TR: Grand Canyon 5-day backpack (+ DV on the side) - April 2-10

[alavigne]

Did a fantastic week-long trip to the desert SW this past April - mostly focused on a 5-day backpack in the Grand Canyon, but also included a day or so's wandering around Death Valley.

We used the Waldron Trail / Boucher Trail on the way down into the canyon. This was my first time down this route, and it's a great, non-busy way to access the canyon. And, the reports of it being super treacherous are a bit overblown. Compared to a steep, rough Adirondack or Appalachian trail, it's not that bad.

We had a couple of new [to backpacking] people along on the trip, so our pace was fairly relaxed (and our itinerary accounted for it). We leisurely made our way east along the Tonto for several days and then out on the Bright Angel. Except for 2 hours of rain and sleet on the first day, our weather was pretty much perfect!

If you're interested in the pictures (there are a lot of them) and video, and if you want good beta on how to do the Waldron/Boucher Trails, then have a look at the full web write-up here.

 

[audrey]

Thanks, I love your trip reports. We carried your writeups and maps when we did Bighorn and Phipps in Escalante.

 

[alavigne]

Thanks, I love your trip reports. We carried your writeups and maps when we did Bighorn and Phipps in Escalante.

Ah yes... now THAT's a great day hike, that Bighorn loop! And so quiet - I bet one rarely meets another group on that hike.

Glad you've found the writeups useful. In fact, I was just looking at your recent Utah Trip writeup. Good stuff!

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I second Audrey's compliments. You did a great job.

 

[Billy]

Andrew, that's an excellent trip report. Without a doubt, the most detailed TR I've ever read. Text, photos, maps, stats, elevation charts.....felt like I was reading a guidebook. Super job. Glad you had great weather too.

Last year in April we did Grandview to Bright Angel. Trip of a lifetime.

Amazing place, isn't it? Your trip report is making me want to go back. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Hikes4fun]

As usual a great trip and great trip report! Nicely done Andrew..It's always enjoyable to read accounts of your adventures

 

[alavigne]

Andrew, that's an excellent trip report. Without a doubt, the most detailed TR I've ever read. Text, photos, maps, stats, elevation charts.....felt like I was reading a guidebook. Super job. Glad you had great weather too.

Last year in April we did Grandview to Bright Angel. Trip of a lifetime.

Amazing place, isn't it? Your trip report is making me want to go back. Thanks for posting it.

Glad you liked the trip report. Yes, it is an amazing place. Your pictures from last year bring to mind a trip in 2005 down the New Hance, along the Tonto, and out on the South Kaibab. We had intended to go out on the Grandview trail, but the park service closed the trail because of a rockslide along it that year.

I was thinking of going back at some point and doing a Tanner-Escalante-Tonto-Grandview point-to-point. The Escalante is a semi off-trail route that connects up the bottom of the Tanner trail with the eastern end of the Tonto at Red Canyon. I think that'd be an awesome outing.

...Andrew

 

[DougPaul]

Nice hike.
Nice report, too.

BTW, were the metal mesh bags Ratsacks?

Doug

 

[alavigne]

You know, I'm not absolutely positive. But from looking at pictures of a Ratsack, I think so. In retrospect, I should have just bought one. Renting them from the general store was a bit too pricey.

 

[DougPaul]

You know, I'm not absolutely positive. But from looking at pictures of a Ratsack, I think so. In retrospect, I should have just bought one. Renting them from the general store was a bit too pricey.

Never can tell--they might be useful at some point in the future... Perhaps even in some local mouse-infested campsite.

I just did a bit a research and found 4 metal mesh bags:
* ratsack (http://armoredoutdoorgear.com) there are some reports of difficulty dealing with them
* outsack (http://www.simpleoutdoorstore.com/) reported to be sold by the Grand Canyon Association
* foodsack (www.foodsack.org)
* grubpack (http://www.grubpack.com/)

So I'm guessing that you were using an outsack, but the manufacturer of one commented (in one of the below refs) that they are all pretty similar.

A bunch more info including some comparisons can be found in:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Grand_Canyon_Hikers/message/54938
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Grand_Canyon_Hikers/message/54940
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi...ums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=12815

Doug

 

[alavigne]

Yes, yes... Outsack - that was it (I can picture it written on my receipt).

Never can tell--they might be useful at some point in the future... Perhaps even in some local mouse-infested campsite.

I just did a bit a research and found 4 metal mesh bags:
* ratsack (http://armoredoutdoorgear.com) there are some reports of difficulty dealing with them
* outsack (http://www.simpleoutdoorstore.com/) reported to be sold by the Grand Canyon Association
* foodsack (www.foodsack.org)
* grubpack (http://www.grubpack.com/)

So I'm guessing that you were using an outsack, but the manufacturer of one commented (in one of the below refs) that they are all pretty similar.

A bunch more info including some comparisons can be found in:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Grand_Canyon_Hikers/message/54938
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Grand_Canyon_Hikers/message/54940
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi...ums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=12815

Doug

 

[PA Ridgerunner]

Wonderful, Andrew. I so enjoy your TRs, and your photos are outstanding! Thanks for sharing this with us.

 

[Dan's Brother]

That was fantastic! The pictures and reports sure made me feel like I was along for the ride.