Grand Canyon- Double Crossing aka “Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim”- BPL Group Run

I don't know, but I am kind of disappointed that I may not be wearing my fishnets (Salomon Exo Slab shorts and calf sleeves).

With the variety of weather outlooks from "cloudy" all the way to "50% chance of showers" I am just going to do my best to be prepared. Gear options that I am bringing on account of the weather are Cap3 l/s, a rain shell, thermal tights, space blanket and a whistle.

Im ready for anything! As I live here, and have been running here the last year almost every day, both along the rim, as well as to the bottom of the canyon every month, even in winter, snow and ice included, I run no matter what the conditions. All winter I had to go through mud, sleet, water, freezing temps, 2ft deep snow, ice, and frozen puddles! And thats just my daily, after-work "easy" 6 mile abyss trail. So I have all types of running clothes for all the weathers we get here :) I got some extra beenies n gloves if any of you forget yours.
I havent offered ya guys any advice, cause ya seem to have a handle on it…just be prepared for anything , it looks like you all will be. BTW, even in winter, i never needed micro-spikes, my YakTrak pros worked fine, ok, see ya friday

After some changes in my family's plan to do a road trip from Colorado, I'm now looking to fly into PHX solo on Friday. Is anyone else flying into the airport that day with spare room in their car? I will be flying standby, arriving either at 10am or 1130am. Another option is that I could take bus/light rail combinations to exit the airport to get to a more convenient location to be picked up. This could get me away from the airport and potentially closer to an interstate from noon to 1:00. I'm pretty sure that it goes without sayin' that I'm more than willing to make a gas pitch. Any takers?

I'm out packing and geeking on gear for this thing….So here's my current gear thinking for the crappy conditions, might change depending on what we see on Saturday:

Worn:
Synthetic T
Rab Boreas
Asics shorts
Patagonia Cap1 tights
socks
Inov-8 Roclite 295 (tend to be better for sloppy conditions than my MT110s)
Timex Ironman
ArcTeryx Phaser Toque beanie

Hard Goods Carried:
Black Diamond BBEE pack (loving this sleek little guy!)
First Aid / leukotape / AM pre-mixed drops in mini dropper
Petzl Zipka +2
Platypus 2L (though I'll only carry 1L in it so it stays flatter in the pack)
2x 24oz handheld bottles
Kahtoola Microspikes
Heat Sheets emergency blanket

Soft Goods Carried:
ArcTeryx hardshell, top and bottom (I forget the model…Alpha Gamma AR super-duper something…it's GTX Paclite, pretty lightweight for a hardshell)
Montbell Thermawrap jacket
liner gloves w/ homemade silnylon rain mitts

Everything Packed:
Shell pants are folded behind the bladder, everything else in stuffsacks. I'm amazed it all fits so well. This pack has great proportions and rides well loaded. STill plenty of room for Perpetuem, Snickers, and gels.
Dog will be pulling me in a custom cuben harness system. She gives me a ~2 min/mile advantage. Adan has seen it at work; 14 pounds but she thinks she's a sled dog.

Dude, I got my eyes on your gears right now. Feeling totally inadequate, I'm gonna look like a poser compared to this. Looking good. Are the pant shells waterproof or not totally? Will you be bringing the seal skins or did those not make the cut after our Baldy wet camp last week? If I end up having to pack a puffy, driducks and spikes then I may have to switch to the Golite Ion for more space. Not ideal but what the hell, rookies gotta look like rookies for a while.

Let's get some.

heres a link to some of my pics from other runs down there. Page 2 has cloudy-pics too, that may be how it is this weekend…who knows. Anyway, just thought id share ta keep ya guys psyched up! Its sooo pretty here, you guys are gonna have a blast no matter the weather

http://sangabrielmnts.myfreeforum.org/ftopic4211-0-asc-0.php

Craig- looks good :) I'm going to load up everything for a test this evening, good chance I'll be moving up to my Talon 11 it's only 6 oz heavier than the 5.5 (22 vs 16 oz), but hold bulky stuff better (ie nanopuff)- also has belt pockets which are handy.

Mike

Eric- try pm'ing David- he's arriving Friday morning and renting a car

Mike

Thanks for sharing the photos of your Rim/Canyon runs Torrey. You're spoiled! I can't wait to get up there and take it all in- rain, snow, sleet, or shine.

I still need to get my gear together, when I do I'll post up a proper list. I don't own any shell pants and I'm not 100% sure I'm going to bring a puffy; probably going to just pack a heavier weight midlayer (Cap 2 or 3) and keep moving. I suppose the weather will dictate that decision as always.

Craig
gear looks good, although micro spikes look a bit heavy.
I'll probably go with my bright yellow Bbee, hard to get lost.
is that a weiner dog ? I have two at home.

