How I almost died hiking the Grand Canyon Rim 2 River 2 Rim in one day - Sept 2020
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- čas přidán 14. 10. 2020
- A few months ago I came across some Grand Canyon Rim to Rim hiking videos on CZcams and was immediately drawn to the experience. I’m a very fit 66 year old who runs 20 - 25 miles a week and have done marathons, triathlons and climbed 20,000’ ft. mountains in the past so this kind of challenge fit me perfectly. I had no doubt that given my fitness and past experience with extreme physical challenges that I could handle the hike and estimated I could go from the North rim to South rim in 12 to 14 hours.
While planning the trip I learned that the shuttle from the South rim to the North rim was not operating due to Covid so I had to modify my plans and “just” do a Rim to River to Rim hike which reduced the mileage from around 25 miles to “just” 18 miles… A piece of cake… WRONG!!!
I went down the South Kaibab to Phantom Ranch and then up the Bright Angel… 5 miles in, down the South Kaibab my legs were shredded, by the time I made it to Phantom Ranch I was dehydrated and low on energy, at Indian Garden with 4.5 miles left to go I was completely drained of energy and starting to fear that I wasn’t going to make it to the rim.
I did finally make it after almost 14!!! Hours… Hands down, the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I made a lot of mistakes that made it way harder than it should’ve been but I don’t regret the experience and I learned a lot of hard lessons that I hope will help anyone else that’s thinking of doing this hike. Check out my video for all of the “gory” details. - Krátké a kreslené filmy
My wife and I did the rim to rim (north to south) about 10 years ago, (when we were in our mid 60's.) I was fast going down, but as usual, she was faster going up. I really cramped up about 3/4 of the way. She coaxed me up. She did the rim2rim again a year later, again, no problem. But you do have to have some experience. Fortunately we had lots over our lives. Start really early, get going by 5:30 if you can. Take lots of water. Take trekking poles, (easier and faster going downhill, and helpful going up) Now in my mid 70's, I'll never do it again, but it is a beautiful hike, really a life changing hike. I suspect my wife would still be doing the hike, except that she had a terrible fall on a 16 day bike trip thru Switzerland, so she can't hike anymore. It's been an amazing life. So lucky I met her 15 miles in on a backpack trip 52 years ago...
I'm glad you posted this, and I hope it get's more views so that the CZcams algorithm will get it out to more people. Very dangerous place to hike for people who aren't fully prepared for it, both in terms of training, and in terms of knowing how to fuel for it. It looks like a very "simple" place to hike, but it is actually quite the opposition, and, quite a complex place. You have temperature, exposure, altitude, and climbing/descending operating in reverse of what is normal to what the hiking/backpacking experience is all about. The entire event of being down in the canyon is the perfect storm of extremes, even down to a person's type of training, and the gear/equipment they bring. Please don't take this the wrong way, it's not intended to be a slight; I could tell you were in trouble from the very first steps. I could hear the laboring in your breathing, and see the difficulty in your stride and cadence.
I started backpacking there in 2007, and returned year after year, missing only 2yrs I think, until I started running Rim2Rim in 2015 with my then 15yr old daughter. We ran it 5yrs in a row together, and as of 3wks ago, I've run it 8 times in 7yrs, plus 2 Rim2Rivers, like you did. Heading back in a month to run another Rim2River.
A few suggestions (hopefully you'll re-tool, re-train, and take another crack at it):
-Treat this as an ultra run, whether just walking it, or actually running it. Train much harder than you think you would ever need for it, and find some way to do some "extreme" type of training every week. Add in cross training, preferably on a mountain bike. This won't add stress to your knees, but WILL build your quads, calves, arms, shoulders, and core, like you can't believe. The Grand Canyon is a full body event, so just one kind of training, is not going to fully prep you.
