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| Backpack | 44.50 Miles |
11,000 AEG |
| | Backpack | 44.50 Miles | 3 Days 4 Hrs 30 Mns | | |
| 11,000 ft AEG | | 35 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | Hello to all! It has been a long time since I've posted a triplog, but I've been back now and again to see everyone's amazing pictures. There have been plenty of hikes in the past year, but I'll start with the most recent, and epic, of hikes yet.
Melanie and I had wanted to do a rim-to-rim-to-rim backpacking trip for a year and I nabbed a permit in October. The last few weeks I was anxiously watching the weather forecasts, each day the outlook changed. Luckily, we were blessed with clear sunny skies. I knew the night on the North Rim would be cold, so I was really happy to have reserved the yurt. If you haven't tried this, it's a great way to make North Rim hikes doable in the winter. The only other worry I had was in what condition we would be in on New Year's morning, day one of our four day trip.
We woke up that morning hangover-free, thankfully, if not a bit groggy and we didn't make it to the Bright Angel Trailhead until 2 PM. We filled our Camelbaks, strapped on the ice-cleats for me and yak-traks for her, and headed down. Snow is still on the trail nearly to 3 Mile Resthouse, but it isn't
very slick. In fact, we thought it was soft and provided extra padding for our knees. My new trekking poles were working out great as well, absolutely essential I see now. Before the trip I had read Hiking Grand Canyon's Geology, a wonderful resource if you like stopping and admiring the geologic forces once (or still) at work. By Indian Gardens it was warm enough to shed our sweatshirts and we stopped to watch the deer browse and have a hummus and pita chip snack. The sun set just as we reached the top of the Devil's Corkscrew. I was spying the old Corkscrew switchbacks, already planning my next day hike. Another half mile of hiking later the headlamps became necessary and we walked in darkness to Bright Angel Campground. We stopped once to admire the stars, arriving around 7 PM to enjoy a pesto chicken and pasta dinner.
Melanie and I have never been known for being early-risers and this trip tested the limits of just how late you can/should get started for a long-day of hiking. After "brunch" we spiked camp and set off. 10 AM. I have never hiked the North Kaibab trail so the day started out in wonderment and awe. I love the Box, such an amazingly beautiful place. An NPS helicopter dropped a crew and some equipment off a few miles north of Phantom Ranch. When we passed them on the trail we didn't notice any pipeline break, but it must have been there. On the way back down the next day we saw a gaping hole filled with bubbling water next to the trail. I thought about how cool it must have been to drop in by helicopter, but I guess it's routine with those guys.
We reached Cottonwood around 2 PM. Bright Angel Canyon has so many jewels, like Manzanita Creek, the "beaver ponds," and Wall Canyon, but we didn't do any side-trips. Today was about getting to the top, tomorrow we could explore a bit. After lunch at the Pumphouse Residence (another awesome job, I think) we continued upwards. We pass a group of three near Roaring Springs and their six companions later on near Supai Tunnel. Thank you to all of those hardy and wonderful folks who packed down the snow! I've been on some rough uphill slogs, but the last five miles of the North Kaibab Trail really take the cake. Water abounded everywhere, in the form of springs and snow, ice and wind-carried flakes. I definitely noticed that it was getting a bit breezier as we ascended, but our exertion did not make us notice the quick drop in temperature. Darkness fell shortly after Supai Tunnel and we trudged up the rest of the way to the North Kaibab Trailhead. The roads show recent snowmobile use and the rangers posted convenient signs and a map directing us to the yurt.
Finally feeling the cold (it was below zero, it had to be!) we rushed inside. The yurt is very cozy, enough for six people. We had a bit of trouble with the wood-stove, as the damper would follow gravity and shift to its closed position. After some experimentation and numerous times having to air out the yurt, we finally got a warm, smoke-free fire going. Instant mash potatoes and ham steak and bed, while the winds of winter howled outside all night long. We procrastinated again the next morning, taking our time cleaning our mess, restocking the firewood, and refueling our bodies. The only thing I forgot this trip was sunglasses, which would have been really nice that morning. It wasn't bitterly cold, but the world was white and bright.
The view from the North Kaibab Trailhead is incredible. While not offering the best views of Grand Canyon itself, it allowed some wonderful opportunities to photograph the San Francisco Peaks framed by the walls of Roaring Springs Canyon. We stopped often to admire what we missed in the dark the night before and shed our jackets at Supai Tunnel. I am very impressed with the construction of this trail, very cool rock structures and so close to the precipice! We didn't see a single soul until we stopped for a snack at Cottonwood, this time at 3 PM. Continuing on we explored a ways up Manzanita Creek and did the side-hike to Ribbon Falls. That place is amazing. I drank from the moss-covered stalagmite in the alcove, tasted okay and looked clean enough. Not sick yet.
There was a research or volunteer crew of some kind working in Bright Angel Creek near Ribbon Falls, didn't ask about their mission but we had a nice conversation about the yurt and the trail conditions above Roaring Springs. Headlamps went on again as we entered the Box. Beautiful in the day, the place can become a bit eerie at night, but the sound of rushing water can soothe any jangled nerves. Like day one, we reached Bright Angel Campground around 7 and had ate a very large meal of rice, sausage, chicken, and zucchini. End of day three and now we were really feeling it in our knees, calves, and for me, the shoulders (gotta get a new pack).
We slept in again and stopped at the Phantom Ranch canteen to send a postcard. Found Ranger Adam and informed him of our stay at the North Rim yurt and the damper problem we experienced. He was glad we weren't smoked out of the yurt and into the cold. We ate leftovers from the night before and loaded up on some additional calories for the hike out on the South Kaibab Trail. Despite the midday hour at which we left, we made excellent progress up and out of the Canyon. We stopped to take one last picture before ascending the Chimney and got to the Trailhead with time to spare to find a spot to watch the sunset. Didn't even need the ice-cleats or yak-traks for the hike up, plenty of dirt covering the ice and snow. It may be a little bit slippery for those going down in the Chimney, but up was no problem.
The trip left us sore but incredibly satisfied. Our next trip will be Thunder River/Deer Creek, but we'll need to do a bit more heat-tolerance training before then. I can't think of a better way to have started 2013!  |
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