Monday, August 23, 2010

National Park #18 - Grand Canyon - South Rim




Colorado River in Marble Canyon at Lee's Ferry

No trip to the Grand Canyon would be complete without getting up close and personal to the Colorado River. On our 220 mile drive from the North Rim to the South, we stopped at Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center to take a peek at the mighty Colorado. (As the crow flies...the distance from the North to South rim is a mere 12 miles.)

The River Raft in the lower right corner was about to launch down the Colorado. Also, what appeared to me to be reflections of the canyon walls in the water actually turned out to swirling mud as the River swept it downstream.

(Double click on the pictures to enlarge them!)

Navajo Bridge

So, how did the pioneers cross the River? In 1873, John D. Lee set up a Ferrying operation that handled river crossings until 1927 when the Ferry sank while the steel arch Navajo Bridge was being constructed. In 1929, Navajo Bridge was christened connecting the south shore to the north. The bridge served well for 66 years...however, automobiles and trucks became larger and larger and the original bridge became obsolete.

In 1994, a second mirror image of the original steel arch Bridge was completed thus accommodating increased loads and traffic.

Vermilion Cliffs

The 3,000- foot escarpment of the Vermilion Cliffs stand tall as a backdrop to the Navajo Bridge crossing. This remote area is supposed to be a geologic treasure of towering cliffs, deep canyons and spectacular sandstone formations. Folks we met along the trails suggested we hike the Paria Canyon located within the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.

Desert View Watch Tower

The Desert View Watch Tower is located at the east entrance of the South Rim. Built in 1932, the 70 foot structure is a replica of an ancient Indian tower and offers up a magnificent view of the Canyon and Colorado River. (see next picture) When climbing the 80+ spiral staircase to the top level of the Tower, you will be at the highest point on the South Rim with a 360° view of the Painted Desert, the Grand Canyon and the San Francisco Peaks to the south.


When we visited the Tower, it was undergoing some exterior cosmetic work. There was a big nasty looking lift and scaffolding everywhere making the Tower not at all photogenic. I snatched this photo off the internet! (so far, this is the only shot in all of this National Park blogging business where I did not take the picture!)

The interior walls of the Tower were painted by Indian artist, Fred Kabotie, the same fellow who did the artwork at Petrified National Park.

Colorado River from Desert View Watchtower

Looking northwest from the top of the Watchtower, you'll enjoy a great glimpse of the muddy Colorado as it winds its way thru the Canyon.

Down the Bright Angel Trail

Speaking of winding down thru the Canyon, Terry and I embarked upon our second decent into the Canyon on August 20th. Our destination - Indian Garden - 4.6 miles down from the South Rim via the Bright Angel Trail. The Bright Angel is the most popular trail on the South Rim and gets plenty of traffic. Yet it also provides hikers with three very handy rest and water stops along the way.

These three stops offer fresh water May thru September, pit toilets and a shady place to rest your weary body and are known as: the 1.5 mile Rest house, the 3.0 mile Rest House and Indian Garden. You will find no more water or wee wee stations until you reach Bright Angel Campground 7.8 miles from the Rim at the bottom of the Canyon.

Like the North Kaibab Trail, the Bright Angel is steep and challenging. The elevation change from Rim to Garden is 2985'...almost the same drop as the North Kaibab Trail from the Rim down to Roaring Springs. The trail is pretty well maintained, however, the mule traffic does tear the trail up a bit.

Unlike the North Kaibab Trail, the Brighty is not nearly as visually pleasing. Fewer trees and shrubs. Very few colorful plants. Even the layers of different sedimentary rock were not as interesting as the trail on the North Rim. So...if you have time for only one hike in the Canyon...head out to the North Rim and trek down the North Kaibab!

Trail to Indian Garden

If you double click on this picture and blow it up, you'll be able to see the 3-mile Rest House on the right side of the image where the trail appears to be making a U-turn. Down in the Canyon, you'll see a patch of greenery - that's Indian Garden - our destination.

Notice the yawning character on the face of the cliff.

Stay off the Cacti!

