2:20pm
"Never attempt to hike to the river and back in 1 day." At least that is what every sign you see in Grand Canyon tells you. That is very true in the hot months of the year, and that is what the park service is not telling you. However, in late spring and fall, which is the best possible time to visit the Grand Canyon, hiking to the river and back in 1 day is not as impossible as the Park Service wants you to believe as long as you are in reasonably good shape. Don't get me wrong, people do die here, often too, so one has to be prepared and the weather has to cooperate as well.
I have dream about the impossibles ever since I visited the Grand Canyon in the mid 1990's. Many possibilities considered, from hiking down and taking the Mule ride up, to getting duffel services, to staying overnight at the Phantom ranch - which the reservation is almost impossible to make. Finally, just toughing it, by finishing the hike in 1 day. It turns out to be less dramatic than what it was portrayed to be except for the scenery, which worth every bit of enjoyment.
The weather was projected to be low 20's just 3 days before the hike. That was when David and I finally decided this is the weekend we will go. Bought the flight tickets, booked the rental car on Thursday. Luckily there is still 1 room available at the Maswik lodge at the south rim which where we staged for the hike on Sunday. Got to SFO ~1 hour before the flight on Saturday, my backpack had to go through the scanner 2-3 time only to have the security finding out I have a mini swiss army knife in my hiking first aid kit. It took me no time to decide that they can keep it so I can get through the check point. Got to Phoenix rather uneventful thankfully. Got the rest of our supply such as water and more snake for the hike at the Target over in Phoenix and again at Flagstaff on the way to the Canyon. Not to mention the Starbucks to fuel the minds so the car can stay on the road the whole way.
There is definitely no lack of mis-information coming from the staffs inside the Park. First the wrong information about no bus going to the trail head before 7am - it turns out that the bus started at 5am in the morning. If I would have know, we would start the hike at 6:30 rather than 7:30am. Another staff told us the trail was close the morning of our hike, if that turns out to be true, we would have been extremely devastated. We just realize that there is no lack of confused employees in the park to make sure none of the visitors get all the correct information, include the facts that can help capable hikers to do the same day hike to the river and back (at the right time of the year, of course).
With a view like this, we soon forget about the lack of assistance by the Park staffs.
The weather turns out to be much better than we anticipated. Morning temperature on top of the south rim is up in the high 30's or low 40's, very mild wind at the top, almost non existence. That makes it a very comfortable start. No shivering and hands are free to operate camera and GPS without all stiffed up. As you can see, the view down the Grand Canyon is pure gorgeous. If you keep hearing the magnificent colors of the Grand Canyon, you need to see it early in the morning during sunrise or late in the afternoon during sunset. You are missing out if you only see the Grand Canyon in broad daylight mid afternoon. Everything is too washed out in the midday sun for one to truly appreciate the beauty of the Canyon.
We are standing at the trail head of the South Kaibab trail and finally about to get started down the canyon wall. This is extremely exciting looking down the trail. And in no time, we are inside the canyon looking up. It is a wonderful experience just for being below the rim as this has been a dream of mine for so long.
*** more to come***
