Day 4: Into the Canyon
At 5 AM, my alarm woke us up. Though I hadn’t slept amazingly, I was excited and ready for the big day.
With the sun barely above the horizon, my dad and I drove to the visitor center. We caught the 6:15 AM Hiker’s Express shuttle to the South Kaibab Trailhead. On the way, we reviewed our plan for the day.
To start the day, we would both hike into the Grand Canyon on the South Kaibab Trail. My dad would turn around when he felt comfortable, and I would continue my descent all the way to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. While my dad walked the Rim Trail, I would begin my return to the South Rim on the Bright Angel Trail. Once I got close enough to the rim, we would reconnect via radio. Then, he would start down the Bright Angel Trail, where we would reunite and return to the South Rim together.
Perfection.
If you don’t want to read about the hike in and out of the Grand Canyon, check out my cinematic walkthrough of the hike on YouTube!
Descending the South Kaibab Trail
At 6:30 AM, we began our descent into the Grand Canyon. Instantly, the early morning views along the South Kaibab Trail captivated my gaze. The rising sun cast brilliant colors and shadows onto the canyon walls. A gusty wind kept us cool as we descended the rocky trail with our trekking poles.
Before long, we reached Ooh Aah Point, an aptly named overlook of O’Neill Butte and the surrounding canyon. We stopped for some photos, then kept moving before the wind could take our hats away.
Thereafter, the trail began traversing the top of a long ridgeline descending toward Cedar Ridge. At Cedar Ridge – 1.5 miles from the trailhead – my dad opted to turn around. We shook hands, bid each other good luck, and I continued into the canyon while he returned to the rim.
To the Colorado River
Once we split up, I began picking up the pace in an effort to reach the Colorado River by 9:30 AM. Though the forecast only predicted temperatures as high as 85°F in the inner canyon, I still wanted to be on my way out before it got too hot.
As an aside: it’s incredibly important to remember that the Grand Canyon is hotter the further you descend from the rim. Due to adiabatic heating, air inside the canyon is heated as the canyon walls compress it. As a rule of thumb, the temperature rises 5.5°F with every 1,000 feet of elevation loss. So, it can be 20-25°F hotter at the canyon floor than it is on the rim. Thanks to this phenomenon, it’s safest to hike into the Grand Canyon in cooler months when the inner canyon temperatures are 80°F or cooler. In the summer, the canyon floor can reach well above 100°F, making hiking dangerous.
I reached Skeleton Point – 3 miles from the trailhead – around 8 AM. 45 minutes later, I arrived at the Tipoff – 4.5 miles from the trailhead. Here, I struck up conversation with a couple from Utah and a pair of girls from Germany. All of us planned to hike to the canyon floor and back before the end of the day, which I found encouraging. Apparently, lots of people complete the rim-to-river-to-rim mega hike in spite of NPS warnings. I learned that as long as you are in excellent shape, bring plenty of water and nutrition, and choose the right time of year, there’s no reason you can’t complete this hike safely.
New Friends!
The couple I met departed the Tipoff, then me, followed by the two German girls. As I began the final descent to the river, I quickly caught up to the couple. We struck up conversation immediately, and – before long – it became clear that we’d be hiking together for a while longer.
Straightaway, the three of us started talking about national parks, our family lives, politics, and our jobs. Later, I learned that the couple – Todd and April – were both former members of the LDS church, which resulted in a fascinating conversation about Mormon culture & religion which lasted for a couple of hours.
Shortly after 9 AM, the Colorado River came into full view. Within the next 30 minutes, we passed a caravan of mules heading towards the rim and spotted the Black Bridge: a huge suspension bridge crossing the Colorado River. Shortly thereafter, we made the final descent to the river, walked through a long tunnel, and crossed the bridge to the other side of the river.
We’d made it!
Phantom Ranch: An Oasis in the Desert
All of a sudden, the landscape around us changed. Large trees, green grass, and wildflowers – fed by the waters of the river – covered the ground everywhere we looked. Compared to the desert only a few hundred feet above, it felt like we’d entered a new world. It was beautiful, and I honestly hadn’t imagined such a lush environment at the base of the canyon.
From the bridge, we followed Bright Angel Creek to the nearby Phantom Ranch: a cluster of cabins at the floor of the canyon that is popular for overnight stays with hikers. We passed a number of facilities, including Bright Angel Campground, water spigots, a ranger station, and an amphitheater. The creek – fed by large levels of snowmelt from the North Rim – roared nearby as we walked.
At Phantom Ranch, we ate our lunches and refilled our water containers. We spent about 20 minutes sitting and resting our legs, preparing for the ~4,700 feet of elevation gain ahead of us.
Climbing to Havasupai Gardens
The late-morning sun had heated the inner canyon, forcing me to shed a couple of layers, don a sun hat, and apply sunscreen. It was high time for us to return to cooler temperatures.
