Anyone know if there's a site for the Lodge showing vacancies on-line? I think since Xanterra stopped doing the bookings there is no way to find if there are openings except to email, which is less convenient ... anyone know?

Bill

Dear Bill:

We were just at the north rim on June 3. I could not find the type of vacancy calendar you are seeking either. I called Forever Resorts, the new vendor, to make my reservation.

Check their website:

www.foreverlodging.com

or call: 877-386-4383

We loved our little 1928 cabin and the isolation of the NR.

Good luck,

MY

We were there last year, and I had to keep calling to see anyone had cancelled. Be sure to try to get dinner reservations at the lodge as well.

It was worth the effort. I showed some pictures of the North Rim to some people this week and their only response was "WOW!".

Mike Honeycutt

Yes, make dinner reservations before arriving. We didn't because we weren't sure what time we'd arrive. We were at the end at 9:30. Which was OK since it was dark anyway, no view.

MY

Yes, make dinner reservations before arriving.

They no longer accept dinner reservations, it's first-come, first-served.

We've been to the North Rim several times (this will be my eighth rim-to-rim hike), just wanted to see if anyone knew if the reservations were on-line or not. I liked the way the previous two concessionaires handled this better.

Bill

Hi Bill_H,

So far I've called to talk to Forever Resorts a couple of times about the reservations we made with Xanterra, transferred to Forever. They are always very nice. If your dates are flexible, I'll bet they would look around for vacancies if you call. But it definitely is inconvenient, compared to Xanterra's on-line booking.

When are you going rim to rim?

We'll be doing that in late September, going North to South. I hope that's not a mistake, but I'm joining a group from the UK, and they don't have camping gear for an overnight stop at Cottonwood.

If you are there around that time and you hear some British accents down at Phantom, give us a shout!

Hi enzian,

I sent them an email asking about vacancies the last week they are open, will call if I have to ... I was just hoping to find an on-line listing of vacancies so I could fit this around other things but I guess that's a dead end.

When are you going rim to rim?

Mid-October just before the lodge closes, it's coolest then. Twice we've hit snow or sleet on the hike up to the NR in October, but I'd rather fight that than 110 F heat at the bottom ...

We'll be doing that in late September, going North to South

Should be a good time, maybe will be over 100 F in the afternoons but probably pleasant in the mornings. Long hike the first day to Phantom If you feel up to it try to stop at Ribbon Falls (about a mile south of Cottonwood), a beautiful alcove with 50 ft mossy waterfall about 1/4 mile off the trail. This is where we stop to eat and it feels like a cool oasis.

I'm just dayhiking it, takes about 8 hours each way ... it's actually easier to day-hike it with a light kit (mine weighs 7 lbs with water) than to overnight with a heavy pack ... if you have 2 nights in the canyon it's not too bad, you have time to recover for the death march out, but with just one night at Phantom it's tough to re-hydrate and lug a pack out that next day, especially if it's hot.

Have a great hike, you'll remember it for a long time

Bill

I didn't know an online calendar was ever available. I love the North Rim. Have fun! Good luck on the hike.

I got an email from them listing openings the last week they are open in mid-October, so problem solved ... now if the knee that was operated on holds up I'll be hitting the Kaibab Trail again ...

Thanks for the replies.

Bill

Rim to rim in a day? I'm impressed. I could hike to the river and back from the South Rim, but I'm a bit worried about the descent from the North, all 6200 feet of it. But we are actually staying at Phantom, so we won't be carrying all that much besides lots of water.

October sounds lovely, but I was lucky enough to get the Phantom reservations in late September, so didn't want to try again for October and change everything around.

I hope your knee holds up. Do some bicycling now and then if you have a chance (maybe at Denali?) That worked wonders on my torn-up knees.

Speaking of Denali, I just got off the phone with them; we made reservations for August 2009 at Camp Denali. I am very excited about seeing it again, after 30 years away. I'll start planning the rest of the Alaska trip after this summer's adventures are over.

Rim to rim in a day? I'm impressed. I could hike to the river and back from the South Rim

If you can do the rim-to-river and up hike, which is 16 miles assuming down Kaibab and up Bright Angel, then you can do rim-to-rim, which is basically just another 4.5 miles of pleasant level walking beside Bright Angel Creek ... there's a bit more elevation but you gain about 1,800 ft gradually on the 8 miles from Phantom to where the trail starts up, and you are hiking in shade on Kaibab North, so it's almost a wash ... you could make it for sure.

I'm impressed.

2nd time we were hiking across we were passed near Phantom by a couple of guys jogging, heading to north rim ... several hours later they passed us again headed back to the south rim. After the 10th guy came by we asked what they were doing and were told they were members of a Runner's Club in Tucson that had a rim-to-rim-to-rim run each year, until I think the NPS stopped them because so many collapsed and had to be rescued. So suddenly we didn't feel like we were doing all that much.

