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Me and a friend are planning a 7 day 100 mile hike and we would like suggestions on possible trips/trail combinations. We don't mind taking a road a (short) way to connect trails but we do not want to just do a section of the AZT. Right now we are planning on going sometime in the new year (but maybe sooner...). I would like to start somewhere above the rim and finish somewhere below, ideally the hike would take us near some of the lakes on the rim. I've been digging around and have some rough information but was hoping some of you fine folks could offer up some suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

cool, a 100 mile hike is a great idea. And I was just thinking of doing the General Crook trail from Willow Springs to Hwy 87. Much of the area above the rim will close in November until March?
Start at Rock Crossing (blue ridge) and go south to G.C. trail and follow that across the Beeline to Clover creek, with a off-trail stint into the headwaters of West Clear creek, and then down to Bull Pen.

Thats good, I like that. Even has a bit o' canyon thrown in the mix. That'd be one to do once it starts to warm up a little bit.

I'm wrestling with the idea of trying this hike while there's still a chance of snow on the ground. Ultimately I'm not sure it's a good idea to throw in winter weather with a distance hike like this. I'm not great with the cold weather, I'm a desert rat so I start to go hypothermic right around 55 degrees :roll:

yeah I hear ya Matt- Ive got a 35 degree bag that I consider 4 season. I cant know to like snow.
In colder months I like to stay down here in the basin and range, especially the Supes. I'll be doing a trans-Supes wilderness hike in mid October probably going from Miles trailhead, or Upper Horrel, corkscrewing around the area until I find my way over to First Water. Im hoping for a 3 night 4 day trip covering at least 50 miles. Youre welcome to sign up when the time comes.

te-wa wrote:yeah I hear ya Matt- Ive got a 35 degree bag that I consider 4 season.

te-wa wrote:yeah I hear ya Matt- Ive got a 35 degree bag that I consider 4 season. I cant know to like snow.
In colder months I like to stay down here in the basin and range, especially the Supes. I'll be doing a trans-Supes wilderness hike in mid October probably going from Miles trailhead, or Upper Horrel, corkscrewing around the area until I find my way over to First Water. Im hoping for a 3 night 4 day trip covering at least 50 miles. Youre welcome to sign up when the time comes.

Sign me up for that one

Matt, while not in Arizona or 100 miles the Lake Tahoe 50 mile circumference hike has been on my list for some time. Completed within the last 5 years it offers beautiful views. Lake Tahoe is on the CA / NV line. You'd fly in to Reno.

I could easily make a 100 mile hike out of the grand canyon, some sections would be done twice though if you want to include places like the little colorado or both rims. Wouldn't do it this time of year thats for sure, but would be great in fall or spring.

Or skip AZ and head to California and do half of the the John Muir Trail. That would be a little over a hundred.

matt gilbert wrote:Me and a friend are planning a 7 day 100 mile hike and we would like suggestions on possible trips/trail combinations. We don't mind taking a road a (short) way to connect trails but we do not want to just do a section of the AZT. Right now we are planning on going sometime in the new year (but maybe sooner...). I would like to start somewhere above the rim and finish somewhere below, ideally the hike would take us near some of the lakes on the rim. I've been digging around and have some rough information but was hoping some of you fine folks could offer up some suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

Matt,
How 'bout the Highline Trail W-E then General Crook Trail E-W. Or maybe try and retrace the whole historic General Crook Trail http://www.eatstayplay.com/html/az/a6275p196c2167.html
Or, for a REAL adventure, how about heading up Leonard Canyon from the 300 Road to East Clear Creek heading west, exiting ECC to cross at Clint's Well and then west over to Willow Valley and taking West Clear down to Bull Pen. It would be an epic trip - one for the ages, not 100 miles (closer to 75 probably), although it would likely seem like 150.

<edit> Mike & Matt, I did not read the earlier responses before offering up the GC & WCC option - Well, you know the saying about great minds thinking alike.............

re. Tim's suggestions...

Head into the JMT @ Bishop Pass exiting at Whitney Portal (after bagging Whitney)('bout 120 mi.+/-)

Tonto Trail in GC is 72 miles - if you add the routes on the ends of it that go to Elves & plus the Escalante Route (trail) and Beamer (to the L.C.) it's 100 miles or more.. (I'm sure that you could convince some folks here to resupply you'all along the way- me for one)

Those are all great suggestions. Right now we're leaning towards the rim. I appreciate offers for resupply, but we're trying to figure out how to do this as a self sustained hike; we want to carry everything we need but the water. If food weight becomes too prohibitive then we'll cache something along the way.

Basically the point of this trip is threefold. 1. To see what kind of mileage we can make in a day. 2. To see how much weight we can shed from our packs and 3. To get a little more intimately acquainted with the rim.