Grand Canyon rim to rim.

[vectordawg]

My daughter and I are planning to do rim to rim next year. For those who have done it, is spring or fall the better choice ? It opens May 15 and closes October 15. I REALLY don’t want to do it in the dead heat of summer. Right now the plan is just a one way trip but I’d consider round trip. We are in good enough shape that one way shouldn’t be too bad.
Thanks

 

[Mackey]

For an alternative to rim to rim, my wife and I did Havasupai Falls back in May. Unbelievable experience! Google it.

 

[Spoonman]

I’ve done the falls as well, absolutely amazing!

 

[LostArra]

My daughter and I hiked down the South Kaibab and up the Bright Angel in one day. A Rim to River to Rim without the shuttle business to the north side. I'm pretty sure it was October. I remember the bull elk running around the parking lot had antlers so I know it was the fall.

How to Hike the South Kaibab and Bright Angel Trail in One Day

Hiking the Grand Canyon on the South Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails is a bucket list experience. Here's how to do it.

www.earthtrekkers.com

 

[MattB355]

Either fall or spring will work. Spring will be iffy with possible snow on the north side if we have a colder/longer winter. The distance is not the issue, it is the elevation. Constant downhill for miles and then constant uphill for miles. The downhill is soo hard on the knees. We did a rim to river to rim in Aug of this year but left at 8pm and hiked all night. It was over 100 and humid at the bottom of the canyon at 2-3am. I would recommend starting at the north rim and hiking to the south rim. This time of year would be ideal as the heat is not bad at all. Whatever the temps are in Phoenix, that will be the temps at the bottom. Take advil and plenty of electrolytes. You really cannot train for the canyon. All the uphill training will never train you for the constant downhill. Hike and run a lot before attempting the hike in one day. If you are camping at the bottom, it would not be as difficult. First time me and the wife hiked this in 2012 we almost died. I was hyponatremic and she had mild heat stroke. We did the hike at the end of May. It was 28-30 degrees at the top and 108 at the bottom.

 

[lif]

For an alternative to rim to rim, my wife and I did Havasupai Falls back in May. Unbelievable experience! Google it.

My wife is heading there in 2 days. Let me know if you have any advice or suggestions. She is staying down there for 3 nights.

 

[eddielasvegas]

Lots of youtube videos on this too as another resource. Weird, but they started showing up on my recommended page about a week ago.

Good luck,

Eddie

 

[LostArra]

Matt reminded me
Take trekking poles. Mandatory for the downhill

 

[Mackey]

My wife is heading there in 2 days. Let me know if you have any advice or suggestions. She is staying down there for 3 nights.

I would advise her to hire a mule to carry her backpack. If she can. It just makes the hike in and out way more enjoyable. We camped at the very top of Mooney Falls and really felt we were lucky to get that spot. People leave to hike out very early in the mornings which leaves some primo campsites vacant until new campers arrive. So tell her to ask around and see who’s vacating the next morning. The climb down Mooney is a little scary but once you start, your confidence builds and you realize you’re probably going to make it. The night sky is unbelievably beautiful. She’ll have an awesome time!

 

[lif]

I would advise her to hire a mule to carry her backpack. If she can. It just makes the hike in and out way more enjoyable. We camped at the very top of Mooney Falls and really felt we were lucky to get that spot. People leave to hike out very early in the mornings which leaves some primo campsites vacant until new campers arrive. So tell her to ask around and see who’s vacating the next morning. The climb down Mooney is a little scary but once you start, your confidence builds and you realize you’re probably going to make it. The night sky is unbelievably beautiful. She’ll have an awesome time!

Who or where does she find out who’s leaving when she’s heading in? Thanks for the help.

 

[vectordawg]

Lots of youtube videos on this too as another resource. Weird, but they started showing up on my recommended page about a week ago.

Good luck,

Eddie

I hadn’t thought about YT. Thanks

 

[vectordawg]

Thanks to everyone who has helped! I knew y’all would come through.

 

[Mackey]

Who or where does she find out who’s leaving when she’s heading in? Thanks for the help.

Just ask around When she gets to the campground . People will tell you if they’re leaving in the morning. I think most people upgrade to a better site this way. But none of them are bad.

 

[lif]

Just ask around When she gets to the campground . People will tell you if they’re leaving in the morning. I think most people upgrade to a better site this way. But none of them are bad.

Thanks. I know they are heading in at like 4am or something , hoping to get a good spot.

 

[roadrunner]

Keep in mind that in Oct, the canyon has had 4 months of heating up and retaining heat. In May, it's coming out of winter.