-Test gear, nutrition, and electrolytes during your training! Find what you like, in both taste and function/performance for you. This IS NOT a place to be drinking straight water. Every single drink should be packed full of quality electrolytes, using the same products you see ultra runners use: Hydration I.V., Genius Electrolytes, NUNN, Tailwind, Cytomax, etc. Add to these a couple good quality magnesium pills per refill, and a B-complex pill a couple times per day (just break 'em up and put them right into your bottles or bag). Consume some sort of gel every 45min. GU Roctane is my tool of choice. There are others, and a million flavors. Some have caffeine, some don't, so mix and match. Again, finding what works for you during your big training sessions. NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY!! Be cautious about food because during extreme events like this, the body shuts the stomach down, sending blood priority to the legs. Pile in something that's a solid, like tuna (dear god!!) and that can/will just sit like a brick in your stomach, undigested, until you are so sick that you puke it up. Then you may be sick the entire rest of the day, and be so shut down that you can't even drink....that is a death sentence! Choose easily digested, high nutrition foods: bananas, carb type snack things, gel candy, etc. Watch out for piling in a bunch of "bars" or other stuff that you normally don't eat, because that can screw with your stomach and your bowls, and the next thing you know, you have diarrhea and the day/event is wrecked. Dried fruit is a no go because it re-inflates itself in your stomach, by pulling water out of you. Peanuts are a no go and will wreck your bowels. There are tons of carb packed things that ultra runners use, so investigate further, and test them. Pre-load the day or 2 before, with things like avocados and pineapple, which contain a ton of magnesium, potassium, whole vitamin C, and on and on! I will wake up around midnight and pre-load a big sur bar for calories and carbs, and a pint of Hyrdration I.V. and do something similar around 3am, for a 4-5am departure in the GC. So consider how you can pre-load yourself with the electrolytes and minerals that your muscles use to fire themselves on!
-Gear!! Ultra light weight everything, and as minimalist as possible. A full coverage hat will keep the sun completely off your face and neck, vs. a ball cap that simply allows you to fry. Long sleeve moisture wicking shirt, that is light and breathable. Keeps the sun off, doesn't soak and get heavy with sweat, and you can get it into the creek water, put it back on, and get your core cooled off. Prior to Devil's Cork Screw, you really should have gotten into the creek at the River Delta where the toilets and shade house are. When you walked passed that, in 115*F temps, I knew you were in trouble. A hot core will kill you in the GC. Get into the water at every single opportunity, and soak everything. As you get overheated, you start to shut down, and you stop making good decisions. Pay attention to that little detail, and get on top of it, because it's difficult to reverse the sequence. Watch out for thick/tall soled shoes. You risk rolling your ankles badly, because the shoes isolate the brain's ability to map the rough terrain as you set your foot down with each step. Very dangerous footwear, and nothing but a marketing ploy by the companies who sell them. Hiking boots are not better, and the weight of them is brutal during the climb out. You will do better, and enjoy the trek better, in minimalist trail shoes, like Merrell Trail Gloves, Vapor Gloves, New Balance Minimus V10s, Vibram FiveFingers (what I run and backpack in the GC in), VivoBareFoot Primus Trails, etc. Again, you train in these, in order to build yourself into being a better hiker/runner/athlete in them.
-Timing/TIME OF YEAR. The Grand Canyon is murder from June 1st to about the 2nd week of August, and depending on your speed and the distance you're going, it's murder well into October, as you saw here with your Sept. time frame. Use your training to develop an understanding of how long it takes you to walk a steep mile downhill, and a steep mile up hill. Then add about 20% to that time, in order to have some sort of average for what your performance will be like in the canyon. Then start watching their year round temp cycles. Notice that for example, it's 85 at the top, mid August, and 55 over night. Perfect right? Well Those are your start and end temps. What's Phantom doing during those times? 100-115 at 11am? So then you do your math, based on your pacing times. Set a start time that gets you to the bottom, well ahead of the heat curve, and gets you to Devil's Corkscrew before the sun gets over the ridge and onto the corkscrew. And then you bang out the downhill, and get to the bottom, building in a bit of a buffer for the time/heat window. In your hike, you took so long to get to the bottom (a combination of fitness and training) that you were screwed by the time you got to the gorge and the last steep downhill mile before the black bridge. The rest was just a controlled disaster. So do the math on your timing, and leave early. If you want to leave during daylight, and not miss out on any of the canyon or epic views, pick a time of year when the temps at Phantom, allow for your math of pace/time.
