Anyone Wanna do the Grand Canyon

HighDesertWalker

HighDesertWalker

Joined
Mar 11, 2008
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My regular hiking partner, Joe, has had a flareup of an old bull-riding injury. Decades ago he cracked several cervical vertebrate when he was thrown by an unhappy beast, and lately he hasn't been able to carry more than a daypack w/o triggering shooting pain down his arm. The GC is out until the situation improves. But now is the time to make reservations for 2008.

So, I'm looking for anywhere from 1 to 3 hiking partners to join me on a return trip the first week in Nov. 2008. This is not a dangerous trek, but it is fairly strenuous and requires some training. Personally, as a firm believer in Murphy's law, I wouldn't try it alone. Here's some info and a lot of pics from my first trip:

The One Day Descent:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=540404

The Two Day Climb Back to the South Rim:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=540620

If you've never hiked the Grand Canyon you will find that this is a trek you will never forget. I plan to do it every year until I turn 70. After that, we'll see. :)

Anyone interested?
 
Bill,
"Anyone Wanna do the Grand Canyon "- Only in the worst kind of way!!!!!!!! My wife and I go to LV every fall and I have floated it with the Indians and went to South Rim/Park last December. Unfortunately, the cabins at Bright Angel were as rustic as my wife is willing to go. My (now) 13 yr old son and I might try for fall of 2009 for permits.
Best of luck and weather to you!

2Door
 
Done it 3X down to Havasu Falls campground. Getting down is easy, but a real biatch hiking back up -especially in the heat and eating all the dust thrown-up by the mule rides!

Have fun, it's definitely worth it.
 
lmalterna said:
Bill,
"Anyone Wanna do the Grand Canyon "- Only in the worst kind of way!!!!!!!! My wife and I go to LV every fall and I have floated it with the Indians and went to South Rim/Park last December. Unfortunately, the cabins at Bright Angel were as rustic as my wife is willing to go. My (now) 13 yr old son and I might try for fall of 2009 for permits.
Best of luck and weather to you!

2Door
Click to expand...

Thanks lmalterna. That will be a great experience with your son. My youngest son and his wife will be joining me for the 2009 trek. Right now they are living in Costa Rica, but will be returning to the states in December. My wife has rheumatoid arthritis and can't join me on longer treks like this. She is an oil painter though, and will probably produce a few paintings from my photographs.

Cheers, :)
 
CWL said:
Done it 3X down to Havasu Falls campground. Getting down is easy, but a real biatch hiking back up -especially in the heat and eating all the dust thrown-up by the mule rides!
Click to expand...

Yep, and the mules have the right of way. Like anyone needed to tell me that. :D
 
Sorry but you missed me my about ten years. The old bad foot would never take the strain. Sure sounds like fun though. You younger guys better soak this stuff up while you can. It only takes a single second or less to become unable to do this kind of activity.:thumbdn:
 
HighDesertWalker said:
Hope you can do it Jim. I would make all the arrangements from here.
Click to expand...

Wellll HDW my credit card has given me all these bonus points and I now have enough for a round trip in the US. The wife hiked part of the way down in college and has always wanted to go and do it again.

I'm gonna run it by her. In Nov the temps should be decent correct?
 
I do want to, and I will. However, you wouldn't want to do it with me.

Best hiking wishes to you.
 
I wish I lived close enough to get up and go. I've been there once and hiked the rim, but I want to go down inside.

I tell my wife all the time that I WILL hike the canyon before I die.

Have a blast and post plenty of pics.
 
I've done it twice to the Phantom ranch - Kalib trail down and Bright Angel trail up.
November is a good time to do it.
There is an RV park in a great location in walking distance to the rim.
 
hollowdweller said:
Wellll HDW my credit card has given me all these bonus points and I now have enough for a round trip in the US. The wife hiked part of the way down in college and has always wanted to go and do it again.

I'm gonna run it by her. In Nov the temps should be decent correct?
Click to expand...

Nows the perfect time. I would love to meet Ms. HD and share the experience with you both.

On average, the transition from October to November yields the optimal temperature in the GC from rim to river. Temp at the south rim varies from an average minimum of 32 F to an average max of 59 F. In the inner gorge temp varies from an average low of 52 F to an average high of 76 F. Both camps would be in the inner gorge where the temperatures are moderate at night, and the final climb out would be at cooler temperatures as you approach the south rim. As you can see from my pics, we hit it perfect last year. I wore shorts and a T-shirt for the entire trek, and slept in a UL quilt rated at 32 F. Another advantage on a Fall trek is that the water in the Colorado is clear because the melt has been over for a long time. Beautiful time of year. :thumbup:
 
HDW,
I'd love to do it, but I work weekends. I'm pretty close actually, only about 6 hours away from the north rim, 8 or so from the south. It's been on my to do list, but I'm just having too much fun in the Utah canyon country to have made it down to the Strip this year. Had to turn down a free ride on a 16-day trip down the Canyon this summer, cuz I gotta work! That really hurt.
 
udtjim said:
Sorry but you missed me my about ten years. The old bad foot would never take the strain. Sure sounds like fun though. You younger guys better soak this stuff up while you can. It only takes a single second or less to become unable to do this kind of activity.:thumbdn:
Click to expand...

How did you injure your foot Jim? I've had one serious injury that almost put me down for the duration. You'll never meet another hiker who counts his blessings more than I do. Good advise for the younger set. One careless move can change your future forever. Live to the max that you can as long as you are able. :thumbup:
 
HDW,
I am down in Tucson and am very seriously considering your offer. I would love to do something like this, and as it turns out, have to burn almost 25 days of vacation before the end of the year. I am going to get about 10 of those out of the way pretty quickly here, but as for the rest???

Let's chat soon. PM inbound!:cool:
 
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