A Hike Back through Time

This June, my good old friend, Steve, and I walked down into the Grand Canyon and out again.  We had been planning this hike for quite some time.  Steve spent many hours on the phone a year ago getting reservations at Phantom Ranch, located at the bottom next to the Colorado River.  Space fills quickly the first day of each month for reservations that must be made one year in advance.

This is the view from the south rim at the head of the South Kaibab Trail, our starting point.  Yaki Point is in the right foreground.

The age of formation of the various rock layers visible in the canyons spans well over a billion years.  It is difficult to keep this in mind when descending into the canyon.  The topmost limestone layer was deposited 270 million years ago while the igneous and metamorphic rock of the deep inner gorge dates to almost 2 billion years.  Thus, when hikers dip into the canyon they are actually traveling back in geologic time.  This concept was made famous by Colin Fletcher in his 1967 book, The Man Who Walked Through Time.  Colin is the first to have continuously walked the length of the canyon from one end of the National Park to the other, a distance of over 1/3 of the canyon.  The total length of the Grand Canyon is 270 miles.    

Our trek would be slightly more modest, a vertical descent of 4780 ft along a 7 mile route of countless switchbacks to the river followed by climbing back out on the Bright Angel Trail a distance of 9.5 miles.  At the start there were lots of other hikers on these switchbacks with us.

We looked and felt energetic and fresh at the top despite having jet lag and toting AARP membership cards.  In the end we learned that this is not a trivial hike.    

On the way down we paused many times to admire the fantastic views and take pictures.  

This shot shows some of the limestone, sandstone and shale layers through which we descended.

  

When we reached this viewpoint, we started to recognize that the temperature was rising, much higher than the 70 deg at the beginning of the day.  The red rock heat was making itself felt.  We also noticed that there were now very few other hikers.  Almost all others were making this into a day hike and had turned to regain the rim.  A ranger stopped us on the trail.  She said that our packs looked light and asked if we had enough water.  She eventually let us pass although she was clearly not totally convinced that we were adequately prepared.  Of course, there was no question in our minds.  We pushed on.  

More switchbacks led us deeper into the silent heat, unshielded from the glaring sun.  The radiant heat from the hot rocks added to the feeling that we were baking in an oven.  

There is an emergency phone at the Tipoff, just before dropping into the inner gorge.  A thermometer read 100 F in the shade.  We were afraid to imagine the temperature in the sun.  

Finally, we got a view of the Colorado.  It's way down there and the trail is STEEP!!  If you look closely, you can see one of the two walking bridges. 

 We made it to the river.  This shot looks back toward the tunnel which leads to the bridge.  We didn't want to leave the tunnel.  There was shade and a breeze (although composed of  >100 F air).  It was nearly 3 pm.  We had started at 7:30 am.  The national park recommends a start no later than 6 am.  We now understand why.  Hot and tired does not nearly describe our discomfort.  I was flushed, slightly nauseous, and light-headed even after drinking liters of water and gatorade.  The lady ranger had been right to be skeptical.  What had started as a leisurely walk was ending as a struggle against heat exhaustion.  And tomorrow we would have to walk all the way back up!!!  I was having my doubts.  When signing in at the Phantom Ranch, I must have looked better than I felt, otherwise I'm sure the attendant would have called for first aid.   

The ranch is a rustic throwback to decades ago.  This is the dining room/mess hall where family style meals are served.  The food is excellent and all you can eat, although my appetite was somewhat subdued because of my bout with the heat.  We ate at a table with 8 Amish ladies who had walked down in long dresses.  They were chipper and all smiles, doing nothing for my ego.  

The accommodations are simple but adequate.  There are a number of small cabins for families (or Amish ladies).  We stayed in a dorm with 8 other hikers.  The bunk beds were comfortable.  The shower felt so, so good and even better, the dorm was air-conditioned.   This was lucky for us because when we arrived the temperature was 107 F in the shade.  Sleeping would have been impossible without the cooling unit.  

Steve had no trouble convincing me that we should sign up for the early breakfast.  At 4:30 am came a knock on the dorm door.  We were on the trail by 5:30 am.  This is a view downstream from the walking bridge just after leaving Phantom Ranch.  

We dreaded the rising of the sun over the canyon rim.  We were unsure of the temperature in the morning.  It was warm but in no way comparable to the heat of the previous afternoon.  

  

Because of our early start, we were able to climb for several hours in the shade.  Climbing out was definitely easier than climbing down, all due to the heat.  As we climbed the temperature did not increase.  It is simply cooler at higher elevations even though the temperature increases during the day.  

After conquering many, many switchbacks we again began to meet the day hikers who only descend partway from the El Tovar lodge into the canyon.  

When we arrived at the top, I was quite emotional.  We had traveled back through geologic time and back through decades to a ranch that marvelously has not changed much since early in the last century.  We had also regained a glimpse into our youth, to a time when this would have been more like a cake walk.  However, this was truly an accomplishment for me and a great experience which I was fortunate enough to share with my very good friend, Steve.  We're already planning our next adventure hike.  

P.S.  Another reason I felt so emotional at the end of this hike was my memory of a trip Mary and I had made to the canyon more than two decades ago with our two boys.  Tim, Lucas and I had walked down to the river from the south rim and out to the north rim, camping two nights in the canyon.  Mary drove around to meet us at the north rim.  That was a very special time when I bonded with my sons.  I only wish the trip could be repeated so that we could be together again.  I'm dedicating the hike this year to my two precious sons, Lucas and Tim.