Apologies for the ultra-long, unsolicited advice. It's a dangerous place, and I have at least 1 save per trip there. I haven't had to deal with someone dying/dead/passed-out on the trail, thankfully, but I've had some pretty bad ones. It takes a ton of people to put themselves at risk to save just one person, AND it ruins their own time there, which they've been training for, have travelled a great distance for, and have spent a ton of money for. So it would be great if people could take their own responsibility more seriously.
Lots of good stuff here. Thanks for taking the time to write it out.
@@Smashycrashy Thank you. If you're interested, here's a video of our last R2R together. czcams.com/video/sr8j5p3GQJs/video.html
It's not the most professional vid, as we'd just purchased the camera and were learning how to use it, but it shows how we run R2R's. We always work on refining what we do in terms of training/nutrition/food, what we wear and bring. We're always looking for that perfect amount of what's truly needed, and not carrying extra, whether it's a clothing item, or something as simple as the number of GU's we bring.
@@austinado16 your 2019 vid just popped on my feed yesterday (green shorts thumbnail) and I was going to watch it but haven’t yet. I’ll watch both and take notes as I want to do a R2R2R but across 2 days. Hiking not running. I do trails in So Cal in the heat with 33lb backpack but was going to pare that way down for the GC.
I just did the Trans Catalina Trail last week and am now turning towards training for doing the GC safely so I appreciated your lengthy advice.
@@SmashycrashyI'm just north of SoCal in SLO, and fortunately, we have quite a few peaks that are about 1,200'. They make for an excellent GC training regime.
I hope your R3 spread over 2 days is a fantastic adventure! It's a beautiful place and an amazing trail. If you have time, consider going to Ribbon Falls!
@@JDS54 R2R in mid-August 2019: czcams.com/video/sr8j5p3GQJs/video.html (Please pardon the poor camera work. We purchased the camera the day before we left, bought a selfie-stick at the super market at the Grand Canyon, and started learning how to use the camera the day we arrived! Not ideal, but we aren't CZcamsrs.)
Rim-2-River shot Memorial Day weekend in May '20: czcams.com/video/bM6nJvvdQ18/video.html
Rim-2-River shot at the end of October 2021: czcams.com/video/qzVHsTVTh9A/video.html
Ok everyone, here’s a little GC preparation info before you try this and end up like this: It doesn’t matter if you’re an endurance athlete or run marathons. Preparing for the GC is a whole other beast. Get out and hike steep hikes several times a week. If you’re at a non mountainous area, find a building or area with lots of stairs and hit that daily. If you’re not used to high elevation there’s no training for that in low elevation but make sure your cardio is good. If you can do small GC hikes before something like this, please do a few first to get an idea of what it’s like. Second, when actually going, check the inner canyon temperature and weather. Not just the rim weather. It can be 20-30 degrees different from rim to river. If you see that it’s going to be anywhere over 85 in the canyon, either don’t go, or be prepared to stop and wait the heat out. (I’ve stopped 6 hours to wait the death heat out. ) The heat in the canyon, thanks to the high walls, actually feels like you’re in an oven. It’s brutal and like nothing you’ve ever felt before even if you live in hot climates. Don’t feel like you’ve failed if you went all that way and had to cancel. You’re life is more important! Lastly, if you’ve prepared physically and mentally and the conditions are great and you get to go, bring 4 liters for SK (The down), with 1 liter being electrolytes. And refill at PR with another 4. Try to drink the electrolytes first, or switch on and off between water and the electrolytes. Do not forget to drink! Bring salty snacks. Nothing fancy, nuts, and chips and stop every now and then to eat. This isn’t a race and no need to rush. Bring knee braces or KT tape if your knees hurt going downhill. (But you’ve already trained for that right?) Pack survival items such as headlamps and first aid items no matter what! Always use trekking poles as this will help your knees greatly.
