Grand Canyon in July

[CrazySage]

Hi all,

I am traveling out west in July for a conference, and was able to secure a backcountry permit for a Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim hike! Now, I know that it's going to be super-hot (123 in the shade was what one poster posted), but beyond that I need some practical advice. I'm an experienced backpacker when I'm surrounded by forest, but have never backpacked in the desert and canyons of the west. The advice that I need is mostly on shelter and sleeping gear. I will have to have 6 night's worth of gear on my back. 4 nights will be in the canyon where night-time temps can be in the 80s overnight, but 2 nights will be on the rims (1 on the south and 1 on the north) where night-time temps can be in the 60s. I'm also a little (ok, a lot) freaked out by the prospect of scorpions, big huge spiders and snakes. So: 1. what shelter should I take that will be light-weight but will keep the creepy-crawlies away? and 2. what sleeping gear should I take which will keep me warm on the rims?

My schedule is to stay over at the Mather Campground night 1. Hike the South Kaibab Trail down and stay at Bright Angel Camp on night 2. Hike the North Kaibab Trail and stay at Cottonwood Camp on night 3. Hike up the North Kaibab Trail and stay at the North Rim Campground on night 4. Hike back down the North Kaibab Trail and stay at Cottonwood Camp on night 5. Hike further on the North Kaibab Trail and stay at Bright Angel Camp on night 6. And then hike up the Bright Angel Trail and out to a well-deserved hotel on night 7.

I've secured reservations for dinner at Phantom Ranch for the 2 nights that I'm staying at th Bright Angel Camp. Recommendations on where I should eat on the North Rim? I'm on my own, so somewhere that a singleton will not stand out.

And lastly, does anyone have ideas for what to do around the camps? I'm planning on getting most of my hiking done in the early morning hours and will (hopefully) have the afternoon to laze around the camps. Side-hikes?

Thanks,
Jen

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

I've only backpacked the Grand Canyon in March and November, so no experience on shelter/sleeping gear for summer months. Ribbon Falls is a side hike and I think there is a short hike to an overlook near Phantom Ranch (I've never done it, but vaguely recall it). At Bright Angel Campground you might want to cool off in the Colorado - there is a small beach area that is nice. There are also ranger talks at Phantom Ranch - highly recommended! (or at least the ones we attended were great).

For further info, I would try the Southwest forum on backpacker.com, bogley.com, backcountrypost.com, or the Grand Canyon forum on tripadvisor (there are several backpackers there that are very helpful).

Enjoy your trip and stay safe in the heat!

 

[DougPaul]

I am traveling out west in July for a conference, and was able to secure a backcountry permit for a Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim hike! Now, I know that it's going to be super-hot (123 in the shade was what one poster posted), but beyond that I need some practical advice.

Hot is likely to be an understatement... (Not the best time of the year for GC.)

There won't be much shade either. Carry lots of water and electrolyte mix. (Hyponatremia can be as deadly as dehydration.) Consider a white shade umbrella. And don't forget a hat with a full brim. If you are coming from the NE, you are not likely to be acclimatized to the heat. If you haven't guessed it by now, desert summer heat can be a killer...

The advice that I need is mostly on shelter and sleeping gear. I will have to have 6 night's worth of gear on my back. 4 nights will be in the canyon where night-time temps can be in the 80s overnight, but 2 nights will be on the rims (1 on the south and 1 on the north) where night-time temps can be in the 60s. I'm also a little (ok, a lot) freaked out by the prospect of scorpions, big huge spiders and snakes. So: 1. what shelter should I take that will be light-weight but will keep the creepy-crawlies away? and 2. what sleeping gear should I take which will keep me warm on the rims?

An ambitious plan for a first timer in the desert. And solo means that if you get into trouble you can't count on help.

Scorpions tend to climb into shoes, sleeping bags, folded blankets/clothing etc. Just shake them out before you put them on. The stings are painful but rarely life threatening. They also tend to hide (under rocks etc) during the day--so be careful if you pick up rocks or wood etc off the ground.

