Any concerns with driving from Las Vegas to the grand Canyon, weather wsie? Also, son is football player and weighs 206 fully dressed: do we bug him to diet for mule rides? and what happens if we think he's OK and under the 200pound weight limit, and we get there and he flunks -- the whole family would have to cancel because we can't leave him behind on Christmas Eve. And if that happens, and they disqualify him for weight, are we out the $132 per person?? We really want to do this, but i'm nervous about what will happen if he doesn't make weight. Even if he weighs OK on our scale at home, he could put on 5 lbs with one meal and then what? Advice would be appreciated.

We drove form Las Vegas to Grand Canyon after Christmas and the roads were pretty clear. In fact, there was absolutely no snow and could drive quite fast. We started out early in the mornign to beat the traffic. Traffic started picking up later in the day and it became slow then.

I know about the 200 pound weight limit on mules, but we haven't tried them, so can't help you there. The mule rides do take a toll on your behind though! You may find it hard to sit for 1-2 days!

Good luck with your vacation

When my brother went on the mules a couple years ago, he noted that the 200 pound rule is absolute. You weigh 201 pounds when you show up, you don't go -- period, end of story, no discussion. That's why he lost 15 pounds in a couple weeks. I'm not sure if you get a refund if one of you flunks and the rest cancel out; I'd check with the mule-riding company. If you are (justifiably) worried that one of you sons will cost you a ton of money; I'd not only bug him, I'd tell him flat out that he MUST be below 200 pounds on that day.

Tell your son to diet to go on a mule ride? Unless he's overweight, I would let him be what he is and focus on having a good time instead of his weight. I don't think the stress for 2+ months over his weight is worth a mule ride.

Riders must be under 200 pounds, fully dressed. 199 and you get to go, 200 and you don't. So if you are stripping down to weigh yourself at home, you might be overweight for the trip. You get weighed on a scale in the lobby of the Bright Angel Lodge by the transportation desk. You must cancel at least 48 hours prior to the trip for a refund. So if you show up and don't meet the restrictions (weight is just one of them), you shouldn't expect a refund.

TheWeasel has a good point. If your son is a healthy weight, why make him diet? If he's overweight and you are looking for an incentive, maybe this is it. Or maybe this would just make him dread the vacation entirely?

But there are other ways to get into the canyon. If everyone is healthy and in good shape (one of the mule ride restrictions), consider a day hike part way into the canyon. You don't have to go all the way to the bottom to see the canyon from a different perspective. But the trails may be icy at the top in winter, so you might need crampons (just like the mules have special winter shoes). Check out the nps website at www.nps.gov/grca and also www.hikethetrail for some expert advice.

Hope this helps!

North rim will be closed in December. I was just there late last month, and I know it was closing in a few weeks, i.e. in October.

The weight limit is 200 for the mule rides down and up the canyon on the north rim. But I think I read somewhere that for mule rides along the rim on the south rim, i.e. not up and down, the weight limit is higher--maybe something like 220 or 250--I forgot which.

By the way, I took the mule ride that involved taking a steep trail down the canyon and back up. I thought the down part was terrifying. The mules are very very good, though.

The north rim closes today. http://www.nps.gov/grca/media/28sept05.htm Becaasue you are talking about the 200-lb. weight limit, I suspect you may be thinking about going to the north rim.

The weight limit for all south rim mule rides is 200. Weight limit for the north rim rides is 200 for anything longer than the 1 hour rim tour (which has a 220 lb limit). The north rim is closed but the south rim stays open year-round.

South rim offers 2 trips year-round: a one-day, down into the canyon part-way and back, and an overnight, to the bottom and back.
North rim has 4 trips: a one hour rim ride, 2 separate 1/2 day trips into the canyon, and 1 full day trip into the canyon. Those on the north rim are only available May15 thru Oct. 15.