Indian Garden Cabin

Indian Garden is a lovely riparian area shaded by mature cottonwood trees. A small creek passes thru the Garden on its way to the Colorado River and helps irrigate the plant life and provide water for the small mule deer herd that resides here. One of the herd practically joined Terry and I for lunch. These creatures are NOT frightened by humans. Nor are the squirrels and chipmunks who will literally crawl all over you for a handout.

Within the Garden, there are several vacant cabins, a Ranger Station with helicopter landing pad, mule corral, day use picnic areas, several pit toilets, fresh water and a campground. It is a veritable oasis for those hiking the Canyon.

Back up the Bright Angel

What goes down must come up! At the 3-mile Rest House they have a warning sign. It reads: Going Down is Optional. Going up is Mandatory! The sign cautions day hikers to consider their hiking abilities and stamina before venturing further into the canyon.

Interestingly, there are over 250 rescues each season in the Canyon. Most of those rescued are young males ages 18-27 who think they are in better shape than they are. Canyon hiking is very deceiving. Going down is relatively easy. It's the coming back up that challenges the body!
Kolb Studio...a welcome sight!

Once you see this sight...you know you've made it to the top! Kolb Studio is one of the famous buildings located on the South Rim. Built by Emory Kolb where he lived for over 70 years, the Studio is now a bookstore and art gallery.

Back in the day, Emory and his brother Ellsworth used the Studio to hawk souvenir photos of mule riders descending into the Grand Canyon. Their true passion, however, was exploring the Grand Canyon and capturing their adventures on film. In 1911, the brothers floated the Colorado River for all it was worth and filmed their entire journey. This was the first such successful river run since John Wesley Powell did it back in 1869.

Brighty!

Brighty of the Grand Canyon was real and has been memorialized by this bronze statue. Brighty lived at the Grand Canyon from around 1892 until 1922. He was given the name Bright Angel after the creek that flowed into the canyon from his home on the North Rim...but everyone called him Brighty.

Brighty spent his summers carrying water from a spring to early tourist accommodations on the North Rim. He was also used to entertain youngsters who would ride on his back for hours...which sounded very appealing as we hiked back up the Bright Angel Trail.

Fare thee well friends. Terry and I will be heading to the Pacific Northwest in September. Our next Trek will take us to Mt. Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades National Parks. Numbers 19, 20 and 21! Happy trails.




Saturday, August 21, 2010

National Park #18 - Grand Canyon - North Rim


August 17th - Our 18th National Park

The first leg of NP#18 takes us to the Grand Canyon's North Rim. The South Rim may be the most famous. However, for a really Grand Canyon experience...make your way to the North Rim. The weather is wonderful, the scenery spectacular and the crowds are light!

Clouds creep into Nankoweap Canyon

The North Rim sits at 8200'- 8800' in altitude and receives much more precipitation than its southern counterpart. It rained each day of our visit which helped cool things down. The daytime temperature never got over 82 with nighttime lows hovering around 54.

Perfect hiking weather!

Meltdown!

At an elevation of 8250', the North Rim has ideal hiking conditions. 5760 feet below the Rim, the daytime highs will exceed 100 degrees during the summer months. It gets blazing hot down by the River! Typically 20-30 degrees warmer than up on the Rim.

Our original Grand Canyon Plan called for us to spend two days on the North Rim, then hike 14 miles down the North Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch. We'd spend the night in the Dorms at Phantom before returning to the South Rim via the 9 mile Bright Angel Trail.

To get into condition for this Trek, Terry and I have been doing a series of "hot weather training hikes" this summer at South Mountain - the worlds largest Municipal Park located about 3 miles from our house. South Mountain is criss-crossed with over 60 miles of hiking trails with steep accents and scree-filled descents!

On August 11th, we set out on our most aggressive conditioning hike - a 11.3 mile trek on one of the hottest days of this summer. I figured that if we survived this test, the Grand Canyon should pose no problems...even though Terry has been susceptible to heat issues in the past.

Needless to say...the heat got to Terry on this particular hike which led us to the conclusion that it would not be prudent for us to attempt a Trek of over 24 miles in the middle of the summer. Alas, we cancelled our reservations at Phantom Ranch.

For the rest of the story, scroll to the end of this blog.

