Don't Rock This Boat: In the Canyon (September 27-30, 2009.)

Tom and I have gotten into the habit of going on a fall vacation every year. In 2007 we went to the West Coast of Canada (Vancouver, Victoria and Tofino) and in 2008 we went to the West Coast of the US (Seattle, Portland and Cannon Beach). We wanted to do something different this year, so we decided to do a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon.

If you don't already know, Tom and I aren't really all that big into hiking or camping. In fact, I can count the number of times that I've been camping on one hand! So this sort of trip was very different for us-- definitely an adventure.

After some research, we decided to book our trip through a tour company. Over the course of four days and three nights we would hike 28 miles (45 kilometers) with a small group and guide, from the North Rim of the canyon to the South Rim. The company supplied all of our essential gear (i.e. back pack, tents, sleeping bags, etc.), took care of all necessary permitting, and

provided food and snacks for the duration of the hike. They also picked us up from our hotel and dropped us off at the end. It was a stress-free way to organize our trip. Once it was booked, all we had to do was drag ourselves out of bed at 4am for our 4:30am pickup. I'll take this moment to mention that Phoenix is a bloody sauna! At our 4:30am pickup, it was pitch black out, and an absolutely stiffling 30+ degrees outside. AC is a must down there...

Day 1: North Rim to Cottonwood Campground

After a five hour drive from Phoenix, we got our first glimpse of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This is what we saw:

Surprisingly, it didn't seem all that different from the landscape in BC. There were forested areas of pine trees, and familiar alpine vegetation. Here we began a 5 hour descent into Roaring Springs Canyon with a vertical elevation drop of 1250m over 10.9km. The hiking was almost entirely downhill, which was shocking for EVERY MUSCLE IN MY LEGS. I basically spent the first day reminding myself to drink water (very important, considering it was about 28 degrees), and sliding around in my hiking shoes (more on that later). When we arrived at the Cottonwood campsite, it was already starting to get dark. Luckily there was still enough light to see the pink rattlesnake that was hanging out near the water station.

After pitching our tents and fixing a hasty (but tasty!) dinner, we were all in bed by 8pm. However, being in bed does not necessarily equal sleeping-- at least not for Tom and I. While our tour guide and a fellow hiker snored like freight trains 3 ft away, Tom and I spent most of the night tossing and turning. It was quite hot for most of the night, it was nosy (with the snoring), and every few minutes you could hear the rustle of mice and squirrels scurrying through our campsite.

Day 2: Cottonwood Campsite to Phantom Ranch

Our tour guide let us "sleep in" until about 6:30am that morning. By the time we tore down camp and got ourselves packed up, it was nearly 8am. It was a much later start than our guide had hoped for-- especially since we had 11.1km to go, with an additional 500m vertical descent.

The landscape in this portion of the canyon was very different than what we had experienced the previous day. The pine trees were replaced by cacti and shrubs. The trail was much flatter. We took a detour from the main trail so we could take a peek at Ribbon Falls. The falls were much appreciated by everyone. You see, the Grand Canyon National Park campsites don't have showers, and they don't allow soap or shampoo-- not even the biodegradable kinds! So we took turns sticking our heads into the water for a much needed cool down. Unfortunately, while we were occupied in the water, an aggressive squirrel chewed its way through one of the lady's backpacks, through her snack bag, and was discovered with its tail poking out of the bag as it feasted on an apple.

When we arrived at Phantom Ranch that afternoon, our group was suffering from cramped muscles, and in my case, a suite was debilitating blisters. I'm not exaggerating when I say these blisters were EVERYWHERE. On my heels, on my toes and on the sides of my feet. It seemed like not a single surface of my feet was left unscathed! I ended up wrapping my toes in strips of duct tape to cut down on the rubbing in my shoes. Of course, this description wouldn't be complete without pictures to prove it! Ewwww!

Our campsite at Phantom Ranch (technically the Bright Angel Campsite) was next to a creek. We spent a good portion of the afternoon sitting in the creek relaxing. I didn't realize how much I loved the creek until later that night. The sound of the rushing water managed to dampen the sound of snoring, and drown out the scurrying of rodents. Although I didn't sleep well that night, it was definitely better than the night before.

Day 3: Phantom Ranch to Indian Gardens Campsite

First thing on day 3, we crossed over the Colorado river. As Tom can attest to, the Colorado is freezing cold. Essentially, the water from the river is released from the bottom of a dam (i.e. water at the bottom of the dam that hasn't seen the light of day in years), so it is colder than the glacier waters in the Rocky Mountains! We saw a few groups of rafters on the river before the trail veered away from the water.

Some highlights from day 3 include the Devil's Corkscrew (the first series of ascending switchbacks we encountered), a deer that wondered through our campsite, a tiny translucent scorpion on the water fountain, a mouse crawling between the fly and tent of a fellow camper (with girlie squeals aplenty) and a trek to Plateau Point-- resulting in some of the most beautiful photos from our entire trip.

Day 4: Indian Gardens to South Rim

We used headlamps to cut through the darkness when we headed out on our fourth and final morning. At 5:00am, our tour guide wanted to get as much hiking done as possible before the sun came up. He explained that most of the day would be spent working our way up switchbacks, which would be torture in direct sunlight. If you look closely at this photo, you can see the switchbacks zig-zagging back and forth off the rim.

It worked out quite well in the end. We managed to beat the sun for most of the hike, with the exception of the last 45 minutes or so. By 10am, we had finished the final 7.4km of the hike, and ascended vertically, 930m. Emerging from the trail on to the South Rim left me with an indescribable sense of accomplishment and triumph. The weather was warm and beautiful, the sights were amazing, and the experience was unforgettable. But in addition to that, I was sore, tired, and relieved that we were finally at the end.

The Grand Canyon was fantastic. I'm not sure if you can truly appreciate it by simply standing on the rim and looking in. I'd definitely recommend going in. And one thing is for certain; if you go in to the Grand Canyon, the shower you have at your hotel at the end will be the best shower you ever experience!