Spiders? I have never heard any particular warnings about them.

Snakes: yes there are 6 species of rattlesnake with the Grand Canyon pink rattlesnake being the most common. Just keep your distance and you should have no trouble. If you give them adequate warning, they will most likely flee from you.

When camping, the thing to worry about is mice going after your food. You will need a metal mesh food sack or to keep your food in closed metal cook pots. If you have 3 trekking poles, you can make a tripod to hold your food up off the ground. (There are few if any places to hang one's food.)

Rodents can carry bubonic plague so keep your distance. Mouse droppings and urine can spread hanta virus so avoid breathing dust in areas where they have been.

A mesh body tent with a removable rainfly is a good choice.

I've secured reservations for dinner at Phantom Ranch for the 2 nights that I'm staying at th Bright Angel Camp. Recommendations on where I should eat on the North Rim? I'm on my own, so somewhere that a singleton will not stand out.

There are facilities on the N Rim: see http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/wheretoeat.htm

I'm planning on getting most of my hiking done in the early morning hours

Consider starting before dawn to arrive at your destination before it gets hot (mid-to-late morning?).

Doug

 

[RoySwkr]

To keep out the varmints you want a tent with good zippers

How about a hotel on night 3 instead of night 7, then you wouldn't need to tote cool weather gear the whole way

 

[max]

I live out here and hike the canyon on a regular basis. Over the past 3 years and hundreds of canyon miles, I have seen exactly 1 rattlesnake and that was crossing the trail at Indian Garden in front of about 25 spectators who spent the next 5 minutes photographing it. I've never had any scorpion issues but the above advice about shaking out shoes, checking underneath tents and other objects is a good idea. Spiders will be a non issue, even less so than the snakes.

Hiking down the South Kaibab. This is the hottest time of the year and there will be no water between the rim and Phantom Ranch, so take more than you think you need. Water is available at the Kaibab trailhead. Get an early start in the morning...I'd shoot for 6 AM to be hiking. If you stay at Mather, take the shuttle bus from there to the main visitor center and then transfer to the bus to the Kaibab trail head. Buses run about every 15 minutes. Figure on 30 minutes to do this from the campground. Hiking time from rim to ranch will be at least 4 hours, figuring in time to stop and photo opportunities. I've speed hiked it to the river in just over 2 hour with a day pack and no stopping.

Stuff to do....while at Bright Angel campground / Phantom Ranch, you can do a day hike up a section of the Clear Creek trail, which leaves the North Kaibab a short ways north of Phantom Ranch. Go up the switchbacks a mile or two and that'll bring you up onto the Tonto on the north side of the river. This makes a neat day hike, since you'll hardly see any other hikers, at least compared to what you run into on the Bright Angel / Kaibab corridor trails, and the photo ops from the platform are super. You can also bushwhack/scramble up Phantom Creek which leaves the North Kaibab trail about .75 miles above Phantom ranch. You need to wade across the Bright Angel creek to do this, so something like Teva sandals and hiking poles are required. Be aware that Phantom creek is a rather narrow drainage and July is the start of monsoon storm season. Killer flash floods are a remote possibility. I wouldn't do this if there has been stormy weather activity within 20 miles of the north rim. Rim storms can be localized and not even visible from the inner canyon gorge.

I wouldn't swim in the Colorado to cool off, even at boat beach which is near the Bright Angel / Colorado confluence. The water is a steady 46-47 degrees. Cool off in Bright Angel creek instead, it's safer.

Hiking back out to the south rim on the final day...get an early start. Anything after 6 AM is considered late. That way you'll be up the lower section of Bright Angel, and past the corkscrew and heading to Indian Garden in good time. No water between the ranch and Indian Garden except creek water from Pipe Creek which would need to be filtered. Carry enough to reach Indian Garden where you can refill. Between Indian Garden and the south rim, there are 2 more reliable water stops, at the rest houses at 3.0 and 1.5 miles (measured down from the rim). The 1.5 miles from Indian Garden to the 3 mile rest house is usually the hottest stretch of trail.

