Grand Canyon Part I . . . Classic Canyon Runs

Date of Runs: 

9/25/21 - South Kaibab & Bright Angel: 16.0 miles (4,278' elevation gained)

9/30/21 - Bright Angel: 15.7 miles (4,203' elevation gained)

10/2/21 - Bright Angel & Plateau Point: 12.5 (3,215' elevation gained)

10/6/21 - South Kaibab, Bright Angel, Plateau Point: 19.0 miles (4,692' elevation gained)

Trip Report:

9/25/21 - South Kaibab & Bright Angel: 16.0 miles (4,278' elevation gained)

- After a long four and a half years I finally was able to jump in the Jeep with Sarge for a road trip to Arizona. We spent the month in Flagstaff, half of the time working and the other half was spent heading to the canyon with friends who visited.

- Before my first set of guests arrived I was able to sneak up to the canyon twice. The first time was Saturday the 25th of September which was National Public Lands Day, lucky me as it was one of only six days of the year where there is no fee for entry. I left Flagstaff at 4AM and made it to the Backcountry lot just after 5:30AM and waited for the 6AM hikers shuttle to the North Kaibab Trailhead.

- My previous road trips to the canyon over the past decade had been in the month of May, where I would catch the 5AM shuttle for a sunrise start, but dawn starts later in September so the 6AM shuttle was perfect for a first light start around 6:30AM.

- The first mile of descent along the steep switchbacks of "The Chimney" to Ooh Ahh Point was filled with early morning hikers/tourists enjoying the sunrise. Past this point down along Cedar Ridge I passed day hikers, backpackers, and runners over the next mile before having the trail completely to myself as I rounded O'Neill Butte towards Skeleton Point.  

- Views in the early morning sun as the temperature rose quickly were just as awe-inspiring as I remembered them. As I headed down the steep switchbacks below the Natural Arch and then around it to the Tipoff, Zoroaster Temple got bigger and bigger as it rose higher and higher across the canyon.

- Below the Tipoff is one of my favorite spots along the South Kaibab Trail, dark red clay along a long drawn out curve to Panorama Point where you can see the trail stretching out for a half mile in front of you with a deep abyss below with more incredible views with some glimpses of the Colorado about another thousand feet below.

-  The cushiony red clay dirt was a much welcome relief to my body from the beating it takes at times when running the rocky and technical terrain of the northeast that I am used to, this was a perfect and much needed vacation for my feet, knees, quads, core, etc.

- I made it down to the Colorado in about an hour and refilled my water at Boat Beach before making my way over to Silver Bridge and onto the Bright Angel Trail to start my way back up to the south rim.

- Unlike the South Kaibab Trail the Bright Angel Trail has more moderate grades and even easier footing.  However, the first mile parallels the Colorado a few hundred feet above the river which is great for views but half of that is over beach sand which makes for some sloppy strides and slow pace.

- Once making a sharp left turn at Pipe Creek Beach the trail slowly starts to gain in elevation but it really doesn't ramp up in vert until reaching the Devil's Corkscrew where it zig zags its way up the oldest rock in the Grand Canyon, the two billion year old Vishnu Schist. After topping out above the corkscrew there is a killer view looking back down at the switchbacks before the trail snakes its way up into the Tapeats Sandstone where grades ease up for the next mile passing below Plateau Point on the way to Indian Garden.

- I took a short break at Indian Garden to top off my water and fuel up before the final 4.5 miles to the rim.  It was still early in the morning so temps were very pleasant and I was in the shade for most of the trek back up.  Trail was still relatively quiet until the three mile rest stop where I started seeing more hikers and then saw quite a few from the mile and a half rest house up through Jacob's Ladder to the rim. 

