Grand Canyon Rim-2-Rim-2-Rim

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In early April, during a four-day slideshow tour through Arizona, I was fortunate to have a day off to actually experience - as opposed to just talk about - some of Arizona's abundant backcountry. Grand Canyon National Park seemed like the obvious place to go, and running from the South Rim to the North Rim and back, a distance of 41.8 miles with 21,420 feet of vertical change, seemed like the obvious thing to do - at least, I thought so.

While perhaps a touch extreme, running Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim (RRR) is not uncommon: within trail running circles, it's regarded as a classic, a must-do. And I was not at all surprised to pass two other groups running the Canyon that day, including a threesome from Vancouver, B.C.

But within hiking circles, this trek does not seem to garner much attention, when there are few trips, mile-for-mile, hour-for-hour, that compare. Think about it: in one day, you pass through 1.6 billion years of geology (four times) and span the grandest Big Ditch in the world (twice). This is a fantastic undertaking for hikers who have limited vacation time; have limited free time during a family vacation to the Canyon; do not want to take a complete overnight backpacking kit on an otherwise casual vacation; seek high bang-for-the-buck backcountry routes; want to test themselves with long days and exorbitant vertical change; and/or who cannot obtain the necessary permits to go RRR the traditional way: a slow-and-heavy four- or five-day affair.

This article provides the critical information you need to hike or run RRR. It's targeted towards fast-and-fit hikers and for ultra-runners who do not want to overnight. I do realize that covering forty-two miles in a day is not feasible or desired by some, so at points I have included applicable information for the overnight backpacker as well.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Introduction
Key Stats
Trip Planning
Trip Description
Food & Water
Gear
More Information

# WORDS: 3120
# PHOTOS: 7

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Viewing 24 posts - 1 through 24 (of 24 total)

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Mar 10, 2009 at 4:59 pm #1234698

Addie Bedford
BPL Member

@addiebedford
Locale: Montana

Companion forum thread to:

Grand Canyon Rim-2-Rim-2-Rim

Mar 11, 2009 at 6:10 am #1484606

Miguel Arboleda
BPL Member

@butuki
Locale: Kanto Plain, Japan

span the grandest Big Ditch in the world

I hate to be the first to post here, because I found this article very informative, but just one minor observation: the Grand Canyon in the United States is not the longest or deepest canyon (or gorge) in the world, it is the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, in Tibet.

Really doesn't make a difference for anyone attempting to walk the canyon, but just maybe it will make walking it a bit easier knowing it is not the biggest!

Mar 11, 2009 at 8:43 am #1484635

te – wa
BPL Member

@mikeinfhaz
Locale: Phoenix

i also thought copper canyon of mexico was larger. regardless, now he has to hike all three…
:)

*however the word grand has many meanings, large only being one.

Mar 11, 2009 at 9:53 am #1484660

Praveen M
BPL Member

@prav66
Locale: By the foothills of the Colorado Rockies

Colca Canyon in Peru is also larger, grander physically & in appearance.

At some point we have to get over some of the false marketing propping up our own backcountry. The world is much bigger than that. Being the biggest/grandest/baddest is totally unneccessary for an obvious national treasure.

The R2R2R sounds truly insane. I've read blogs of elite runners doing it within a day's window and the suffering it entails. Imagine what the rangers would think if you announced your plans on attempting it :)

Props to Skurka, I'll be curious to hear how the Canyon experience once more will feel at the end of his current epic hike.

I've found it took me about 3 days to really get a sense of time and scale in the canyon and let it all settle in a meaningful way.

Mar 11, 2009 at 9:58 am #1484662

John S.
BPL Member

@jshann

But it's the grandest in appearance I bet. Copper Canyon you can't even go see unless a guide takes you?

Mar 11, 2009 at 10:09 am #1484668

Matt Lutz
Member

@citystuckhiker
Locale: Midwest

"In early April…"

Typo? It is still march, unless he's talking about last year. Explanation?

Mar 11, 2009 at 10:32 am #1484675

Jeff Sharp
Member

@tsjeffery
Locale: Blue Ridge

Hey Andy, which backpack did you carry on this adventure?

Mar 11, 2009 at 10:36 am #1484676

Matt Lutz
Member

@citystuckhiker
Locale: Midwest

I am going to guess it is one of the Nathan vests that he carried during the Leadville 100.

http://www.andrewskurka.com/RACE/LT100-08/photos.php

Mar 11, 2009 at 11:08 am #1484687

Greg Mihalik
Spectator

@greg23
Locale: Colorado

Jeff –

Andy is on the Hayduke Trail at the moment.

Mar 12, 2009 at 12:16 am #1484863

Sharon Moore
BPL Member

@justslm

The trip is worth doing at a walk, too! I did a North Rim to South Rim backpack last June over 4 days. One advantage of going during such a hot time of year was the ability to travel with minimal gear. No sleeping bag, and I could have skipped the tent body except I wanted to keep the scorpions off me at night. Going as light as I did made it possible to thoroughly enjoy the trip where many of my group suffered blown knees, blisters, and black toe because they carried too much stuff. I got started with lightweight backpacking after Andy spoke to my hiking club at Honda during his C2C tour ( I was the one on crutches). So thank you , Andy, for getting me started on BPL, and making this "life list" trip possible!

Mar 12, 2009 at 12:10 pm #1484989

vireoes S
BPL Member

@vireoes
Locale: Northern Utah

Since the subject of Colca Canyon just came up. I just got back from a trip there and want to post this photo. Colca is not the deepest canyon in Peru that honor falls to the nearby Cotahuasi Canyon, which I unfortunately didn't get to visit on this trip.

