Grand Canyon hike May 2014 - asking for "pointers"

[7footer]

@Steve Pickering - thanks for your input. Where is the "Lookout at South Mtn"? Might you have GPS coordinates? I'd love to get to SM but haven't yet done that. It's a large area with lots of trails...might there be a trail #?

[DTNdeisgn]

I know you probably know most of these simple rules to hiking, but here is a link to some simple things to keep in mind when you're going to hike the Grand Canyon!

Hiking Tips - Hike Smart - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by 7footer

@Steve Pickering - thanks for your input. Where is the "Lookout at South Mtn"? Might you have GPS coordinates? I'd love to get to SM but haven't yet done that. It's a large area with lots of trails...might there be a trail #?

Drive to the top. It is/was a stone structure on the east end at the very top. Just look over the edge.

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by azdr0710

shoes - you may get by on sneakers for the entire hike as the trails will be in excellent shape....I did a rim-to-rim-to-rim hike (S-N-S) in one day several years ago in sneakers, but I was younger!!....I now wear heavy boots for all hikes just to be safe for my ankles and feet....make sure whatever shoe/boot you use has been broken in and "tested" beforehand....keep an eye on possible spots prone to blisters as you train here in Phx....you may want to put duct tape over worry spots before you even start

Phx trails - I think Camelback is too rough/steep to train on....Squaw Peak is good because it is in good shape....since the trails you'll use in the canyon are excellent, stick with better quality trails down here so you can stick with training and not worry about stumbling on rocks.....

don't forget to steadily eat and drink (both) while on the trails up there....will be cold on the top and hot on the bottom....no water on the S Kaibab Trail at all....

I did my Rim to Rim (north to south) in well broken in boots, but many on the trail had good athletic shoes. That was 26 years ago.

[locolobo13]

If you're looking for a different hike in South Mountain try the Mormon trail. To get to the trailhead drive south from Baseline on 24th St. to the end. If you follow the signs to "Hidden Valley" you can find a trail/track near the east end of Hidden Valley going up the south ridge. From there you can see Ahwatukee and Firebird Lake. I'd say it's just a little more than Shaw Butte but not as much as Camelback Mtn.

You can find some trail maps here:

South Mountain Hiking Map and Trail Descriptions - Official Site of the City of Phoenix

[Canyon Cat]

Originally Posted by 7footer

My wife and I are in the early stages of planning a rim-river-rim hike for May, to take place in one day. We live in Phoenix and intend to stay in Williams (or north, if we can find a place) and begin our hike early in the morning. For anyone who has completed this hike, particularly in one day, I am asking for any tips you may have for us.

We will train by hiking local trails to get our legs/minds in shape. Tho I will do additional research, I know that we will need certain things (several pair of good socks, comfy shoes, lots of water, Aleve, flashlight, camera, plenty of food, etc.). Are there not-so-obvious things we need to bring with us?

I have never done r-r-r in GC before but have had multiple hiking experiences there in the past few years. I have seen firsthand what NOT to do, as well. My wife worked as a nurse in the GC Clinic about the same time. I only hiked as far as Plateau Point and back, did a few hikes to Indian Gardens and back, and did a brutal hike down Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa and back. I got mild hypothermia on the Grandview Trail hike that took me hours to bounce back from. I was in my mid-40s and in pretty good shape on all the hikes but not a lean-and-mean type. 6'1" and 195 lbs. Here's what I can offer.

Do NOT do anything "new" prior to your hike. Do NOT buy huge, clunky alpine hiking boots. They are overkill, too stiff, and too heavy for a canyon hike. I used day hiker boots and trail runner shoes that were well broken in. Do not buy new socks, hats, packs . . . anything you have not used many times before. Do NOT trim your toenails down to the quick before your hike. Do it several days before to assure you did not nick the quick -- it will be agony if you do. Bring at LEAST two to three liters of water (not Gatorade, not juice) per person. Drink often and refill at every oasis. If you depend on the river water, you will possibly DIE.

Do not carry much of anything beyond the basics and emergency supplies: a space blanket, a small headlamp, several snacks of light food that won't make you queasy (crackers, jerky, nuts, chocolate), a small 1st-Aid kid, a bandana to soak in water and tie around your neck, a fully-charged cell phone, and a trail map. Anything beyond that will just beat you up and weigh you down.

For a hat I wore a bonefisherman's hat. It was perfect. It is like a white baseball cap with an extra long front rim and a neck cape on the back. I forced myself to take an easy lope down the trails, a steady trudge on the exposed, sun-drenched plateaus, and baby steps to a hypnotic cadence (ONE two three four, TWO two three four, etc) on the uphill as I watched so-called "experienced" alpinists from Europe stagger off against the cliff with mild heat exhaustion and fatigue.

It is hard to train for hiking in Grand Canyon as there is not much that can prepare you for the hardest part of the hike -- the uphill hike out of the canyon. Good luck. My $0.03.

[azdr0710]

excellent, practical advice from Canyon Cat above....

just set a steady, comfortable pace....trail quality is excellent, which helps a lot....don't be scared of what lies ahead....smile and have fun....don't forget to breath (learn the "pressure breathing" technique for the uphills - helps tremendously)....look around at the fantastic scenery....take a picture at the world's most scenic outhouse along the S Kaibab.....

as CC suggests about the "experienced" hikers: when doing one of my R-R-R hikes, I came upon a 20-something in-shape dude from Texas, utterly down on the trail awaiting an IV from the Indian Gardens ranger....he evidently got cocky and decided he'd run the whole thing....the Texan was not used to the ultra-dry conditions in Arizona and the 7200' elevation at the North Rim....

[7footer]

Well, over the course of several chats with my wife the last couple days she feels the task of rim-river-rim may be too much for our first effort, particularly since we won't be able to train as much as we may want/need to (jobs, 8 months old daughter, other "adult" responsibilities, etc.). We do agree that Plateau Point would be an adequate, not-as-difficult-but-still-fun hike so that is our new plan. While we will train as time allows this just seems to be more 'doable.'

The feedback and pointers offered are appreciated. A hike to the bottom remains on our bucket list!

[locolobo13]

Cool. The view from Plateau Point is great.