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Myself and h2b are going to Grand Canyon as part of our honeymoon in April. H2b really wants to do Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Point as a dayhike. We've never hiked before but over the last few months have been getting fit by doing 5-8km walks every other day. How strenuous a hike is Bright Angel to Plateau Point for a couple of first-timers?

Also, how steep is the first descent? I've heard it's a bit of a scary drop? Is the pathway paved pretty well or is it quite loose and dangerous?

Any help or comments greatly appreciated.

To hike to Plateau Point would be a little over 12 miles round trip. The trail is in pretty good condition. The trail is not paved but is well maintained. There really isn't loose rocks on the trail that would make you slide. I would be more worried about twisting an ankle than slipping on loose rocks. I have never worried about slipping off into the canyon. Bright Angel is I believe the most heavily used trail in the Grand Canyon. Yes the 1st part is steep and you will be vary tired coming back out of it. The closer you get to the river the less elevation change along the trail. April is a good time to go. The snow/ice should hopefully be melted off the S. Rim the weather will be cool in the morning but won't be too hot lower in the canyon. The weather at Phantom Ranch is pretty comparable to Phoenix. April is still a few months away. I would start hiking around your area. It is a lot different hiking 6 miles uphill with 3000 ft elevation change that hiking on flat land. Hopefully there are some mountains in you area to train on. Hope this gives you a better idea of what your getting into.
-TIM-

I too would think a couple trips on Peralta, Camelback or Humphrey's would be beneficial - anything with a longish steady uphill to prepare you for anything in the GC.

(this is assuming that you live in Phoenix)

Bryan

Ya the trail is like a sidewalk...its wide, well cut out, and the exposure isnt that bad considering the steep decent. I would recommend instep crampons and trekking poles. I have done this as a day hike and it wasn't too bad...It was very windy on the point but there are some great views walking out to it. You can also load up on h20 at indian gardens too. have fun...Sean

On your timing what ever it take to get there to the point they suggest to double the time coming out. We have run into snow and ice on the trail in the April month as well as in to the first of May. It is a very hard hike and is not suggested alot of times to be one that most people can do. But if you are prepared can be nice. They have been working on the trail and there are supposed to be no mule rides until March or so. It is a lot nicer to hike the trails with out the mules. I am not sure if they will be done by March maybe into April?

I'd suggest finding a hike similiar in length and altitude gain and testing yourself before you go. A canyon hike is much different then a mountain hike. In a canyon, you can't turn around if you get too tired. At that point it's too late. The out trek is 2-3 times more difficult then the in trek. This means you do the hardest part of the trail at the end of the day, when you are most tired.
It's a beautiful hike, I'd highly reccomend it. I'd suggest you start before sunrise so you can watch the sunrise on your way down. Quite the experience. Be sure to bring enough water, some food, and warm enough clothes if you do go.

Nothing prepares you for Grand Canyon as hiking there. If you live close by -- I'd recommend you take a short hike ( say upto the 3 mile point & back -- giving you a roundtrip 6 miles -- long enough to asses your readiness both for the down hill as well as the uphill)

I'd echo Daryl's note too...

Other options -- Rim Trail & Dripping Springs off Hermit

In response to celticshedevil's reply:

It is probably the easiest trail into the Canyon, but it is still a good challenge. There are no easy trails into the Canyon. The only place where the acrophobic might be concerned is actually a short amount way up near the top, but it isn't really exposed, so I wouldn't be concerned about that. The elevation is a different story - it is almost 7000' high at the rim there, so if you are not used to the elevation, you will be winded. Two tips: (1) drink and snack wisely, and (2) don't go too fast downhill, as the manmade "steps" will make your knees sore. Good luck!

Welcome to HAZ celticshedevel and "U" and your "h2b" have a awesome but challenging day hike ahead of you. I am sure you and yours have already looked-up the site; however, for my peace of mind I will include it:

http://www.nps.gov/grca/grandcanyon/

*Alright, that said, I'll get on with it. Condition, condition, condition. Find trails which go up hills. Steep hills. I don't know if you guys jog or run, but you might want to consider picking that up if you haven't already. A couple of weeks prior to your Grand Canyon hike, find a challenging trail you have not done and do a inventory hike to see how you both feel afterwards. Above all else, keep this in the back of your mind, no matter what you do, there is no conditioning program which will fully prepare you for a hike in the canyon.

*Have good gear for day hiking and plan to carry water.

*Make sure you get the weather forecast for the day of your hike. Even on a gorgeous, beautiful, fantastic day, the hike is a challenge. Foul weather will only add to that challenge several fold.

*Get to the park early. Say "0 dark thirty", before the sun pops up. Now this is your option, pull all time pieces off and leave them in the car. Time means nothing, time seems to stop climbing out.

*Start down the trail when you can see clear enough. It is amazing when you are below the rim and see the shadows being chased across the canyon and watching rocks change colors during the sunrise.

*If you can, burn the distance/time going down quickly. Minimize sight seeing. After all, you are going down hill to Indian Gardens and then fairly level ground to Plateau Point. Once there, enjoy the view of the river which I believe is another 1000 feet below.

*After the view of the river walk back to indian Gardens kick back about an hour, relax, drink plenty of water, eat some snacks, and watch an occasional backpacker struggling past.

*Start back up to the rim. You can begin to sight see now because you ain't gonna move that fast. Slow, very slow. Take a lot of breaks, you will anyhow. Try not to look up at the trail, you'll see more people struggling just like you, and the switchbacks are always there. They don't seem to disappear as you pass them. The rim still seems to far up. "Could of swore I just past that switchback, dang it!" Conventional time, man-made time means nothing during the climb out, you will be on "Canyon Time", slow, methodical, patient. Just look out over the canyon and marvel at the wonders of nature and her time.

*Once on top, hug each other, pat each other on the back, and treat yourself to a wonderful, well deserve dinner.

In closing, it is a wonderful adventure for a day hike which you will remember forever. Make certain you,re perpared.