North Rim Bison Herd

As we approached the North Rim, we encountered a sight we'd seen before in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons - a herd of Bison grazing along the roadway.

Grand Canyon Lodge

Perched on the cliffs of Bright Angel Point, the Grand Canyon Lodge is literally at "the end of Hwy 67". When we called the Lodge to get the address so we could program it into our GPS, the Reservationist tells us "the Lodge doesn't have a physical numerical address. Just drive to the end of Hwy 67 and you will end up at the Lodge."

Designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood (the same fellow who designed the Ahwanhee in Yosemite), the Lodge originally opened June 1, 1928. Like many of the early Great Lodges of the West, the Grand Canyon Lodge burned down on September 1, 1932. Reconstruction of the new Lodge was completed in 1936...but it did not have the same character as the original Lodge. Today, the main structure (shown above and below) houses Guest Registration, the Main Dining Room, a Saloon, Gift Shop, Deli, a large Recreation Room/Theater and a sitting Parlor which provides guests with an amazing view of the Grand Canyon.

Rear view of the Lodge

By design, the Lodge obstructs the view of the canyon from its visitors until they actually enter the Main building. Once inside, guests are treated to a wall of windows exposing them to the grandeur of the Canyon. Outside patios offer seating areas for guests to enjoy the Canyon view from sunup to sunset.

Deluxe Cabins

In addition to the Main Lodge, the facility was designed with accommodations meant to meet most budgets. At the top of the rate scale are the Deluxe Cabins - wood framed fourplexes with 1/2 log siding, stone fireplaces and stone foundations. These Cabins are very similar to those we stayed at in Bryce and Zion. We were assigned to Cabin #356 - not the greatest of locations...however, it was very quaint. We now have the layout so if you ever decide to visit the North rim and want to stay in one of the Deluxe Cabins...give us a holler and we'll let you know which ones to ask for!

In addition to the Deluxe Cabins, the facility also includes Standard Cabins, Housekeeping Cabins and a Motel.

Transept Trail Trek

After checking in, we got the itch to hike about the North Rim and headed out to the Transept Trail that skirts the rim of the Transept Canyon. This charming 3-mile round trip trek takes you thru a lovely forested section of the North Rim and offers up good views of Bright Angel Point, Bright Angel Canyon and several of the "temples" that rise up out of the canyon floor.

Bright Angel Point

A "must do" on the North Rim is to take the short walk out to the end of Bright Angel Point. Do this at sunrise or sunset. The view of Roaring Springs and Bright Angel Canyons is incredible. On a clear day, you will easily be able to see the South Rim and beyond. Humphrey's Peak (Arizona's highest point 70 miles as the crow flies) was clearly visible.


Roaring Springs Canyon

6:00 am August 18th. We sit in our car at the North Kaibab Trailhead as the rain pours down upon the Highlander. Yes, we nixed our plans to hike the 14 miles down the North Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch a week ago...however, we did not nix trekking about the Canyon. Wouldn't you know it, today would have been ideal for the 14 mile hike down to Phantom! Overcast skies. Rainy. Cool weather. 58°. Stuff that you dream about when attempting to hike the Canyon in the middle of summer.

The rain lets up. We strap on our backpacks and head down the Trail. Destination - Roaring Springs - 4.7 miles down the North Kaibab Trail. The elevation at the Trailhead - 8,250'. The elevation at Roaring Springs - 5,200' - so we will be descending almost 3000' from the Rim to the Springs. This my friends is a very steep trail! Not so bad on the downward leg...very strenuous coming back up!

Supai Tunnel

The first major waypoint down the North Kaibab Trail is the Supai Tunnel located about 2 miles down from the rim. The trail became stymied by a large rock "fin", so those crafting it had to carve their way thru. At Supai, there is water and toilet facilities during the summer months making it very convenient for those with microscopic bladders!

Under a watchful Eye

The trail to Roaring Springs is one of the most spectacular I've ever hiked. Yes, its a challenging trek, yet you are treated to an intimate view of the Canyon and its many, many layers. This shot shows Terry trekking between the Redwall Limestone layer above and the Temple Butte Formation below.