- Just before reaching the rim I spotted my first "Influencer in the Wild" (A Gen Z posing for pictures to post on their InstaFace or Tik Toks). Influencers in the Wild were a pretty rare site in the canyon back in 2017, like spotting a big horn sheep, but now they are as common as squirrels at Ooh Aww Point looking for free food, except Influencers in the Wild are looking for free attention, so just like a rodent they'll scurry away if you pay no attention to them. So I motored on by and quickly to the top of the rim finishing at 10:30AM where I took a nice break back at the Jeep before heading back south to Flagstaff.

On the drive out Sarge insisted on heading to Winslow and standing on a corner

O'Neill Butte

Looking back up to the South Rim from the Tonto Platform

Caught up to the mule train on my way down

Park Ranger heading down as she approaches Panorama Point

Last set of switchbacks along South Kaibab to the Colorado River and Black Bridge

Colorado River and Silver Bridge

Moon setting as I head up Bright Angel Trail. Looking back down at the Devil's Corkscrew

Leaving Phantom Ranch and a happy tourist taking the mule train down

Looking back down to Indian Garden

Plateau Point and looking north into the northern part of the canyon towards the north rim

Trip Report

9/30/21 - Bright Angel: 15.7 miles (4,203' elevation gained)

- On Thursday the 30th I went back for a rim to river to rim run down Bright Angel Trail to Pipe Creek Beach. I started at 6:15AM and passed four hikers over the first quarter mile then didn't see anyone until Indian Garden where I chatted with two Rim to Rim (R2R) runners while topping off my water and refueling before I kept heading down.

- It was a quiet and beautiful morning dropping down to the river from Indian Garden, temps were only in the low 50's making for an easy run to the Colorado.  As I got closer to the beach I finally saw a couple more hikers, backpackers who spent the night at Bright Angel Campground.

- I arrived at Pipe Creek Beach an hour and fifteen minutes from the rim and took a ten minute break along the river eating some food and staring up at the high canyon walls as the sun slowly started to rise and light up the canyon to the east.  

- After relaxing, I turned back around and headed back up, the trail was still extremely quiet all the way until the mile and a half rest stop where I started seeing more people but the big crowds had yet to take over the canyon.  

- It was a pretty great morning in the canyon, I basically had the whole trail to myself and finished early at 9:45AM, where I had a yummy second breakfast at the Jeep before heading back to Flagstaff.

Early morning on the Bright Angel Trail

Heading towards Indian Garden

Early morning sun starting to light up the upper walls of the canyon

Heading through Indian Garden

Dropping down lower into the canyon

Pipe Creek Beach

Heading back up to the south rim

Entering the oasis that is Indian Garden

Leaving Indian Garden and looking up at where I have to go

Sun overtakes Plateau Point

Plateau Point

Mule train heading down

View from the top!

Trip Report

10/2/21 - Bright Angel & Plateau Point: 12.5 (3,215' elevation gained)

- Saturday, October 2nd I guided my childhood friends from Lincoln, Rhode Island down into the canyon to Plateau Point.  My friends Nasser and Brad came in from Oregon, while Matt came in from Illinois.  We hadn't seen each other in a few years because of the pandemic so it was great being able to meet up in Flagstaff and take them up to the big ditch for their first canyon experience.  

- It was a Saturday with a great forecast so we got an early start to beat the crowds on the hike down to Plateau Point. Trails were relatively quiet and they guys did great on the decent, none of them are hikers so I kept a close eye to make sure they were hydrating and eating food and not moving too fast to conserve energy for the return hike back up.

- Once again getting an early start was rewarding as there were only two other people at Plateau Point  so we were able to spread out and take in the view from every vantage point. Plateau Point sits about 1,300 feet above the Colorado River, there are dramatic views looking down to the river and across the canyon, it's a really cool spot but extremely exposed so it heats up fast along the trail from Indian Garden so after about a half hour we headed back to get out of the sun.

- The hike back was a little hot but the guys did fine, making sure to reapply sunblock to not get a sunburn and drink water to stay hydrated.  When we reached the shade of Indian Garden it was a welcome relief from the sun.  We took another break here before heading back out into the sun for the climb back up.