From Phantom Ranch, we returned to the Colorado River, following the Bright Angel Trail to another bridge. Once we crossed the bridge, we followed the trail over rolling terrain next to the river for about a mile. Then, the trail turned away from the river and began following a canyon carved by Garden Creek.
Since we were walking alongside a creek, the environments around us were incredibly green. As we hiked, we encountered lush patches of grass, flower-filled trees, and portions of the trail covered in water. Again, it looked unlike anything I would have expected to see in the Grand Canyon. If anything, the landscape resembled the Guadalupe Mountains or the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend, as if a chunk of those parks had been dropped into the canyon.
While we admired the scenery, me, Todd, and April continued our riveting conversations about the LDS church. Though I have plenty of critiques of Catholic institutions from my own life, their insight and experiences gave me an entirely new perspective on religion as a whole…
Back to the Crowds
At about 1 PM – 6.5 hours after starting the hike – we reached Havasupai Gardens. Since this is a popular turnaround point for hikers, we immediately noticed an uptick in people. Todd, April & I stopped at a water fill-up station crowded with people. Here, we took another break to enjoy some snacks.
Though we could once again see the South Rim, we were still a long way from the Bright Angel Trailhead. Havasupai Gardens is a 4.5-mile hike from the trailhead, nearly 3,000 feet below the rim. Despite being on the trail for what felt like ages, we still had quite the journey ahead of us.
Once again, we bowed our heads, donned our hiking packs, and continued our journey to the rim. Conversation amid our group of three continued, helping time pass quickly as the trail became increasingly steep.
Reunited
Once we reached the 3-Mile Resthouse, I activated my two-way radio and attempted to contact my dad. I didn’t expect a response due to our relative distance, presence of tall canyon walls, and likelihood that he hadn’t turned his radio on. Shockingly, he answered almost immediately. I informed him of my position, my pace, and my expected time to the Bright Angel Trailhead. He excitedly told me that he was on his way to the trailhead and that he would see me soon on the Bright Angel Trail.
Shortly after our contact, I noticed that April’s pace was suffering thanks to the sudden steepness of the trail. Not wanting my dad to hike too far into the canyon before meeting me, I decided to part ways with the couple. I thanked them for the company and bid them farewell, hopeful that we’d run into each other again. Then, I picked up my pace and began a headstrong ascent to the canyon rim.
30 minutes later, I passed the 1.5-Mile Resthouse. I radioed my dad once more, discovering that we were getting close to each other. After a few more minutes, I spotted him rounding the corner of a switchback. Nearly 7 hours after parting ways, father and son were reunited again.
The Final Stretch
Upon our reunion, we were only a mile from the Bright Angel Trailhead. Compared to the 16+ miles I had just finished, this last mile was going to be a cakewalk.
During this final stretch, the density of travelers on the trail increased significantly. A few miles earlier, I had seen hardly a soul. Those I did pass on the trail had carried huge hiking packs, sported heavy-duty hiking boots, and worn clothes suited for the occasion. As we neared the rim, this changed dramatically. Tourists wearing tennis shoes, families with young children, and photo-savvy travelers wearing designer clothing replaced the small crowds of hardcore hikers. I saw very few people carrying much water or wearing the proper clothing to hike. I hoped desperately that these people wouldn’t get themselves into trouble by hiking too deep into the canyon.
In what felt like a flash, Bright Angel Lodge came into sight. A few minutes later, we crested the top of Bright Angel Trail and stepped foot once again in Grand Canyon Village. After almost 9 hours of hiking, I’d made it back to the same elevation I’d started at.
With 17.84 miles and 4,754 feet of elevation gain under my belt, I had hiked all the way from the South Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch and back to Grand Canyon Village. The word “epic” doesn’t do justice to the incredible day of hiking I’d done down in the canyon, but it’s the best word I can think of.
Hiking the Grand Canyon – truly – was an epic experience.
Pizza & Sunset
With my calves screaming at me, my dad and I boarded a shuttle that returned us to our car at the visitor center. From there, we drove to Mather Campground to take a well-deserved shower. Once we’d freshened up, we made our way to the Maswik Pizza Pub in the Village. After such a long and strenuous day, we thought a large pizza and a pint of beer would be the perfect cure to our aches and pains.
We were right.
Though far from the best pizza I’d ever tasted, the huge helping of carbs, veggies, and cheese hit the spot. Add a pint of delicious beer? Well, we were suddenly on top of the world.
From the Pizza Pub, my dad and I ventured back to Hermit Road to catch a sunset. We hopped on a shuttle that took us to Hopi Point, where we encountered a crowd of people waiting for the sun to shed beautiful hues on the canyon walls. Sadly, the sun was nowhere to be seen thanks to a patchy layer of clouds overhead.
In the mere minutes before twilight, however, the setting sun peaked through the overcast sky. While our view was a far cry from the best sunsets the Grand Canyon has to offer, it was still a pleasant way to cap off an incredible day.