Backpacking supplies are available at the general store in Market Plaza, which is a 10 minute walk (or a short bus ride) from Mather campground. Get your stuff the day before you start hiking if you need anything since the store does not open until 8 AM.

Have a good trip and let me know if you need any more info. I live 2 hours from the south rim.

Here are a few photos of the inner canyon on my Flickr page.

 

[Remix]

I did some hiking in Nevada and the Mojave, nothing extensive as your plan. Im sure this is obvious to most but I will toss it out for neophytes like me: Cotton is much better in the sun than anything that wicks moisture from your skin. Shoes with 'stealth rubber' soles have better grip on limestone than Vibrams. Wet limestone can crumble while scrambling. Typical light wicking pants get shredded if you have to scramble or attempt to slide on rock. Hats are mandatory, the more brim, the better. Stay out of slot canyons when there is rain in the forecast.

 

[roadtripper]

Since you haven't done much hiking in the desert it seems, I would seriously think about doing something else besides backpacking at the GC in July. I do a lot of hiking and backpacking out in that area, and it is BRUTUAL in the summer. Have you ever tried to sleep when it's 85-90 degrees at night? It can be awful if not impossible to get solid rest. The altitude and dust that gets kicked up at the GC on the trails also affect people while hiking there.

If you must, I would plan on ONLY 6-8 miles per day.

 

[Snowflea]

Have done the R2R2R four times - in late March, April, May and October, and even spent a wonderful Christmas Eve and Morning 2012 at the Bright Angel Lodge. Would not even consider going there in the summer months. I like heat but not THAT much heat. The mountains of Colorado aren't that far away... Jus' sayin'.

Compared to East Coast and New England summer hiking, one big difference out there is that the the air is so dry. You will be sweating like crazy, yet your clothing will be dry. Hence the suggestion to wear cotton, although even that will dry very quickly. Lots of water and electrolyte replacement needed!

As for rattlesnakes, they are beautiful creatures and are usually kind (hah) enough to warn you of their presence if they feel threatened. Have encountered many, many rattlesnakes in CA, AZ, UT, and most recently a big fat diamondback on the side of a road somewhere outside of Amarillo. That one made me scream and do a little jig because I almost stepped on it. Just keep your eyes and ears open, and don't stick your hands between/under rocks.

Lastly, bring extra $$$. Tecates could be had for $3/can at Phantom Ranch a few years ago, probably up to $5 or 6 now...

 

[Maddy]

Because you are solo in territory that you are unfamiliar with, and heat will be a big factor, have you considered renting a PLB? Your life is certainly worth $39 bucks. Even if by chance you became really sick with heat exhaustion or had any other life threatening issues come up, you would know that help would be on the way. It's super easy to use. I have my own and hope to never need it but it does give me much POM.



http://www.plbrentals.com

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I just got back from a short trip to CA - did 3 peaks, including Whitney on Saturday, and some old hiking buds met me to do Telescope yesterday. Very nice day about 8K' (the elevation at the trailhead at Mahagony Flats) and the temps were in the 60's. The sunlight at that latitude is rather intense, so when we were out of the breeze we were still quite warm. More to the point - as I was flying home via Vegas, I drove across the balance of DV, and last evening at the Visitor Center in Furnace Creek it was still 113F at 8PM. I needed to get my baggage arranged for an early flight, so I packed my stuff in the parking lot. I returned to NE after living for 7 years in the upper Mojave were 105-110F heat was not uncommon so I was able to do this without freaking out (a stiff breeze really helped). However, once the temps pass the mid-90's, it becomes a wholly different world, at least for me.

In late April I did a one-day loop down the S. Kaibab and back via Bright Angel, and had done it once before in late January so I knew what to expect in terms of effort. As a result of that late April hike I decided I'd never go down into the GC after mid-May. I found that despite 7 years of frequent desert hikes, after one year's return to NE my body couldn't re-acclimate immediately, and I drank far more water (about 6 liters) during that loop than I anticipated. When I lived there, it would have been about a 3-liter hike. As Max pointed out, there are frequent water opportunities.