- Matt and Brad did great and kept a good pace going, Nasser started going a little slower but we made sure to take breaks whenever we hit a shady spot, luckily there were a few spots every quarter of mile or so where we could get out of the sun.

- The trails were pretty crowded over the last three miles but that is to be expected in the canyon as morning fades into the afternoon.  It was interesting to see all the different types of hikers, some doing fine some not doing well at all, one R2Rer was throwing up from pushing himself too hard and another hiker was hit hard by the sun and was stumbling around a bit before booting as well, lucky for him it was right next to the mile and a half house so he could get the fluids he needed and rest in the shade before crawling to the top.

- The crux of the final push was Jacob's Ladder, a series of multiple short switchbacks, we made sure to stop every few minutes to conserve our energy and to cool off.  This worked out great and we played leap frog with a few groups who used this same strategy as well and everyone made it to the top in great spirits.

- Once we finished we headed to the Jeep and tailgated for an hour digging into the stocked cooler with all kinds of beverages and food before we headed back to Flagstaff.

- The guys were tired but extremely thrilled to have been able to hike in the Grand Canyon.  It was great seeing my old buddies after a few years, hopefully we can do more trips like this in the near future.

Top of the South Rim

The guys at Plateau Point.  Nasser, Matt, Brad (L to R)

Pano from the point

Nasser taking in the views

Hiking back to Indian Garden

Matt takes a pic of us all just before topping out

Trip Report:

10/6/21 - South Kaibab, Bright Angel, Plateau Point: 19.0 miles (4,692' elevation gained)

- Next up to come visit was my buddy Todd from the White Mountains who I go running with weekly.  He flew in on the 4th and would stay in Flagstaff with me for the rest of my time out there and drive back with Sarge and I.

- We headed to the canyon on Wednesday with another great weather for a morning run.  The day before the canyon had been hit by some pretty heavy rain so there was plenty of mud puddles to dodge along the South Kaibab Trail where the mule train leaves behind potholes. The plus side of the damp clay trails was no dust was being kicked up and the beach section at the beginning of the Bright Angel Trail past Silver bridge was hardened just enough that it made it much easier than it usually is.

- As for the run, we caught the red glow of the trail lighting up from the sun between Ooh Aww and Skeleton Points, saw the mule train cross Black Bridge right after we had, did and out and back to Plateau Point from Indian Garden, and zoomed our way back up to the rim while taking in the never ending unique views.

- As always Todd set a great pace for the morning's run leaving me pretty tired once we got back to the Jeep where I drank and ate to re-energize myself before the ride back to Flagstaff.  Another prefect morning in the big ditch!

Todd Makes his way past Ooh Aww Point

Sun slowly lighting up the Canyon

O'Neill Butte

Todd runs down the South Kaibab Trail

Taking in the views at every corner!

Heading into the switchbacks

Closing in on Cedar Point

View from the big curve in the South Kaibab Trail.  Todd in his bright yellow shirt can be seen across the way

Running by Panorama Point

Colorado River

Black Bridge

Mule Train!

Silver Bridge

Making our way to Indian Garden

Heading to Plateau Point

Taking in the views from Plateau Point

Time to head up!

Rim to River and Back

Date of Hike: 5/21/15

South Kaibab Trail: 9.0  /  Bright Angel Trail:  4.8 miles  /  Plateau Point Trail: 3.0  /  Bright Angel Trail: 4.0
Total Miles: 20.8 miles (4,900 feet elevation gained)