Eugene
my Cap 3 shirt = 214g , Nano Puff = 274g
no brainer which one I'll bring.

Yes, I have a nanopuff Art (parka), it's a bit of sauna suit when worn while non stationary, even light hiking. I take it you have the np pullover. Do you plan to stop much?

I've been going back and forth between bringing my UD Wasp vest or my Arcteryx Aerios 7 pack, loaded all my stuff and I like the way my junk packs in the Aerios instead. Originally planned to take two bottles inside my pack, but will load up a nalgene cantene 1L platy style container instead.

I have the pullover, no hood, nano puff to keep it as light as possible.
I will not run with it on generally. will put on my Triumph shell first.
But 3 years ago, I remember the last 6 miles back up to the south rim being very cold. between the night time, gaining altitude, and being very tired and depleted, something warm was quite welcome.

my triumph shell combined with my nano puff is my version of an emergency bivy. something you can put on to keep hypothermia away and still keep moving.

Re. stops … they will be short and few. basically just at water refills, and maybe 5 minutes at the north rim.

this was so much easier when it said 65 and sunny! :)

Are many of you planning on bringing cameras to take photos/videos along the way? I had planned on bringing my digital camera, but with the wet weather it may just turn out to be a lot of extra mass to haul around.

you mean BPL hasn't hired a film team in a helicopter to shoot this thing ?

I think they're coming, but for a different group running the canyon…

I will have my trusty iphone. It survived the PCT (but not one of foster dogs that ate it.) and I will be taking as many pictures/videos as I can. Even though we may be a few different groups we all should meet and pass north of the river. I hope to get some pictures of a whole line of runners/hikers. It's getting close!

I will have my p&s on me.

Art, the helicopter supported filmcrew apparently doesn't fly during inclement weather, and the mule train supported film crew moves too slow.

You should get David Brashears and the IMAX film crew.

–B.G.–

Better be a film crew, I didn't buy all this Arc'Teryx for nothing.

or Patagucci either!

their loss if no film crew.
there should be epic suffering.

Reason #1 to bring that warm puffy jacket :
Saturday night temps forecast
South Rim 26*
North Rim 22*
don't want to be caught after dark in that without something warm.

NOAA is now projecting a 70% chance of 3-5 inches of snow on the North Rim. Sounds like it will be beautiful, albeit cold and wet down under the rim..??? My excitement level just got a bit higher. Now I have to hope that flights open up a little bit from Salt Lake City to PHX to allow me to squeeze in on my standby flights…

Has anyone read about, or considered, stashing gear under the bridge at the river? It seems like most of the layers that we would need would be for descending from and ascending back to the South Rim. I'm thinking things like tights and some gels won't be needed until it starts to get dark again, so it would be nice to free up some space in the pack as well as lighten the load. I'm not sure if critters are a problem, but I'm pretty sure that I've read of Krupicka and at least one other person stashing food under there.

I'm hoping to run with my UD Wasp, although it will be stuffed to the gills and a junk show. My gear list just grew:

Head to toe:

-Headsweats Visor
-Buff
-Fleece beanie
-Synthetic tee
-Arm warmers
-Patagonia Houdini
-Marmot Super Mica rainjacket
-Black Diamond midweight gloves
-OR Rain Mitts
-Synthetic boxers
-Capilene 1 bottoms (may bring Pearl Izumi tights instead, but they are heavier and not as warm when wet)
-Shorts
-Golite Reed wind pants in the pack
-Garbage bag skirt
-Drymax socks (spares in the pack if/when rain stops)
-Dirty Girl Gaiters
-La Sportiva Vertical K shoes
-Yak Trax Pro?? (Microspikes will be overkill. Hardpacked snow is no big deal, but dust on crust is…)

This huge list is what got me thinking about lightening and slimming down the load. 4 days to go gents!

Eric
there's a path in "Game Theory" that I tend to live by called "mini max". it basically refers to planning for and avoiding a worst case scenario.

I never stash gear along a run that I may need later. Worst case its not there when you return. You guys can stash … I will carry.

p.s.
microspikes are probably heaviest part of your load and you won't be using them much. maybe just drop them and tippy toe thru the short snow section at both rims.

if the forecast holds (still hoping it might change for the better :) ) this will be my “microspike” substitute, I ran in these all fall/winter/spring and they fared pretty well in the snow/ice

packed some stuff last night and the Talon 5.5 is now out and the 11 is in, I added a puffy, rain jacket, r1 bavaclava, rain mitts

I’m bringing shorts and a short sleeve cap 1, but if the forecast holds they’ll stay in my suitcase- I’m bringing both tights and r1 pants, if it’s really cold I’m going w/ the r1’s- not as windproof as the tights but do better in the cold and wet, if the film crew is there I’ll probably go w/ the tights regardless :)