Hiking in the Grand Canyon is not for the faint of heart. For starters, the elevation of 7,000 feet leaves many gasping for oxygen. Sudden storms in the afternoon can generate lightning strikes and heat sometimes produces life-threatening levels of dehydration. Park literature warns hikers not to hike down to the river and back up in one day, even if hitching a ride with a mule train. None of us (I was traveling with two heart patients) were prepared for a day long, 21-mile climb to the bottom, but we wanted scenic views below the rim. A shuttle bus dropped us off at the South Kaibab Trail and down we went, reveling in the cool, crisp air. My climbing experience includes hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, but canyon climbing is different. Up a mountain, the hard work comes first. Views from the summit are the reward then back down is less strenuous. Heading down the canyon first gave us no measure of what it would take to climb back up. Yes, we had to watch for loose gravel and sometimes hug the interior when the trail swooped dangerously close to the edge, but oxygen deprivation was not an issue. Turning around after an hour of down, we knew we’d be challenged. While switchbacks made the up easier, it was plenty steep and we stopped frequently to catch the views and our breath! The Grand Canyon is a jewel of the National Park System, a natural wonder to be preserved and a worthwhile stop on a visit to the southwest.
Grand Canyon
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Meg down under: Hiking below the rim is an easy walk down, a much more rigorous walk up.
Meg Douglas
Meg Douglas is editor of Her Voice.
HV
Through eons of time, the Colorado River wound its way through rock and sediment, creating magnificent gorges and flat, table-like buttes. SPRING 2013 | her voice
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