And the most important thing…don’t let your pride cause you to scoff at all the available info all over the internet on how to prepare. Heck, message me if you want advice. Ask a million questions. Don’t think because you hike at home means you’re ready if you’ve never done this before. Be humble and the Canyon will bless you with a life changing experience! I promise you!
We trained on hills for almost a year and that still wasn't enough. It is a whole other beast for sure. It was an experience we will never forget!
I just made it last week and to be honest I don't practice any sport also I don't exercise it was very hard , we started on bright angel trail and went down to the river we walk for 17 hours go down back to the top
I think the most important thing is how healthy you are , if you have a type of illness think about the dangerous it could be to get in the canyon not a joke
@@JDS54 saludos 🤗🤗
Can verify you are right , I do extreme rock climbing and back country trips but this is a whole mother of a another beast … this dude did only rim 2 river 2 rim , I did rim 2 rim 2 rim my first time in a day and spiced it up real nice with N epic 😂
Well said!
In 2004, my wife and I took my then best friend with us to the Grand Canyon. We got there right after sunrise in August heat. Our friend had no water, had only drank a huge can of Rockstar, and bounded off into the canyon alone. He was gone for hours. We searched and waited and waited. We knew he was incredibly tough and in incredibly good shape but not so much in the thinking department. We were literally about 5 minutes from notifying park rangers that our friend was in serious trouble when we saw him coming out of the canyon. He couldn't speak, his tongue was swollen and cracked open, his pants were torn, all he could do was drink water. It took him two or three days to recover. All he would say was "f the Grand canyon, it almost killed me". We found out he made it to within 30 feet of the river very rapidly, but coming back up he said was the hardest thing he ever did. He said he took shelter in small cavern like places or mining shafts to cool off, but without water he said he thought several times he would die. It messed up the entire Grand canyon part of the trip but on future trips he never ran off from us again.
I used to work summers there and did the same hike when I was 16. It was 110 degrees at Phantom Ranch. I made it out, got ice cream at the Bright Angel Lodge then threw it up. LOL I had heat exhaustion. My brother who lived there year round had me get into a bath with some ice in it when I got back to get my core temperature down. A few years later in my early 20's we backpacked from the N. Rim to the S. Rim in less than 24 hours. Much more prepared and we left Phantom Ranch up the Kaibab at around 4am to beat the heat. Reached the top just before 8am and it wasn't bad at all. We even ran the last couple of switchbacks. Doing over 20 miles in one day without some sleep and hitting the mid day heat is a recipe for disaster. Breaking it up and hiking out at night made a world of difference.
As an Older hiker, I have often pushed the limits and got into situations that I should rather have been better prepared and fitter for. When we get older our heads seem to forget that our bodies are no longer bullet proof. I could all too easily see myself in your situation. Glad you made it out. Lessons noted. I was tearfully willing you on.
Thank you for sharing.
Im in my 40’s and I like hiking.Yesterday me and my friend went hiking we started at Bright angel trail down to Colorado bridge up to South Kabab trail, it was a total of 16 miles. Going down from Bright Angel trail was fine and we arrived at 3:15 pm at colorado bridge at 4 pm we started going up to South Kaibab trail and that’s the horror of our hiking started I was underestimated the trail we thought we will make it at 8 pm. But the more we’re going up the harder it make to walk because of the steep road, elevation, my lungs was struggling and I cant even catch my heart pumping hard, I thought was going to have a heart attack. There are several times that I just laying down and dont want to continue and just want to sleep on the dirt no matter how windy and cold the temperature was. To make the story short we made it to the top at 3am (s total hiked of 19 hours) dehydrated, cold almost died. When we arrived at parking lot no bus could bring us to visitor center because busses operation is from 6am to 6:39 pm. My friend was very cold and dehydrated and hallucinating… Our phones all died and the only working forms of communication was her Iwatch that had a battery we call 911 for help because we are dying from cold and dehydration. So a 911 officer send us taxi just to get to our car so that we can drink fluid. Lesson learned- bring lots of water at least 1 gallon to 2 gallons of water cuz you really need to hydrate keep your phone charge incase of emergency, hike early, make sure you are trained to hike on steep trail.