In any case - we all have different bodies, conditioning levels, reactions to extremes of heat & cold, etc. But, speaking solely for myself, I'd never contemplate an extended packpack in GC in mid-July.

Edit - in terms of the possible costs of rescues: On the January hike (2 years ago) one of my friends became quite ill about a mile from Phantom Ranch. We were a party of 4, so we managed to get him and his gear, and alerted the USPS Ranger on duty, who met us by the trail jct, and we got our friend to the aid station. She was also an EMT, and after examining him, called the physicians providing coverage for the NPS system. They determined he needed a medical evac via helicopter, and so he was airlifted out. She explained that because it was a actual medical emergency, the $11,000 charge would be waived. However, once he reached the South Rim, the ambulance ride to the hospital in Flagstaff, etc, would be his responsibility. She went on to say that hikers who get in trouble through exhaustion, underestimating the demands of the hike, etc - would be charged the $11K. For those of you familiar with Phantom Ranch - the landing pad is about half the size of a tennis court, and evac helicopter is tiny, dropping and rising straight up and down. In preparation for the flight, the pilot needed to know exactly how much he weighed, including his pack. It struck me there was very little margin of error.

 

[Will]

The advice that I need is mostly on shelter and sleeping gear. I will have to have 6 night's worth of gear on my back. 4 nights will be in the canyon where night-time temps can be in the 80s overnight, but 2 nights will be on the rims (1 on the south and 1 on the north) where night-time temps can be in the 60s. I'm also a little (ok, a lot) freaked out by the prospect of scorpions, big huge spiders and snakes. So: 1. what shelter should I take that will be light-weight but will keep the creepy-crawlies away? and 2. what sleeping gear should I take which will keep me warm on the rims?

I cowboy camp most all the time with a large groundsheet treated around the edges top & bottom with permethrin. A tiny bug bivy and a Cuben fiber tarp would work, but the perfect shelter for the Canyon is probably the Tarptent Sublite. Light, breezy, and plenty water-secure enough for the brief "monsoons" of July. I've holed up at Cottonwood Camp in one (very little shade) and the white fabric reflected a lot of the heat and made it tolerable. Admittedly that was not July. I would never go in July.

You won't need a bag at all; a light quilt will be fine on the rims or to drape over your legs if a cold wave sets in. I like the Jacks'r'Better line.

does anyone have ideas for what to do around the camps? I'm planning on getting most of my hiking done in the early morning hours and will (hopefully) have the afternoon to laze around the camps. Side-hikes?

BA Camp- They mini-dam some nice little pools in the BA Creek along the campsites in Summer. I'd go a little upstream where there are some more secluded natural pools. "Swimming" at Boat Beach is safe quite a ways in. People will yell at you if you start to go too deep. Waist is fine as I recall. Up Phantom Creek a ways is safe enough if there is no hint of rain. There is a nice falls and a pool just a few hundred yards in. I would be nervous about going too far up in July; the funnel effect of Phantom Creek is beyond belief. From some years-to-years I can barely recognize stretches of the Creek where raging monsoon season water has scattered car-sized boulders around like pebbles. It's hard NOT to suggest a climb up Clear Creek Trail a ways. In this case, maybe if it's overcast, or after the steak dinner.

Cottonwood Camp- Described by many as a wasteland in Summer. Even in late May I see people huddled pitifully under the trees or even behind the camp kiosk! One big pool in the creek, very nice. Obviously Ribbons Falls (I'd stay there for hours) and maybe the Upper Falls if there's some overcast (the initial climb would be brutal otherwise). Up Wall Creek is nice, though it's less open than Phantom and some route-finding is needed to avoid brush. Also a flash flood concern in July, so I wouldn't go up too far.

