The Grand Canyon

Let me first start off the post by saying that the past 32 hours have been truly incredible. It is a little overwhelming to even try and explain our experience. Katie and I were lucky enough to have the opportunity to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon for a stay at the historic Phantom Ranch.

The day started by waking up at 6:00am local time. We spent a couple hours packing up all the food and gear we would need for our overnight hike. We grabbed some coffee and made it to the Grand Canyon by 9am.

For a couple hours we spent some time doing the typical touristy things. We walked the Rim Trail for about a mile and took in the raw beauty of the Grand Canyon. I have seen the Grand Canyon before, but nothing really prepares you for it’s sheer vastness and beauty.

At around noon we then grabbed some lunch and started to prepare for our hike to the bottom. The plan was to take the South Kiabab trail all the way down to Phantom Ranch, stay one night in the canyon, and hike back up Bright Angel Trail. Here is what we were in for.

South Kiabab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch:

• Distance: 7.4 miles
• Elevation Change: -4,714 ft

Phantom Ranch to Bright Angel Trailhead:

• Distance: 9.9 miles
• Elevation Change: +4,314 ft

Total Distance: 17.3 miles

Without too many spoilers, I think South Kiabab was my favorite of the two. It offered more scenic viewpoints along the canyon.

We started our hike down the South Kiabab around 12:15pm. We made quite a few stops early on because all the views were absolutely breathtaking. The first lookout point was less than a mile down and it was called “Ooh Ahh Point”. The way the clouds cast their shadows on the canyon as far as the eye can see was breathtaking.

The next major rest stop was Cedar Ridge. Everything on this plateau was covered in red rock dust (hence it’s name). We pounded a couple snacks, hit the bathrooms and were on our way again.

One of our favorite lookouts on the trail was Skeleton Point, which is about 3 miles down into the canyon. It had an amazing view, but best of all, it was where you got the first sight of the Colorado River.

We continued onwards and by now most of the day hikers had already turned around. It practically felt like we were the only ones on the trail. Katie and I would stop walking just to listen. Everything was absolutely calm…. and dead silent. It was a really weird sensation, but one I don’t think we will every forget.

We passed the last major stop-off called Tip Off point. Nothing really special here other than it was the start of our favorite section of the either hike. This was the point were we descended into the lower canyon.

When we finally reached the bottom we got to cross the river via a suspension bridge. There we saw a handful of kayakers and rafters enjoying the rushing river.

Once we were over the Bridge we knew we were close to Phantom Ranch. At this point, I had just run out of water (3L).

We finally arrived at Phantom Ranch at about 4:30pm, which means it took us just over 4 hours to get down. We checked into the ranch and got our dorm assignments. There are two different options for staying at Phantom Ranch. You can either rent an entire cabin, or stay in their male/female dorms. There is also an option to pitch a tent.

The ranch itself has running water and electricity (which I am still curious about how). There is no wifi or even a cell signal; just a single payphone. In addition to the dorms/cabin they also have a canteen where you can purchase food and get a cooked meal.

You might ask what makes life at the ranch possible despite being miles from any sort of civilization. The answer: Mules. These powerful workhorses have one job, and that is to deliver supplies up and down the canyon. We passed a couple trains of mules on our way down and were absolutely stunned by how these beasts could traverse the trail.

Katie and I had separate dinner seatings (again due to the last minute booking). My dinner was 5pm and it was steak and potatoes. Katie had the “hikers stew” at 6:30pm. Dinner was served family style, and it was really cool getting to chat with some of the other hikers from the day.

To end the day Katie and I hung out in the canteen for an hour or so to enjoy a well deserved beer. It was about 9pm at that point and we decided to call it a night.