GC Rim-to-Rim hike

[Thomas R. Conroy]

We're planning a GC rim-to-rim yo-yo. Does anyone have a guesstimate on the average hike time from Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim to Phantom Ranch [incl. the 1.5 miles from the Lodge to the trailhead].

Many thanks!

[Brett Tucker]

Not sure about the 1.5 mi approach (which should be relatively easy), but the downhill time along the North Kaibab Trail to Phantom can be fairly fast for someone with adequate conditioning (ie, no knee issues). Three mph should be reasonable. It really is ALL downhill.

Uphill could be another matter, of course, although the trail is generally well graded and easy to follow.

Not clear on the definition of a Rim-to-Rim Yo-Yo. Is this to the river and back, straight across from one rim to the other, or are you intending to do a Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim (North Rim-South Rim-North Rim)?

[Michael Davis]

Don't know about the north rim but, I was at GC at the end of April this year. The trip was short noticed as I had a quickly planned business trip to Phoenix. Being that close, (I'm from Florida), I took my wife and we extended our trip a couple of days. With no advance notice to get a permit, we simply did a day hike on the South Kaibab Trail to the river and back.

The trip is about 6-1/4 miles one way to the river. The trip down was a breeze but it is nothing but uphill coming back. We had perfect weather as it was just below freezing at sunrise as we started and we hit 83 degrees at the river. It was a warm trip back up and we found 70's on the rim.

I would describe Grand Canyon in the summer as a potentially hostile hike, down and back! Make sure that you are prepared for it!

If you go, take along a big memory card for your camera. I filled my 512mb up before I even got to the river!

Here's a pic …

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[Thomas R. Conroy]

Brett,

I probably confused even myself with my description of the trip as a "yo-yo." We are intending a Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim trip beginning, and ending, at the North Rim. We are among the fortunate ones with no knee issues so your view on three mph downhill will prove most helpful in our planning.

We ascended the North Kaibab trail last year so we're pretty squared away with how long that segment will take us.

Thank you!

[Brett Tucker]

I performed this bit of zanyness back in '01, South-North-South, as an 18-hr dayhike, using Bright Angel on the initial descent and return (48 mi). Doing the trip with a camp along the way would be a different game, of course (heavier, slower) although I'm not sure which approach you had in mind. (Also, South Kaibab is shorter but steeper than BA – not as much of an issue if starting on the North Rim, perhaps.)

http://community.webshots.com/album/116582339EkqeUh

FWIW, it was late October in '01, much cooler at that time of year, and I'd just come off 1000 miles on the PCT. Still, I walked, didn't run, and had no specific conditioning for any sort of record attempt (which I was not out to achieve). The R-R-R is, like thru-hiking for the conditioned thru-hiker, mostly an exercise in mental fortitude.

[Thomas R. Conroy]

Brett,

Our planned trip is not in your league – we're in single A ball to your time in the Big Show! We'll be going in late May, going South to North on the first day [with a 3:00 a.m. start], staying @ Grand Canyon Lodge "overnight", and then coming back North to South on the following day [with a 1:00 a.m. start]. We plan to partake of the Phantom Ranch 6:30 a.m. breakfast seating on both mornings. I fear that if I even suggest a continuous trip like yours to our group of six I will quickly find out what it was like to be Capt. Bligh [and I have zero sailing skills].

Thomas

[David Chenault]

Thomas, it seems to me your start times would allow you to meet your breakfast engagements quite easily, and leave you with plenty of time to kick back on the North Rim lodge porch and enjoy a beer in the afternoon.

Enjoy!

[Brett Tucker]

>>I fear that if I even suggest a continuous trip like yours to our group of six I will quickly find out what it was like to be Capt. Bligh [and I have zero sailing skills].<<

Heh. After you've successfully completed your trek and are safe from mutiny, you can regale the troupe with rumors of the Rim4X (that's 4 Rims in one straight go!). Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. :)

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