 

[carla]

Well, at the risk of repeating some stuff already said, I will, because I agree strongly: going into the GC in July is really pretty unadvisable. I don't mean to be a downer, but that's just not going to be fun, and in fact could become very dangerous, especially as a first hike in the GC.

The GC itself is gorgeous, and the hiking that you're doing is fun and certainly doable in terms of the trails and elevation and all. (I found it easier than hiking in the Whites, even though I had a heavy pack in the GC). It's the heat that is going to be the big issue. When I did an R2R there in late September I thought it was too hot then (!). In July, I think it would be just unbearable.

Your July temps, and tons of sun exposure sound painful and a bit scary. Can you change your reservations to the fall? Maybe you will get lucky and everything will go well during your hike and you'll come back to the board here and tell us how great it was--that's certainly what we would all hope for as a best outcome, truly. But, as you can tell, many of us feel that there's a high chance that it won't be great, and what could be a fabulous trip in a beautiful spot turns out to be arduous and even dangerous.

 

[CrazySage]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the positive advice. I’m really looking forward to this trip. While I understand that it is not the best time of the year, the timing is non-negotiable. I believe I didn’t explain very well above – I have day-hiked out west before (specifically around Las Vegas, Phoenix, and the GC itself), so I am very familiar with the heat and the absolute necessity of avoiding hiking during the hottest parts of the day, but each time I've returned to my chilly hotel room to sleep. I just haven’t stayed out overnight, which is why I needed some advice on the practicalities and the little things. It’s one thing to day-hike and a whole ‘nother thing to backpack.

The hikes each day are about 7 miles each (except for the last which is 9 miles), and I plan to be up early (I’m an early riser anyway) and have much of my hiking done in the early morning hours. Ex: on my first day the first shuttle leaves at 4:00 am and I aim to be on it. Trailhead at 4:30-ish am. Sun rise is at 5:12-ish. And, per max, the hike is 4 hours, so I hope to be arriving at camp by 8:30 am, with time to explore all the great places people are mentioning.

Does anyone know if they post weather forecasts in a prominent place at Phantom Ranch, like they do in the White Mtn huts?

Pudgy_groundhog – I love ranger talks! Thanks for the heads-up – I hadn’t heard about them before. And thanks for the other ideas too.

DougPaul – I’ve never hiked with a shade umbrella. Can they hook onto your pack?

Max – I loved Loved LOVED your pictures!!! Thank you for sharing them. They are some of the most beautiful pictures that I’ver ever seen of the canyon. And thank you so much for all the practical advice, especially on your time estimates.

Stinkyfeet – one of those beers will definitely have my name on it. I have been warned about the costs

 

[max]

I'd venture a guess that maybe Phantom Ranch does post a daily weather forecast, but in all honesty, I'm thinking that in July it probably won't be necessary unless you happen to hit a freakish rainy day. Monsoon storms usually don't happen before 2 PM as a general rule. Otherwise you can figure on "hot and dry" and repeat as needed. As for eating at the North Rim, I've only wandered over that way a couple of times and am not familiar with the amenities there, but as a guess I would think that perhaps they have a similar setup as at the Market Plaza cafe, or the one at Maswik Lodge, both at the south rim. You can check here for details:

http://grandcanyonforever.com/north-rim-dining

Other information regarding services including the link to the above page is here:

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Good to see that you'll be getting early starts for each days hike. If its still hot in the morning, another place to cool off on the way out is right at the bottom of the Bright Angel trail after it leaves the Colorado. There is a rest shack across Pipe Creek there and the pool in the creek at that spot is a good place to chill. You'll cross the creek a couple of times before climbing the corkscrew and both are good places to wet a bandana or t-shirt to keep cool. There also is at least one more crossing above the corkscrew, about 3/4 of a mile below Indian Garden. You probably won't need any of those, but I've used them on some hot July and August days. If you have ambition on the way out, you can take a 3 mile round trip detour from Indian Garden out to Plateau Point and back. It's a fairly level-ish hike and offers a great view of the Colorado, but will make for a long-ish last day of about 13 miles.