@@JDS54 thanks, unfortunately I watched your video 8 hours after I got home from the hiking to educate myself where did I go wrong, Your video is very helpful, the next time I go hiking I’ll make sure to bring them. Thank you
In general, I would never recommend that someone go up the S Kaibab trail unless they are very fit and experienced. Very hot and no water and quite steep. If you are an ultra runner like Walmsley, that is another thing.
@@JDS54 Pedialyte Sports Drinks have a lot of sugar
The Grand Canyon is no joke. Even in good shape, trained, hydrated, etc., you can still get in trouble with sun exposure, leaving too late in the day, hiking wrong time of year. It is literally a marathon and not to be taken lightly.
Braggart. Lol! Good work.
From a guy that has R2R/R2R2R hikes and runs when I was watching and you were 3/4 (Skeleton Point) of way to Phantom ranch and you calfs were "cramping", knee was hurting, I screamed out loud to no one in particular: "Oh no; turn back". So many people underestimate the difficulty of a R2R, even a R2R2R. Thank god it all turned out ok.
Hats off to you sir! Think you should have taken the IV offered. Im 74,feet gave out ten yrs ago or more. Thanks for taking me along!
Shivering when you went to bed means you were severely deficiency in electrolytes - you could have died in your sleep.
People need to be aware that even if they made it out they could still be in real danger.
Thank you for posting this.
wow
Did the exact same hike 5 times between 1995-2017. The 2017 hike was the roughest. Too many years under my belt and I should have trained more. I have always hiked it in either April or November. Rim temps were typically around 30 and phantom ranch temps were mid 70’s. Shortest in-out time was 8 hours, longest was 11 hours. Hope to do it at least one more time before I get too old. That hike ain’t no joke! My wife hiked it with me in 2017 and said it was harder than child birth. At least we’re still married:). Thanks for sharing your experience. Too many people underestimate the difficulty of hiking the canyon and overestimate their abilities. May this video reach a few of those people before they bite off more than they can handle!
Just watching this made me relive my hike. Being out of shape (350lbs) and no training what so ever, had many of the same symptoms. Started up at 2 am, took me 14 hours to get from the ranch to the top. All I had was one electrolyte paket and a small bag of trail mix. No shower. Had to sleep with my shoes on because trying to take them off made my legs have severe cramps. Great times.
My wife and I hiked this same route last week. Temps got up around 105°. We took about 1:40 break at Phantom and then about :40 mins at Indian gardens. Kept our clothes as wet as we could but it was tough. We started at 06:00 and didn’t finish until 21:35. It was a long day in the canyon.
I’m glad you persevered!
Thank you for sharing your experience and the beautiful pictures...I felt the heat! I ran down South Kaibab in mid April this year, spent 20 minutes by the Colorado river between the two bridges and went back up the same way after a refill. I thought I was in super shape but the way back up South K taught me a lesson in humility. For the last two miles I had to stop and rest at every other switch back. On the way back up I said to myself: "never again", but once back in my hotel in Williams I was already planning my Rim to Rim for this upcoming October for my 65th birthday. This is truly a very demanding, exhausting and magical place that will call you back!