I complete Roger's MYOG poncho specifically for this trip, even we were only trekking for a couple of days. It got good use across Peru as we were often jumping off buses in the pouring rain and hoofing it several blocks up to the hotel. I am looking forward to giving it a thorough testing this spring.

Mar 12, 2009 at 4:55 pm #1485084

Roger Caffin
BPL Member

@rcaffin
Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

Hi Liz

Good to hear! Lovely photo too.

Cheers

Mar 14, 2009 at 12:10 pm #1485547

David Chenault
BPL Member

@davec
Locale: Queen City, MT

Nice article by Skurka. I've done a Double Crossing a few times and would agree, it's a fantastic experience. A few things I'd add:

-Going down the South Kaibab is really rough on the legs, moreso than either the North Kaibab or the Bright Angel. Down the BA and up the NK at the end is a nice way to go.

-Agree 100% on the trekking pole advice, though I'm pretty sure that Krupicka, Skaggs, and McKay power hike a bunch of the ascents.

-The Phantom Ranch store is open during lunch and dinner hours during the season and is a great place to get some chips and a Tecate before busting out the last ascent.

-DO it! it's fun!

Mar 17, 2009 at 6:15 pm #1486508

Andrew Skurka
BPL Member

@askurka

BPL's timing in publishing this article is impeccable: I'm sitting at a computer on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and am planning to go RRR again tomorrow, which might be tough since this morning I finished my 800-mile trek from Arches and my legs will not be fresh.

Wish BPL had published those water charts though — that's critical info if you are running. BPL – Can those get posted? Let me know if you need me to resend them.

Re comments about superlatives used to describe the GC, you will notice that I did not say the "biggest" Big Ditch in the world — I just said the "grandest," which I understand that it is despite not having been to the others that are even bigger/deeper/wider, including the Snake River Canyon here in the US.

Mar 19, 2009 at 12:25 pm #1487160

Andrew Skurka
BPL Member

@askurka

Finished in 8 hours 2 minutes. Smokin' fast…

Mar 19, 2009 at 12:29 pm #1487164

t.darrah
BPL Member

@thomdarrah
Locale: Southern Oregon

Great Job Andy.

Mar 19, 2009 at 2:12 pm #1487195

Madeleine Landis
BPL Member

@yurtie
Locale: Central Oregon

Don't you carry anything so you can be self sufficient in case of an accident or even blisters or cuts?

Mar 19, 2009 at 5:00 pm #1487264

George Matthews
BPL Member

@gmatthews

I had a one pound slab of protein-rich honey ham

You're an animal!

Good job on the run. Wow!

Mar 21, 2009 at 8:13 pm #1487808

Greg Mihalik
Spectator

@greg23
Locale: Colorado

Andy,
Very impressive!
Congrats on the Hayduke and The Run…

Mar 23, 2009 at 9:38 am #1488109

Jason Ham
BPL Member

@jasonham
Locale: Sierra Nevada

I wish I had seen this before my own run. Such detail in one place would have been a great resource.

I ran this on the 2007 winter solstice. My photos are here:

Grand Canyon Run Dec 2007

We ran from Bright Angel because we could run straight from the hotel without hassle (and more importantly return up the Bright Angel and be equally close to our room.)

It snowed about 6 inches on the South Rim the night before our run, so we got first tracks down the trail. Actually a coyote got first tracks, ours were merely the first human tracks. Going up the North Kaibab entailed post-holing in about a foot of snow.

We used Kahtoola microspikes to enable full running on the way down, but never used them after that.

The multiple water sources (natural and man-enhanced) make this whole thing possible with very little water on the back. We never carried more than two liters.

We didn't see anyone else except at Phantom Ranch and on the last part of Bright Angel on the way back. I guess that's the advantage to doing this on a snowy day.

It was fun…I highly recommend this endeavor.

Mar 25, 2009 at 6:39 pm #1488849

Sonja Wieck
Member

@gosonja
Locale: The Front Range

Andrew, I am planning a double crossing for April 20th, what was the water situation on the NK, if you don't mind. Was the spigot on at the house??

Thanks!

Mar 25, 2009 at 10:52 pm #1488893

Andrew Skurka
BPL Member

@askurka

You'll find water at the Colorado River (in several locations, near the BA CG, Phantom Ranch, etc.), all along North Kaibab Creek, at the ranger cottage, and perhaps from a spring/waterfall that's about 3.5 miles below the North Rim, near the top of the Redwall. Lots of water this time of year. Not sure when the spigot at Cottonwood CG gets turned on — they'll know that info at the BIC.

Mar 26, 2009 at 3:41 pm #1489068

Sonja Wieck
Member

@gosonja
Locale: The Front Range

Thanks Andrew! I called the office and they said May 15th on the Cottonwood Campground faucet. I just wondered if the ranger house spigot happened to be on when you were there a few days ago.

I'm getting really excited for the trip and enjoyed reading your blog. What an awesome adventure you have recently completed!!

Oct 9, 2009 at 9:53 am #1534672

julia green
Member

@julia86

Actually the deepest canyon is the Colca Canyon-Arequipa-Peru, I was there last year in my Peru vacation (www.totallyperu.com), and I must say it was a great experience, I loved it!
When you are there you can see clearly that it is the deepest canyon in the world and the people who live there are so proud of their Canyon that they even made a song that I can't remember right now…

try to upload a photo of when I was there but I'm not very good with this and my daughter isn't around here, I hope I have cleared some of your doubts!

best,
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