Day 1 (Nov 1). Nathan and I started on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
We descended the North Kaibab Trail.
The Park Service closes services on the North Rim Oct 15 due to weather, and we were warned to be prepared for 0 degree weather. Guess the crampons, 3 levels of thermals, 0 degree sleeping bag, etc weren't necessary.
Dropped 4,000 feet in elevation the first day.
As we were carrying about 50 lbs each, descending was hard work.
Nathan and I taking photos of each other from successive curves. This part of the trail is not Disneyfied.
Day 2. Breakfast at Cottonwood Campground. The freeze-dried food was pretty good. And since you add boiled water to the pouch, the only thing to clean is the spork (titanium of course).
The descent is more gentle between here and the river. Throughout Day 2 there is a stream next to the trail. So we could carry a little less than the 5 liters of water we each had the first day as it was possible to treat the water from the stream for drinking.
Ribbon Falls was a side trip. The mound at the bottom has been built up by deposits of calcium carbonate.
The side trails were not sidewalks.
Bright Angel Canyon gets a lot tighter at the Narrows.
We didn't see the main canyon until the end of the second day. And we only saw a few people all Day 2 until we reached the river area.
Although we were in a desert, the running water can creat an oasis with considerable wildlife.
The end of Day 2 we saw the Colorado. Apparently the natural river was usually very brown, but now due to Lake Powell being upstream, the river is generally not muddy.
Just past Phantom Ranch but still north of the river was Bright Angel Campground. The nicest thing about the major campgrounds is the toilets; because from anywhere else you have to pack out your used toilet paper.
The food and all plastic bags have to be kept in the ammo cans to keep it away from the animals.
For example in this area the mule dear were all over.
Day 3 we crossed the Colorado River and started up the Bright Angel Trail towards the South Rim.
Lots of very interesting rocks the entire trip. But I will spare you except for this one.
Some of the switchbacks we had just come up.
Views from Plateau Point down to the river. Upstream, the first photo is to the right (east), downstream to the left.
From Plateau Point, looking south over the cottonwoods of Indian Garden Campground where we would stay the night and toward the climb for the next and last day. The faint zig -zags are the visible parts of the switchbacks on the way up.
Day 4, looking back (north). When we started the climb that morning we were still in the shadow of the South Rim. The trail in the center of the picture leads out to Plateau Point.
The packs seemed much lighter, but it was really that we were stronger.
Everything has to come in on someone's back or by mule. The south rim trails are much more traveled - lots of day hikers go down a little way from the rim. So the trails are more prepared. This is the toilet-paper delivery mule train.
This photo covers the whole trip: from the far North Rim, down Bright Angel Canyon in the background, to the river which is out of site, Plateau Point, the cottonwoods of Indian Garden, and up the canyon in the foreground to the South Rim.
A great experience. And a great companion.
