Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at Yaki Point.
Somehow, I talked Nancy into hiking the Grand Canyon from top to bottom and back in one day. We chose the South Kaibab Trail because it’s the shortest route to the bottom and is more scenic than the Bright Angel Trail. The South Kaibab is 13 miles round-trip, with 4,800’ of vertical.
We got up early, hoping to be on the trail by 6:00, but due to the park’s screwy shuttle system we didn’t start hiking until 7:00.
Checking out the view at Ooh-Ahh Point.
The South Kaibab Trail is a ridge trail, so there are great views along most of it’s length. The first buena vista is Ooh-Ahh Point, which is about a half-mile down the trail.
It was very cold and windy and we had to hike fast to stay warm. I was glad it was so cold—no chance of dehydration.
Early morning on the South Kaibab, on Cedar Ridge with O’Neill Butte below.
There are outhouses (but no water) at a couple of points on the trail. The first relief area is at Cedar Ridge, which is 1.5 miles (1200’ vertical) below the rim.
Oh-oh, we’re starting to dress alike.
There are a zillion signs warning hikers not to hike the entire canyon in one day. The park rangers get tired of fishing dehydrated vacationers out of the canyon every summer, to the point that they provide no maps of the entire trail because they don’t want you hiking it.
Cedar Ridge is the limit they recommend hiking. It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you DO NOT go any further, or (insert photo of dead tourist)THIS COULD BE YOU!
Nancy is a speck on the trail, 1200’ above the river.
After 4.5 miles and 3400’ of vertical is a section called “The Tipoff,” the final steep section before the bottom.
We hustled quickly down the trail, taking few breaks, conscious of how short the day was and how much time we would need to get back.
A view of the white bridge, which connects to the Bright Angel Trail.
At 3600’ down (or 1200’ above the river), you get glimpses of the Colorado and the bridges below. We were almost entirely in shade the rest of the way to the river, switchbacking on red rock similar to the red cinder used on highways in central Oregon.
Rawhide!
As we approached the Black Bridge and the Colorado River, we had to wait for a mule train to pass. Their ability to negotiate the rocks and steps is remarkable.
Enjoying the flat part of the trail.
After three hours of endless, loose, rough stairsteps, we made the bottom. I don’t like down-hiking (that’s what skis are for), and my legs were shaking from the thousands of log steps on the trail.
Nancy with a cold can of Coke, and her feet in the cold Colorado.
Nancy’s goal was to dip her pink toenails in the Colorado River—she kept saying that she couldn’t believe she did it. It was hot at the bottom—in the mid-80s. We were so glad we didn’t hike it in summer.
The days are short in late October and we didn’t want to finish the hike in the dark, so we limited ourselves to a half-hour at the river before heading back up.
Still smiling after climbing 1000’.
The first thousand feet up was easy. Nancy was motoring—I could barely keep up with her.
About 1200’ above the river, with the Zoroaster Temple in the background.
The next mile was fine; still in the shade.
Hiking above the Tonto Trail junction, about 1600’ above the river.
You tend to think of the Grand Canyon as one continuous cliff, but there is a broad bench about 3000’ below the rim called the Tonto Platform.
This section—from the Tonto Trail junction to the halfway point of the trail—takes the most out of you because there’s no relief from the sun.
Near the halfway point. Hiking up…
It never got hot enough to sweat much, but we felt the sun just the same. This part would be brutal in the summer.
...and up…
Our pace began slowing at this point, and we took a long break at the halfway point to fuel up and watch a chipmunk battle two crows for our crumbs.
...and up…
The section below Skeleton Point is cut into the cliff, with some dramatic dropoffs.
...and up... ...and up... …and up.
Trudging up from Ooh-Ahh Point—only 500’ of climbing to go!
We took another long break at Cedar Ridge, with 1200’ of climbing still ahead of us. We left a large safety cushion of time to get back, so we were able to take our time at this point.
We only saw three other hikers doing the entire trail in one day, but near the top we ran into many more tourists who had come down to Ooh-Ahh Point and Cedar Ridge to take pictures.
200 more feet!
The final section is a series of switchbacks cut into the Kaibab Limestone formation.
THIS COULD BE YOU!
Nancy never thought she would hike the Grand Canyon. I didn’t think about it either. I just figured, since we’re here, let’s do something besides stand on the rim and take pictures.
I think it took us about five and a half hours to hike back up. It was well worth the effort. The scenery is stunning and I recommend it to anyone in reasonably good shape. Just don’t do it in the summer.
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