In all, we transcended 9 different geologic layers with origins dating back 500 million years ago. Each rock layer represents a period when a particular environmental condition existed. The youngest Rock formation - the Kaibab Formation - was formed in a shallow warm sea about 260 million years ago...just before dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Like so many of the natural wonders of this incredible earth, to truly appreciate it...you must experience it with your own eyes and feet!

Eye of the Needle

Being somewhat of a rock freak, I was fascinated by the grey and red formations found between the Temple Butte and Redwall formations!

Clinging Flora

Another fascinating aspect along this trail is how the flora manages to survive in extreme conditions. How the heck does this plant manage while clinging to the side of the cliff? Where's the soil? How does it get water? And what a striking contrast between the deep green color of the plant against the rich red walls of the Canyon.

She made it!

No heat issues today! Terry makes it down to Roaring Springs in good health and great spirits!

Once we've descended about 4 miles down the trail we begin to hear the sound of running water. We can't see any signs of it...yet the further down the trail we go, the louder it roars.

Which way do we go?

Cottonwood Campground and Ribbon Falls is another 3 miles further down the Trail. The weather's right and it's very tempting to think that we could make it all the way down to Ribbon and back in a single day. We come to our senses when we realize that we'd be attempting to do a 16 mile trek rather than a 9.4 miler.

And although we're feeling fresh at the moment...we still have 4.7 miles of "steeps" to negotiate. We pass on Cottonwood and picnic at Roaring Springs.

Roaring Springs

Incredibly, out of the side of the cliffs flows the Roaring Springs. The main spring (shown here) produces the loudest "roar"... however, there are several other smaller springs that contribute to the refreshing sound of fresh water running thru the Canyon.

Back up to the Rim

The guidebooks all claim that the first 5 miles of the North Kaibab Trail is "very steep...very strenuous". It certainly didn't seem so as we descended. By the time we reached the top of the Rim at the conclusion of our Trek...we agreed with the guidebooks! It takes hikers in good condition at least twice as long to hike up as it does heading down. Believe the Guidebooks! Do not even think you will climb up at the same pace as you descended!

Color along the Trail

Nature fascinates me and the myriad of flowering plants set against the rich color of the natural stone captivates my eye. I couldn't help but snap a photo of this flower set against the grey backdrop of Muav Limestone.

Canyon View from Lodge

Back to the Lodge after our Roaring Springs Trek to catch the final glimpses of the Canyon as the sun peeks in and out of the surrounding cloud cover. Dinner along with couple of glasses of vino and we're ready for the sack!

Canyon View from Cape Royal

August 19th. We depart the North Rim this morning heading now for a couple of days visit along the Canyon's South Rim. As we depart, we opt to take a 23 mile detour out Cape Royal Road on the Walhalla Plateau to get another perspective of the Canyon. From here, you will get a small glimpse of the Colorado River in the distance. Picture taking of the River was difficult as the view of it in the morning hours was to the east looking directly into the sun.

This side trip is worth the drive as it offers up sweeping views of the Vishnu and Jupiter Temples as well as the eastern reaches of the Canyon. Also, because of its remote location, crowds are sparse!

Happy Trekkers

Even though we chose to "postpone" our Rim-toRim Trek for another day, Terry and I are two of the happiest Trekkers on this planet! We've had the good fortune to have hiked amongst some of nature's most incredible trails.

We both thank you for joining us along our journey thru our National Parks and wish you well. Next up - the South Rim!

The rest of the "meltdown" story...