If you get out early and have time to kill, and still feel like a short hike, you can take the bus to Hermit's rest and hike a ways down the Hermit trail. This is only marginally scenic as it's stuck in a side canyon and the views are not real super compared to other spots. Another alternative is to go out the east rim drive to Grandview Point and hike a short ways down the Grandview trail. The exposure on the upper switchbacks is rather dramatic!

 

[DougPaul]

DougPaul – I’ve never hiked with a shade umbrella. Can they hook onto your pack?

I haven't hiked with one either, but I have read the suggestion from several with far more desert experience than I. IIRC, at least one of the reports suggests that it feels 20-30 deg cooler under the umbrella. One could probably improvise a method of attachment.

Last time I hiked from the S Rim (in April 1999), crossing from the sun to the shade on the way out felt like exiting an oven. (I had waited at Indian Gardens for the shade to cover most of the trail above before heading up.) If one must hike in July, portable shade seems prudent... (I was there in August as a kid with my family--it was 113 deg at Phantom Ranch late in the afternoon. The swimming pool (now gone) restored us to life.)

REI, EMS and GoLite all carry what appear to be suitable umbrellas.

BTW, I have read of hikers being swept off the N Kaibab Tr and killed by flash floods. Even the corridor trails are at risk from flash floods.

A note on the geography: The canyon is ~12mi wide and the river is ~3mi from the S rim in the region of your hike. The whole slope N of the river is a catchment basin for rain and you can be hit by a flood from a storm that is beyond your hearing and sight. And, of course, hikers have been swept off the N Kaibab Tr and killed by flash floods. Even the corridor trails are at risk from flash floods...

Doug

 

[weatherman]

North Rim... the way the canyon SHOULD be.
Allow extra time there, you won't want to leave... especially after starting on the South Rim amid the crowds and hiking through an oven on "self-clean".

 

[DougPaul]

I haven't hiked with one either, but I have read the suggestion from several with far more desert experience than I.

A couple of refs:
* Beyond Backpacking, by Ray Jardine (fairly extensive)
* The Complete Walker IV, by Colin Fletcher and chip Rawlins (short)
* The Backpacker's Handbook , Second Ed, by Chris Townsend (short)
* The Advanced Backpacker, by Chris Townsend (short)

Doug

 

[CrazySage]

Hi all,

I thought I’d post a quick reply here before posting a more extensive trip report over in the appropriate forum.

I had an amazing time! My hiking schedule got me either to my overnight destination (or to a rest area) by mid-morning usually and then I lazed the day away by sitting in the shade or the creek. I brought my Kindle with me and did plenty of reading. Yup, it sure was hot, but with a good plan, plenty of rest stops and lots of (supplemented) water it was actually very manageable. I wound up forming a little trail-family with a group that was doing approximately the same hike I was (they were using Phantom Ranch and the North Rim Lodge instead of camping) and thus had plenty of company on my trip.

Thanks to all for positive advice. One sad point of my trip was that Phantom Ranch was not doing ranger talks while I was there. Wah wah I will admit, though, once I settled into a shady spot by the creek I did not want to stir, and, thus, never took any side trips. This was a very lazy trip.

As for the creepy-crawlies? Never saw a scorpion or a snake! I saw plenty of lizards and deer, and even saw 2 beavers in the swampy area down-stream from Cottonwood Camp.

Thanks again every one!

 

[weatherman]

I'm jealous! Glad you had a good time. Great planning. Say hi to Woostah for me.

 

[max]

Glad you had a fun hike! Sounds like you managed the distance and the heat very admirably. During your canyon hike, I was back east visiting the kids and grandkids and spent a day hiking on Mt Monadnock. The humidity during my hike was nearly unbearable, so count yourself lucky that you had nice "dry heat" instead. Also, it looks like you avoided the water and sewage issues at Phantom. They did have some pipeline breakage problems recently, resulting in some situations in the Phantom / Bright Angel campground area, but I guess those have been resolved.