 

[Nickman123]

Either fall or spring will work. Spring will be iffy with possible snow on the north side if we have a colder/longer winter. The distance is not the issue, it is the elevation. Constant downhill for miles and then constant uphill for miles. The downhill is soo hard on the knees. We did a rim to river to rim in Aug of this year but left at 8pm and hiked all night. It was over 100 and humid at the bottom of the canyon at 2-3am. I would recommend starting at the north rim and hiking to the south rim. This time of year would be ideal as the heat is not bad at all. Whatever the temps are in Phoenix, that will be the temps at the bottom. Take advil and plenty of electrolytes. You really cannot train for the canyon. All the uphill training will never train you for the constant downhill. Hike and run a lot before attempting the hike in one day. If you are camping at the bottom, it would not be as difficult. First time me and the wife hiked this in 2012 we almost died. I was hyponatremic and she had mild heat stroke. We did the hike at the end of May. It was 28-30 degrees at the top and 108 at the bottom.

Totally agree with this. Wife and I rafted down river from the dam to Phantom Ranch and then hiked out on Bright Angel. It was middle of summer and heat was brutal but worst part was altitude. This was years ago when we both were much younger and in great shape and it was still tough. We cruised along pretty good for the first 2/3 to 3/4 of the way, then the altitude hit hard. The last part was really slow with alot of rest stops.

 

[LaHunter]

I did the rim to rim GC hike a few years ago with my daughter and son in law. We arrived on the north rim on May 15 via shuttle van (day it opened) and began our hike on May 16. This is a 4 hour ride in a shuttle van from the south rim. We tent camped 1 night in the small camp area close to the cabins and restaurant in the bottom. Hiked up the south rim on May 17.
This is a 'no joke' challenging hike. I don't think I recall being as sore as I was after our hike, and I stay in good condition and train year round. I think it is about 24 miles. About 6,000 ft down from the north rim to the bottom and about 5,000 ft up to the south rim.
The time of our hike the temps were good. It was in the 30s on the north rim when we started and in the 30s-40s on top of the south rim. Temps in the bottom were over 90 during the day.
There are lots of logistics to this hike, since you have to have a permit to camp.
You can make reservations to eat at the restaurant in the bottom, but the cabin book up way in advance.
I highly recommend this hike, but do not take it lightly. Good luck.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Talk to a ranger and get any trail dope before you set out. Did a loop trail and come up bright angel. Water pipes were broker and we only packed a quart each to save weight. No one died but we were damn thirsty by the time we got to the top.

 

[butcherboy]

I did South to north and then back to south when I was a teenager. Me, my brother , dad, and two friends. Went during spring break in March. Snowing on the south rim and it was pretty warm by the time we reached Indian Gardens 4 miles in. Went all the way to the campgrounds across from Phantom Ranch. Next day went to the next campground headed up the north side but I can’t remember the name of that one now. Stayed there three days because there was snow over the trail about a mile from the north rim. We would hike up from that campground to a ranger cabin and fish in the creek. Take a nap in the hammocks at the cabin, pull some carrots, onions, etc from the garden that was just coming up from the previous year. We made a nice soup with dehydrated turkey and water cress from the creek. The cabin wasn’t open yet. It was a fun trip. Especially hiking back from the cabin and seeing two naked women out sunbathing on a giant boulder! Great time for a teenage boy. Hiked back to Phantom Ranch and stayed the night. Back to Indian Gardens where we were supposed to camp one more night but opted to hike all the way out. That last 4 miles was brutal.

Hiked the New Hance trail a few years before this trip and it’s labeled as primitive. The trail would disappear sometimes and we had to follow our own path lined up with the stacked rocks a few hundred yards ahead of us. Fun trip but very dangerous for a first GC backpacking trip. It was me, two brothers, my sister, dad, and a close friend who taught at our local high school. That was back in the days of MRE’s and no freeze dried or dehydrated meals. Those things were heavy!

 

[vectordawg]

I did South to north and then back to south when I was a teenager. Me, my brother , dad, and two friends. Went during spring break in March. Snowing on the south rim and it was pretty warm by the time we reached Indian Gardens 4 miles in. Went all the way to the campgrounds across from Phantom Ranch. Next day went to the next campground headed up the north side but I can’t remember the name of that one now. Stayed there three days because there was snow over the trail about a mile from the north rim. We would hike up from that campground to a ranger cabin and fish in the creek. Take a nap in the hammocks at the cabin, pull some carrots, onions, etc from the garden that was just coming up from the previous year. We made a nice soup with dehydrated turkey and water cress from the creek. The cabin wasn’t open yet. It was a fun trip. Especially hiking back from the cabin and seeing two naked women out sunbathing on a giant boulder! Great time for a teenage boy. Hiked back to Phantom Ranch and stayed the night. Back to Indian Gardens where we were supposed to camp one more night but opted to hike all the way out. That last 4 miles was brutal.

Hiked the New Hance trail a few years before this trip and it’s labeled as primitive. The trail would disappear sometimes and we had to follow our own path lined up with the stacked rocks a few hundred yards ahead of us. Fun trip but very dangerous for a first GC backpacking trip. It was me, two brothers, my sister, dad, and a close friend who taught at our local high school. That was back in the days of MRE’s and no freeze dried or dehydrated meals. Those things were heavy!

Sounds like a good time!