August 11th, 4;30 am– Phoenix, AZ. Terry and I are preparing for our 18th Park visit – the Grand Canyon. We are about to take an 11.3 mile “conditioning hike” along the trails of South Mountain located just a couple miles from our home. We’ve taken a number of “conditioning hikes” this summer in addition to all of the other hikes we’ve done during our four-month Trek thru the Parks.
These practice hikes are to ready us for the Canyon which will not be any ordinary Park visit. We plan to hike from the North Rim of the Canyon to the South Rim…a twenty-five mile hike in the middle of the summer heat! I believe there is no way Terry would be able to navigate a hike like this without stopping to rest for the night at the bottom of the Canyon. The only reasonable solution was to try to secure sleeping arrangements at Phantom Ranch. Tucked in beside Bright Angel Creek, Phantom Ranch is the only lodging facility below the canyon rim and offers a male/female dormitory facility along with individual cabins. The cabins were completely sold out; however they did have room for a male and a female on August 19th, 2010.
We had hoped to secure a reservation at Phantom Ranch for May, 2011 but unfortunately we called in two days too late. The place was booked. When Terry asked the reservationist when there might be a date to accommodate the two of us, the only thing available was August 19th…in the heat of summer. She booked it and this is where we will stay on our two-day rim-to-rim hike. There’s no way that Terry would be able to make the rim-to-rim in a day and I doubt that I could do it in August.
The original Park Trek Plan had the Grand Canyon as our first stop in June. Terry was going to drop me off at the South Kaibab Trail early June 1st and drive to the North Rim to pick me up later that evening. I was going to do the rim-to-rim in a day. From there, we were going to Zion, Bryce and the other Parks along the first leg of our journey.
But since Terry is an adventurous one…she too wanted to experience the Canyon rim-to-rim as well. Physically, I knew that she would not be able to accomplish this task without intensive preparation….hence the “conditioning hikes”
To prepare Terry for the distance and the heat, we’d taken “training hikes” on July 21st, July 28th and August 2nd. The main concern I had with us attempting this hike in the middle of summer was that I know that Terry is very susceptible to heat exhaustion. For god sake, I almost did her in on our very first hike at Kolob Canyon and the temperature there was only in the mid 90’s. The bottom portion of the Grand Canyon in August will easily be 105° - 115°.
The three conditioning hikes went well. We trekked an average of 7-9 miles in the early morning hours carrying backpacks filled with water, Gatorade and the right foods. Our pace was slow…however, both Terry and I had no problem negotiating the distance in the early morning summer heat we have grown accustomed to by living here in Phoenix.
Our Aug 11th hike took us up the steep Pyramid Trail on the western side of South Mountain and we’d end up at the Pima Trailhead at the eastern most section of the Park. Before the hike began, we took separate cars to Pima and dropped off my Tundra Truck. We then drove back to our starting point just off of 17th Street. We were on the trail about 6:30am…a bit later than our normal start…but this was good as I knew we’d be hiking in the heat of the day. We needed to see how we’d fare as next week we knew it would be an arduous adventure!
The first section of this hike is extremely steep. As steep as anything we will encounter at the Canyon. Terry is now hiking this trail for the third time. This will be my 5th accent up this demanding grade. And this time, we loaded our backpacks with everything we’d be taking on our 14-mile hike from the North Rim down to Phantom Ranch. Our packs easily weighed in at 30 pounds or more.
We reached the summit of what I call the Pyramid Trail a few minutes faster than in our previous efforts. I’m thinking that this is a good sign…since all along, I’ve been very doubtful that Terry will be able to handle the distance and the heat. We continue along the National Trail and grind it out through the scree and the advancing heat. About 7 miles into the hike, Terry gets a call from one of her girlfriends who asks how she’s doing. At this stage, all is well. Our pace is slow, however, we’ve done most of the hill climbing and will soon be descending off the mountain.
At mile nine on our descent, Terry begins to hit the wall. She’s showing visible signs of fatigue and the heat is now really beginning to take its toll. We find a small tree that offers up a bit of shade. She sits down to rest…then lies down and asks me to shade her. Now I’m concerned. We’re at least 2+ miles away from the truck. It’s now 2pm…the heat of the day is now upon us…and it will only get hotter. In Phoenix…the hottest part of the day is 4 o’clock….that’s when the weatherman gives his readings.
Besides the heat…we are now dangerously low on water and Gatorade. We had packed up five Camelback bladders of fluids for this hike and added two additional bottles of Gatorade for reserves. This should have been sufficient for us to make the 11-mile hike without running out of water. But now…we’re not moving. Terry needs rest so we are stationary at mile 9 for almost an hour.
