I Hiked the Grand Canyon Down & Up in One Day!
 

On Friday August 5, 2016 at 4:30 AM I began my descent into the Grand Canyon South Rim at the Kaibab trail head.I met four others on the bus on the way to the trail head. We introduced ourselves and began our hike down in the dark. I had a very bright flashlight that was a godsend, especially doing this in the dark. I am a single 55 year old transgender female in decent physical and mental shape and was going to do this entire hike alone, however, I was grateful for the company of these four friendly people. I would have been very nervous attempting this descent in the dark alone and was happy to have the company.

Prior to this excursion I did my homework about hiking the canyon, especially in the summer months. Between the heat and the sheer mental and physical will, strength, and determination to do this, I thought I had what it took to undertake this monumental feat. All the people and rangers I spoke to tried to dissuade me from doing this in one day. They were all concerned for my health and well being. However, I am an extremely determined person who is not easily dissuaded from doing something once my mind is made up. I can now admit that it was NOT the smartest thing to do....

I brought a bunch of protein and energy bars, one bag of beef jerky, 5 12 ounce bottles of water, salted shelled pistachios, one bag of salted almonds, and one large bottle of Gatorade.

At around 5:30 AM I saw the shy begin to get light and before I knew it the sun was rising and I was looking at one of the most spectacular 'light shows' on the planet! The colors of the different sediments of rock coupled with the sheer vastness of the Grand Canyon left my eyes and mind in awe of its beauty and splendor. As the sun came up the beauty grew along with the summer temps. We took about four rest stops. At our last stop I thanked them for their company and sharing this first time trip down with them and stated to the bottom alone.

Seeing and reaching the bridge was milestone that made me feel great! I was a bit tired at this point, had a nice blister on one of my feet and my thighs began to chaff. I now knew that going back up was going to be real test and will of my both my mental and physical abilities. I had NO idea just HOW much...

I walked to the Phantom Ranch in hopes of having a hot meal or a nice sandwich, resting, filling up my empty water bottles, then beginning my hike back up. There were no hot meals and no sandwiches. You needed to make reservations for meals there. Not good. I filled my bottles, soaked my sore feet in the creek, bandaged my blister and put bandaids on my inner thigh to stop the chaffing.

As I began my ascent up on the Bright Angel trail I never doubted my determination to get back to the top but I did doubt my sanity about doing this whole thing in one day. However, it was now too late to change my mind, I did not have a permit to camp down there and so I HAD to be determined to get back out of there. As I continued on I kept telling myself to just keep putting one foot in front of the other... I purposely took the Bright Angel up because I knew I was going to need more and more water.

As the heat rose I had to stop for more and more breaks. On three occasions I heard my heart beating rapidly in my right ear. I wasn't sure what that meant if that meant anything at all, I just hoped it didn't mean the onset of something bad. I continued to take rest stops, drink water, Gatorade, and keep eating the salted nuts and other things I brought. I trudged ahead and kept putting one foot in front of the other... I ran across running water twice and soaked myself. Although it felt great it also made my shorts wet and aided in the chaffing of my thighs. My feet were sore and in particular my right foot that was blistered at the heel. The bandaids weren't enough. After 4 grueling hours of walking I made it to Indian Garden where I rested and filled my water bottles. Just as I was about to set out the rain and thunder started. I don't mind the rain as it would have hydrated and cooled my body (I was sweating the water out quickly). I was concerned about lightening. I know there are about 10,000 lightening strikes in the canyon every year and I was doing this in monsoon season. It started to pour and I was lucky to find shelter in the picnic area under a covered overhang. The rain let up and I slowly and painfully began my hike again. Throughout my hike I had a walking stick that I picked up somewhere at the top make from pine. It was beyond value as the time went by and I needed to lean more and more on it, especially because my feet were sore. I brought an extra set of clothes with me and changed at Indian Garden. I am glad had them so could put on dry clothes. As I continued to ascend I had to stop more and more out of sheer physical exhaustion. Although my body was beyond tired my mind would not give in and I was absolutely determined to see this through. I also did NOT want to be rescued, that would have been embarrassing and VERY costly. It also would have ruined my determined belief that I was going to complete this no matter WHAT. All along the route as my walking became more labored and I became more tired and needed to stop and rest more, a number of concerned people asked me if I was ok, if I needed water, etc. I was very thankful and grateful for their kindness and concern but I was SO determined to complete this that even as tired as I WAS, I would NOT have taken a free donkey ride back to the top. I HAD to complete this and with EVERY step I took, not matter how slow I was going, I was was not going to give in! I tried not to look up at the miles I still had to go but I needed to get bearings of where I was in relation to the top.

