phantom ranch
 

On our trip to the grand canyon my husband wants to hike down to Phantom Ranch. We have never been to the GC before, we are both in decent shape (he has run marathons and I do half marathons and we both work out regularly) We have never hiked with packs and I am a bit hesitant about such a journey down into the canyon in June. Has anyone done this hike before? Is it worth the money? It seems a little pricey to stay there. We only are spending two days in the GC, and it seems this would be our entire trip. Would we be missing a lot of the park if we did these trails only down to Phantom Ranch and out?

My sister has hiked down with a pack and camped once and still finds it one of the most awesome things she has ever accomplished. She has hiked down twice since with a day pack and stayed at Phantom Ranch.

She ways you just don't get the true view or feel of the canyon without going down into it.

You'll have to decide if you want to save money or energy.

We have reservations to do it with her in March 06. That was the first time we could get reservations last fall.

You will want to make dinner and breakfast reservations as well as a picnic meal to pack out with. Then you will need a room for on top for the night before and possibly after. You may not feel like going anywhere that night!

Luckily, you can do all this with the same person.

I've done this hike and I absolutely recommend it in the strongest possible terms. Looking at the Canyon from the Rim is one thing (you can see most viewpoints in a few hours) but you really don't appreciate the actual SIZE of the place until you hike down into it. Since you are obviously in better shape than I am, I conclude that you could handle this hike *IF* you start now to strengthen your knees. Walk up and down stairs until you can do so for an hour without any pain. If you think up and down stairs for an hour is a lot of climbing, wait till you do so for EIGHT hours as you climb out. Also, read the warnings on the NPS site (www.nps.gov/grca) BEFORE you join the hundreds of people who, every year, need to be rescued from the Canyon.

According to

www.grandcanyonlodges.com/pages/room_rates.htm

a bunk bed at Phantom Ranch is $27 per person, per night. For a place where everything must be taken into and out of by pack mule or helicopter, this is a reasonable charge. It's also less than the lodging for two people anywhere in or near the Canyon. You have to sleep SOMEWHERE that night, why not a place you'll remember forever?

You won't need a HUGE backpack for your journey. All you really need to carry are sleeping bags, changes of clothes, snacks for your journey, and LOTS of water. Eat a large breakfast before your hike (both up and down) and have your dinner at the dining room. Bright Angel Trail has water at three spots along the way; the Kaibab Trail has NONE. Thus, the route I recommend is Kaibab down, Bright Angel up. Your hike on the BA will allow you to replenish your water as your travel on it, so you won't need to carry as much water.

It WILL be hot on this journey, and you WILL end up thirsty, tired, and sore. But you will also have a trip you will remember all your life, and an experience few people are willing to try. ABSOLUTELY I recommend it!!!

I second everything PaulRabe said above. I've hiked into the Canyon 3 or 4 times and would go again in a heartbeat. It's like nothing else I've ever seen.

A word of warning: check into reservations NOW. Overnight accommodations in the Park are strictly limited and are snapped up way ahead of time. Sign up for meals in the dining hall and you won't have to bring your own food (i.e. lighter backpack!)

Plan on getting an early start when hiking out to avoid some of the heat.

Several years ago we took the mules down and stayed at PR.

You might consider hiking half way down to (?)Indian point, and coming back up. That way you would have the next day to see the rest of the GC. Having only 2 days, 'something's got to give'. ((R))