We work our way down the trail to an old rock house built many years ago located at the base of the mountain. Although the roof of this structure has long since been missing, inside there is sufficient shade so Terry lies back down to rest. It’s now closing in on 3 pm. She rests sipping water and eating some of the snacks we had packed. An hour passes and I ask her if she will be able to hike the remaining 1.3 miles out back to the truck. She seems to be recovering and I give her these three options.
#1 – we hike out together
#2 – I hike back to the Truck and drive it up to the rock house. Two problems with this option – one, there is now a nasty looking fellow loitering around the area and I really don’t want to leave Terry alone with this Rastafarian on the loose. Secondly, if the gate at the end of the trail is locked, there is no way I will be able to get the truck back to her.
#3 – I punch the SpottyMan 911 Panic Button and request a rescue.
Terry opts for #1 and we begin the hike out. It’s now 4 pm and the heat is intense. (We learn later that it was 111° that day.) We get about a hundred yards and find a bit of shade. We make it another 100 yards but I can tell the going is tough on her. The third 100 yards does her in. Terry ducks behind the shade of a small shrub and sits down. She can go no further. Now we’re left with either option two or three. Neither of us wants to call out the Calvary so I make the decision to hike it back to the truck in hopes that the gate will be unlocked. If not, I know there is water there and I will fill up the Camelbacks and hike back to Terry and we’ll just have to sit it out until dark.
All sorts of not good thoughts are racing thru my head as I head back to the truck. I decide to jog it back and with the adrenaline rush I’m experiencing, the heat and distance do not bother me. I cover the mile in a little over 11 minutes only to find the gate securely locked! Dammit! And there is no way to circumvent the gate. Back to Plan B – fill up the Camelbacks with water and head back up the trail. We’ll just have to wait out the heat.
An incredible stroke of good fortune! Just as I finish filling up with water, a young Phoenix Police Officer drives up making his rounds. I flag him down and tell him that my wife’s experiencing heat exhaustion about a mile up the road. I ask if he might have the combination to the lock on the gate. He placed a call to someone and a minute later, he’s swinging the gate open!
We jump in my truck and a few moments later, we find Terry still huddled under the shade of the shrub…very happy to see us!
Grand Canyon Hike Nixed
This particular “conditioning hike” was very revealing. Terry obviously did not do well and I told her that there is no way I’m going to allow her to hike the Canyon in the middle of summer. We will cancel her reservation as soon as we get home. I will still do the hike…but I will do it solo. We were very fortunate to be close to civilization on our practice hike when Terry melted down. Fourteen miles down at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is quite another story.
As it turns out, Terry suffered from hyponatremia. This is a heat related illness that in the early stages mimics heat exhaustion. It is the result of low sodium in the blood caused by drinking too much water and not eating enough salty foods. Terry sweats like I do (profusely) and she lost too much salt during the course of the hike. As it turns out, we did have plenty of water…we just didn’t eat enough potato chips! Mental note to self: bring three canisters of Pringles…not just one! Two for Terry…one for me!
The following morning I can tell that something is bothering Terry. She is very concerned about me doing the hike by myself. She would prefer that I too cancelled and waited until I found a hiking partner to do the rim-to-rim with. An extra large dose of disappointment settles in for this was to be the highlight of our summer Trek thru the Parks…however, I know that this is the best decision. She’d be a nervous wreck wondering if I was ok for the two days I’d be in the canyon. Plus, every hiking book I’ve read ALWAYS encourages trekkers to hike with a buddy. So…we cancelled our much-anticipated rim-to-rim Grand Canyon Hike. Rats!
Yet, not all is lost. We are still planning to visit both the North Rim and South Rims as scheduled. We’ll just not get the Phantom Ranch experience on this go-around.
August 17th – We’re here! North Rim Grand Canyon. Weather - 72° and cloudy! Alas - perfect hiking conditions! Incredible beauty. Much more desirable than the arid South Rim. Ponderosa pine. Aspen trees. Juniper and Gambol Oak. It reminds us of Black Canyon…only this canyon is HUGE!
We get to check another Lodge off the old Bucket List as we unpack our bags for a two night stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge. The address of the Lodge – the end of Hwy 67! And sure enough, it sits on the very edge of the Canyon wall. One can go no further lest he tumble 5,000 feet to the canyon floor.We’re assigned Cabin #356 a rustic unit designed by the same chap who designed the Ahwanhee in Yosemite and the Bryce Canyon Lodge