The guys who completed this (46 miles, 10,200 ft elevation gain) impressed me. We basically did the same thing except spent one night on the North Rim, which makes it much easier.

But we are actually staying at Phantom, so we won't be carrying all that much besides lots of water

Ah, so you have a cabin at Phantom and can eat at the restaurant ... saves on the weight ... you don't need to carry too much water, I only take two 1-quart canteens, because there is water at 7 places on the trail ... just be sure to fill up before leaving Cottonwood (long dry level stretch to Phantom) and Phantom (4.5 hot miles to Indian Gardens).

Bill

Bill,

I don't like Forever Resort's website much at all. Some of the pictures are artist type. They don't have menu's online for the restaurants. I like a website with a lot of details about the different types of rooms, prices, availability. I have been looking at Isle Royal for a trip someday. I haven't bought a book yet. The NPS and the FR websites have just limited info. I guess I could just pick up the phone, but sometimes I like to be able to read it.

I want to do a rim to rim sometime, also want to go to Havasu Falls. I bet you have done that also????? Been to GC three times, but never to North Rim. I would like to hike "the wave" and combine that with a north rim visit some day. We try to go to some NP at least 2 or 3 times per year. We rafted the GC las summer (3days). That was proably enough for my wife and daughter, but I could have gone one more day. Don't think I would be up for the 10 day. That would be just to much river for me.

Bill_H---if you are still checking in here---do you have any idea how hot it will be at the bottom of the canyon the very end of September? I've looked at the monthly "averages" on the NPS website, but I feel like the numbers might not accurately reflect the very last few days of the month. I am hoping that by then it will be more like October weather than summer.

I am joining some friends from the UK for this trek and some of them are concerned about the heat. I told them that the last four (level) miles on the North Kaibab trail, through "the Box", will be hot---maybe 30 to 35 degrees---but it is mostly shady in the late afternoon when we will be traversing that part. But that is based on my experience there in late April. Do you think that is accurate for late September as well?

I will make sure everyone understands about the water and fills up 2 liter bottles at Cottonwood. And fills them up again before we start out the next morning. I'm not as concerned about the heat on the way up, as we'll get an early start and probably be at the rim by noon. (All except for the avid photographer, who I am sure will be making lots of stops along the way.)

do you have any idea how hot it will be at the bottom of the canyon the very end of September?

Hi enzian, I'd guess maybe low 90's F, mid-80's if you're lucky and it's overcast, high 90's to low 100's if there's a hot spell. So my guess for Sept 28 is 93 F at Phantom Ranch

I told them that the last four (level) miles on the North Kaibab trail, through "the Box", will be hot---maybe 30 to 35 degrees---but it is mostly shady in the late afternoon when we will be traversing that part.

The hot section is between Cottonwood campground and the start of the Box, which is about 5 miles ... this is open with no shade, with white dirt/sand that reflects the heat.

I've always found "the Box" to be very pleasant hiking, with the creek gurging right beside you, level trail with nothing to trip on, deep shadows from the canyon walls and a breeze blowing downstream ... you say "late afternoon when we will be traversing that part" ... when hiking rim-to-rim from the north we try to leave around 4 AM and are at Phantom by 9 AM so we avoid the heat on the hike up/out ... doing this stretch below Cottonwood late in the day will mean you'll be out at the hottest times with no protection from the sun for 5 miles. You might want to carry 3 canteens instead of 2 unless they are strong, fast hikers.

I'm not as concerned about the heat on the way up, as we'll get an early start and probably be at the rim by noon.

That's the best way to do it ... should be a fun hike, especially since you aren't lugging camping and cooking gear. We will miss you by about 2 weeks.

Bill

This is a great help---thank you! We can't leave the North Rim before 7 am because one person in our party wants to see his wife safely on to the shuttle to the South Rim---she is not hiking but will meet us there.

Everyone in the group is a strong hiker (I've hiked with these Brits in the North Cascades), so I am thinking we might get through most of the hot part by 1 pm or so. Of course, those who are worried about heat and want to start earlier can do so. I'll make sure they understand about the sun protection and I'll suggest carrying 3 liters of water instead of two.

We can't leave the North Rim before 7 am ... Everyone in the group is a strong hiker

You guys will have do great, the daily high temps are at 5 or 6 PM and it's slightly downhill all the way to Phantom, so you could be there by noon if you hiked straight thru, or 1 PM if you stop at Ribbon Falls for brunch (which is what I recommend, this is a special place with a beautiful waterfall).

The folks who are hiking this hot section mid-day and then facing the hike to the rim that afternoon are the ones who need to worry a bit about not tiring too much in the heat, since the hard work is still ahead of them on the climb out. That's why we left at 4 AM, putting us at Phantom at 9 AM and then completing the 3 hour hike out to the south rim before it got TOO hot.

Bill