The last mile was the hardest. I had to stop more and more and was simply exhausted and sore. I finally came to the first tunnel and then the second and then I was OUT of there! I CANNOT adequately describe the joy, exuberance, and RELIEF I felt once I got out of there but I cry out of being proud and ever SO determined and that I DID IT! I hiked the Grand Canyon down AND up in ONE day! Over 16 miles and over 12 hours of almost non stop hiking!

I will NEVER attempt that EVER AGAIN. It IS foolish and dangerous for a number of reasons. People have and will die doing this, I am fortunate I wasn't one of them....

It is now Sunday August 7th and I am resting and recuperating from that monumental and exhausting trip. My legs and feet are not going to be back to normal for days to come.

If you, or someone you know, is thinking about doing this in one day, tell them NOT TO. Trust me, it is NOT worth losing your life over...

Angelina Vail Bouros
08/07/16

Thank you for sharing your story. I felt your pain as well as exuberation. You are very lucky you made it out ok, and you certainly do have inner strength!

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OMG. I am glad you made it. There is a book called "Death in the Grand Canyon, " or something similar, and I am glad you wont be in the updated version.

Congrats and glad you made it. Thanks for sharing your story. It serves as an inspiration and an experience that we can learn from.

I am glad you made it out but I do hope other people contemplating this type of thing will heed your warnings. I don't think it should be attempted as a day trip.

It's so important that you were willing to share your story. I understand the determination, but as you said, not at the risk of losing your life! I just can't imagine having to walk 8 miles <i>uphill</i> after what you described as a killer 8 miles <i>downhill</i>. (P.S. I hiked 16 miles on Saturday, but it was a normal hike, not the freakin' Grand Canyon!!)

Great read and great words of warning. In hindsight would you have rathered spending the night and enjoying more time down in the canyon?

In hindsight I would have. Hiking up the canyon being well rested is a challenge in and of itself, never mind going back up after just going down.

I've read 'Death at the Grand Canyon' and most people die by doing idiotic things or what I did. It is NO joke coming up and/or being stranded where you'd either die or be lucky enough to get rescued. Even longtime hikers in great condition would seriously think twice about doing that in one day. My determination fortunately worked for me but has and will kill others.

I, too, and happy I won't be in the next addition of Death at the Grand Canyon. Thank you all for your comments, they are well appreciated!

Great report - thanks. Rim to rim in one day is on my to-do list...

Angelina,

The "Rim to Rim- Grand Canyon" hike (where you hike down go across the floor of the GC and back up in one day) is organized and done every year usually in October. Thousands of people sign up - and a close friend has done it before and is going again this year with his sister. He said it is a wonderful experience especially in the fall when the weather is nice.

http://www.rimtorim.org/hike-it/

A rim to rim (usually north to south or vice versa) can be done during the months May to October/November. The North Rim is only open from 15 May to 15 October, although the road remains open at the north rim until the first snowfall (usually sometime in November).
May and October are the 2 most popular months to do a rim to rim. Weather is not so brutally hot at the bottom of the canyon at those times of the year.

If you check the NPS website there is now a SUP - special use permit for large organized non-commercial and non profit groups wanting to do a "rim to rim".
The canyon was getting way too many people in large groups, especially runners, so they have now required these groups to apply for this permit. They limit the number of participants in any one group to 30 people.

I did a rim to rim last October (north to south), and will be doing another rim to rim (north to south) again this October.

Just think of the misery had you gone up Kaibab.

I hope your story will prevent others from this type of foolish journey. Death is a fact on that trail especially in the heat.

The absolute best, safest and easy way is by mule which is a experience of its own. But you can't stop and enjoy the canyon at will as you are not allowed to dismount the mule.

Vaga

Hiking is the very best way to experience the Grand Canyon ... and it can be, and is done, safely in one day ... but ...

*ONLY* IF YOU ARE FIT AND AN EXPERIENCED HIKER, AND HAVE HIKED 4,000 FT OF VERTICAL BEFORE, and
*ONLY* IF YOU ARE PROPERLY PREPARED, and
*ONLY* IF YOU ARE AWARE OF, AND ADJUST YOUR TRIP TO THE WEATHER (AND IN THE SUMMER, THE SUN AND THE HEAT).

Yes, it can be deadly. People die trying to do it. But many many succeed *IF* they take proper care, *know their limitations*, and heed the advice on the Grand Canyon website.

I've done it in one day twice, and I'm not a super athlete by any means. But I have hiked a lot, know the issues, and know my limitations.