Trip Report:
- On Wednesday I drove down to Phoenix to pick up Whitney from the airport before heading back north to stay in the small town of Tusayan, located just outside of the entrance to the Grand Canyon.  After a nice relaxing night we got up early and headed into the canyon to do one of my favorite hikes a 'Rim to River and Back'.  It can be a grueling hike because of the extreme heat over dry and dusty trails with no shade in sight for miles.  Thursday, however was absolutely perfect, temperatures never reached 80 and the sky was covered in clouds which made for a very easy and enjoyable hike down into the canyon and back out of it.
- We started off down the South Kaibab Trail which is one of my favorite trails in the canyon because after its initial descent down from the upper canyon cliffs it follows an open ridge line with super huge panoramic views, whereas most canyon trails stay within the canyon walls down to the Tonto Platform and then to the Colorado River.
- After a half mile of descending steep switchbacks the trail breaks out into the open at Ohh Ahh Point where there is a great view of Cedar Ridge and O'Neill Butte.  The only downside to Ohh Ahh Point on this morning were the chubby mischievous squirrels that at any moment looked like they were about to attack us and steal our food.
- From Ohh Ahh Point the views really start to open up as the trail descended down to Cedar Ridge and O'Neill Butte.  The trail is a pleasure to hike on; red clay, easy grades, phenomenal views, and mule poop, yes mule poop!  Every morning there are a few mule trains that go into and out of the canyon, some carrying supplies and others carrying tourists.  One thing they do is all poop and pee in the same spot!  Every so often we'd come around a switchback and BAM - POOP and wet clay, it was pretty smelly but we were lucky, it's a thousand times worse when it's 100 degrees and the sun is beating down on you!
- Past O'Neill Butte is where the South Kaibab Trail descends a series of a dozen switchbacks through redwall limestone, it's a masterpiece of modern trailwork to look down at the corkscrew of swithcbacks that leads to the vast Tonto Platform about a thousand feet below.
- After the switchbacks the trail curves around the Natural Arch Butte and then straightens out as it crosses the Tonto Platform at the Tipoff.  Here we took a nice little break and watched the mule train carrying tourists up the canyon.  If you never seen a mule before, they look almost like horses, the difference is their ears are bigger, their faces aren't as narrow, they seem a little 'blockier', and last but not least, they're just goofier!
-  From Tipoff to the the Colorado River is a descent of about 1,500 feet over dark red clay where views of the Colorado River and it's emerald green color become grander as the trail descends deep into the canyon.  We passed another mule train near the bottom, this one was a supply train which runs food, trash, letters,etc., from Phantom Ranch up to the south rim.  Soon we made it to the Colorado River where we walked across Black Bridge to the other side.
- After crossing the bridge we went down to Boat Beach where some river runners where packing up gear for their white water rafting trip down the Colorado River.
- From Boat Beach it's just about a half mile to Phantom Ranch.  Phantom Ranch is a very popular destination for hikers, you have to book about a year in advance to secure one of the cabins with bunk beds.  There is also Bright Angel Campground where you can set up your tent along Bright Angel Creek, this is a hot spot too for hikers so a reservation is needed well ahead of time.
- Phantom Ranch has a dinning hall where you can escape the brutal heat, grab a bite to eat, and even get a cold beer.  Whitney and I took a break and ate some food, then both bought a postcard to send to family members.  You can mail the postcards from the bottom of Phantom Ranch it will be stamped 'Mailed by Mule from Phantom Ranch.' :)
- After we rested we headed back to the river and crossed the Colorado a little further downstream over Silver Bridge where we hooked onto the Bright Angel Trail.  The Bright Angel Trail is the most heavily used canyon trail.  The good news about this is there is water every few miles with a rest house to get some shade, there is also Indian Garden where there is plenty of shade.  The bad news is you get a lot of unprepared hikers who hike down then realize they have to hike up and run into trouble.  Also, the mule poop seems to smell worse on this trail!
- The first mile and a half the trail gradually makes its way along the Colorado River, about fifty to one hundred feet above it over beach sand.  The Bright Angel Trail has all sorts of unique trail conditions; sand, clay, an oasis at Phantom Ranch, and rock along the upper canyon wall below the rim.
- As we headed by Pipe Creek there were a few rafts leaving the beach and heading into the rapids which looked pretty exciting.
- The Bright Angel Trail takes a sharp left above Pipe Creek beach away from the Colorado River and heads back up the canyon.  From here it's just over three miles to Indian Garden.  This is usually the toughest spot as the sun is beating down on you while you ascend a bone dry and dusty trail but today it was a simple hike up with the cool temperature and cloud cover.  Whitney and I are both used to steep and rugged trails of the northeast, here most trails have moderate grades, lots of switchbacks, and incredible footing.  We motored up through the crux of the lower end of the Bright Angel Trail, a little spot called the Devil's Corkscrew through the Vishnu Schist.  After this the trail levels out and parallels Indian Creek through the Tapeats Narrows on it's way to the mini oasis called Indian Garden.
- From Phantom Ranch we took a nice little hike a mile and a half out to Plateau Point for one last big view down to the floor of the canyon and the Colorado River from 1,500 feet above.  We now started running into the 'tourist' hikers, the guide book lists Plateau Point as the 'maximum day hike destination' so from here on out there would be hikers here and there but overall it wasn't too bad, we definitely were in the minority language wise as most people were speaking French, Chinese or Smackers!
- Once back at Indian Garden we wad about 4.5 miles back up to the South Rim, once again with the unseasonably cool temperature and cloud cover we basically speed hiked back up to the rim taking pictures and taking in the views from the long switchbacks dubbed 'Jacobs Ladder' before making it back to the south rim and back over to the Jeep.
- It was probably the most fun I've had in the canyon since I was a teenager, the weather made it an easy hike and let us enjoy all sections of the trail while barely breaking a sweat all day!

Heading down the inner canyon walls at the top of the South Kaibab Trail

Whitney at Ohh Ahh Point!

Looking down to O'Neil Butte and across the canyon

Heading down Cedar Ridge with O'Neill Butte in site

Entering the switchbacks that lead to the Tonto Platform

Silly mules!

Heading down the red clay of the South Kaibab Trail below Skeleton Point

The Colorado River from Skeleton Point

Whitney checks out the Colorado River

Black Bridge (top), Silver Bridge (bottom)

The Colorado River looms large a few thousand feet below us!

The emerald colored Colorado

Looking down to the Colorado River with Phantom Ranch located in the narrow canyon in the middle of this picture where there are a bunch of trees and vegetation

Mule Train!

The mules heading up from Black Bridge

Lower end of the South Kaibab Trail

Heading into the mini tunnel before the Black Bridge

Whitney crosses the Black Bridge

An old Pueblo Indian cellar and Boat Beach where the river runners stop before heading west

Heading to Phantom Ranch

Phantom Ranch info

We stop in a Phantom Ranch to relax and send postcards

On the way out of Phantom Ranch we head by Bright Angel campground

Silver Bridge

Looking back at both bridges

We hook onto the Bright Angel Trail, which has a sandy beach feel for the first mile or so

The mighty Colorado River

River runners relaxing at Pipe Creek beach

Heading into Pipe Creek rapids!

Entrance to Pipe Creek beach, no swimming!  Between the Black Bridge and Pipe Creek is the spot where the most people have drowned over the years in the Grand Canyon!

A rare patch of green off trail

Old mining cave

The Devil's Corkscrew

As we get closer to Indian Garden a little oasis of trees and mini waterfalls and cascades come into view

Whitney makes her way to Indian Garden

Checking out the cliffs above us.  The jagged one on the bottom right is the one I bushwhacked to just two days before!

Whitney takes in the view from Plateau Point then heads back across the Tonto Platform with our destination in view, the south rim, three thousand feet above us

Cacti and Lizards!  These lizards were in love!

By canyon standards in late May, this day was on the chilly side.  Perfect for a big hike!

The horseshoe view looking to the north

Looking back down at the Bright Angel Trail from just below the South Rim

Finished!

Stuff spotted along the way...the pay phone cracked me up!

Elk, these furry bastards were everywhere!

Route for the day, click here for details