The first time:
3 of us graduated from college and drank our way across the US in about 1970. One morning, on the spur of the moment, we decided "heh, it would be great to hike to the bottom." It was autumn and sunny but not too hot. (or else we might not be here today). We were young and fit (thankfully). None of us had hiked extensively before (first mistake). We took our sun hats. (good idea) We figured we'd need water (duh, yah) so each of us filled up empty orange juice bottle with water - those bottles were glass in those days (second mistake). We took the shorter, steeper South Kaibab trail down (not bad idea). We made it all the way to the river with lots of energy to spare so hiked the rest of the way to Phantom Ranch.

In those days one could just drop in and buy things at Phantom Ranch (unlike today), so we bought lunch (good) and a few beers each (third mistake, but what else would guys in their early 20's do?) And at that time they still had a swimming pool, so we swam in our cutoff jeans (sunny, dry, they'd dry in no time.) Mid afternoon the decided we'd better be heading back. (fourth mistake).

By some stroke of luck we decided to go back up the Bright Angel Trail - its longer but less steep (thankfully ... we didn't realize it at that time, but unlike the Kaibab Trail that didn't have any water at that time, there were places with piped water along the trail - and luckily the water was actually running - sometimes it isn't). After the first 500 feet of elevation gain we were physically exhausted. And eventually one of us broke his water bottle.

We developed the habit of struggling to one of the stone shelters, or to a water spigot, and collapsing and resting and/or sleeping for a loonngg time. It grew dark, we didn't have a flashlight (another mistake). Luckily there was enough moonlight that we could see (pure blind luck.) We could hear what we later learned were crickets - but we thought we were hearing rattlesnakes. Our feet hurt like hell.

The one thing that drove us was getting to the top before the bars closed ... we barely made it in time for a beer. Then in the middle of the night I had to hitch-hike back to our car at Kaibob Trailhead. It was hours before I made it back to pick up my buddies to drive back to our campsite.

The second time:
My wife and I were in our early 50's. We'd both hikes a lot in the intervening years. And we specifically trained for several months by hiking a 4,000 ft elevation gain trail near our home. By then we knew the gear we needed, the 10 ESSENTIALS, and were properly equipped. Sunny but not hot in May. We took the longer Bright Angel Trail both ways. We made it to the river and back up in a day. A fantastic hike. Because we were well prepared and lucked out on the weather.

Near the bottom, on the way up, we passed a mule train on its way down. One of the women on it was (1) terrified, and (2) saddle sore. She asked if she could walk back with us (everyone convinced her there was no way for her to do that.) I don't know how many of you have ever ridden a horse or mule, but you are way up in the air ... and those things often walk near the edge of a trail. When you look down it looks like if the animal stumbled you'd both tumble to the bottom ... you have to have as much faith in them as in the driver of a tour bus on a steep marrow mountain road in an Andes or Himalayan gorge. I too would have been terrified if I hadn't ridden before. And, yah, her seat and thighs probably felt like our feet. If you're not used to a saddle, you probably don't know the meaning of "saddle sore."

Quite the challenge to hike into Grand Canyon. I would never have had the physical or mental capacity. It would seem that it could be life threatening. I shall remember the various vistas and sunsets etc. with no regrets about hiking into the canyon. Well, we did once hike to the river's edge but it was further west in the Hualapai area. This was a day hike to where the Colorado River is accesible by river raft.

I had to register just to tell my story. I was in my mid-twenties and had a business trip to Phoenix that went over a weekend. Friday, Oct 31st, I drove up to Grand Canyon and got a hotel right outside the park. Saturday morning around 8:00am I started down the S. Kaibab trail. I wasn't intending to go all the way to the bottom but before I knew it I was about half-way down and decided I had to go all the way. I made it to the bottom around 11am.

I didn't have any food with me but I did bring a gallon of water.

I started back up at Noon and realized immediately that I was in trouble. Hiking up is a lot harder than hiking down. I rested many times but when I got within a mile or so of the top, I was completely wasted. Luckily, someone noticed me looking pretty bad I guess and asked if I wanted some trail mix. I said yes!!!

That little bit gave me the energy to finish the rest of the hike to the rim. I actually had a box full of donuts in my car and that was driving me on. I make it to the top around 5pm, which in retrospect seems pretty remarkable.

I"m sure it was good I did that in late Fall when I did and that I was young and full of energy. I don't think I could do that now!

I have lots of great pictures and memories from that trip but would not suggest doing that again, at least not without food.

My friend, Barbara, did both down and up on her 80th birthday.

Is your friend Barbara insane? :-))

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