Way to get after it Mark! When I read that you chose to climb out via S. Kaibab, I was thinking, "Uh, oh...this won't end well." Great job powering through. Had you gone up Bright Angel, I think you would have enjoyed it more, and done a lot better. I hope you have a great trip in Oct for your birthday. It's cool enough in Oct. that you can wait and leave around 5am, and enjoy doing the entire descent in the day light. It will be about 35*F overnight on the North Rim, at 8,000', and probably only 75-80 at Phantom. So if you plan to run that downhill 14.5mi into Phantom, or run a portion of it, you'll remain in really nice temps. Running at a "talking pace" you can reasonably expect to reach Phantom in about 3hrs, with brief stops at Supai Rest/Tunnel (2.25mi down from the top), Manzanita Rest (5.25mi down from the tip), and Cottonwood CG (7.5mi down from the top). Also, if you're running, you can forgo carrying water, until you get to Cottonwood. That will save your quads. But check the NPS website for trail water conditions in the days prior to your trek, and even the morning of. The NR officially closes Oct. 15th each year, and they start shutting off the water supply. So carry water, or don't carry water, accordingly. If the water is "on" for example, you can choose to not carry until Cottonwood, because you can get a quick drink from the water spigots at Supai Rest, and Manzanita Rest. Then take on 20oz at Cottonwood, and that will last you until Phantom (if you're running). Take on more, of course, if you're walking. And by "water" I mean; water mixed with a high quality electrolyte (and add to it, vit B complex, and a couple high quality magnesium pills). The GC is no place to be drinking straight water!
We are still on target for our annual R2R in 3wks. It will by my 9th, and my daughter's 6th. If all goes well, I may circle back around and do my 10th in early Oct. I'm currently dealing with knees that are down to the thinnest of margins on the inner area of the joints, due to bowed legs (who knew), and so I may not have a 10th in me. Ran a very aggressive Rim2River at the end of May, had a blast (1:15min to the bottom, via S.Kaibab), and no knee issues at all, so I'm hopeful that R2R will be the same.
YEOW ! You`re one TOUGH old hombre !! Appreciate your brutally-frank narration & script. Like Clint said, "A man`s got to know his limitations," & you learned yourn THE HARD WAY, mister ! Kudos to your filming; felt like I took almost every step along side you. Think I`ll check this one off my Bucket List-----vicariously !
The last time I hiked in hot weather, it was about 106 degrees. I vowed I'd never do that again. So I tried hiking when the weather was in the low 90's. I vowed I'd never do that again. When that uncomfortable, I do not enjoy the hike, no matter where I am. Now that I'm even older, I shoot for days in the 70's max. and the whole trip is worth it. I felt your pain through your whole trip. Thanks for reminding me when not to hike!
This is painful to watch - I felt for you and identified with you with every step you filmed - I admire your grit, determination, and willingness to share your narrative with the rest of us. There is much to learn from your experience that will benefit and, surely, save others to come. I suffered similar reactions on a much shorter and easier trail in Zion last year. I will continue to admire the GC from one of the rims!
Which trail- just did Angels Landing. It was challenging but not too bad. Half Dome at Yosemite was harder. Pa'rus trail is nice and easy and flat. Just inside ZION NP on the right from Springdale entrance.
@@UTAH100 the Overlook trail.
@@schaffermatt Thx. Not sure if I did that one. Was it on the shuttle route- near the Zion Lodge or Angels landing? Come to think of it, it might have been closed in April due to heavy rain damage. It was on my list.
I hope you are feeling better. I hope your health is fine. Maybe it was just the elevation and travel fatigue. If not, get checked out and look into improving your nutrition if needed. I've been studying it for many years now and people don't realize how a few simple changes can improve their lives for the better. Cutting out ALL sugar and processed foods is a good start.
@@UTAH100 Correction: Observation Point via East Mesa Trail. Trail guide says “moderate” with a 702’ elevation gain. For me, in May 2021, it was a real buster.
@@schaffermatt There are no bad trails in Zion. We also like Moab, UT.
Thanks for sharing this. I was fairly experienced in my 50s when I did a one day Bright Angel up and back. It was moderate weather like this and didn't appreciate how much water I was losing. Some rangers came along with electrolyte drinks and got me going again.
April 4 2019 I did that very hike. Like you, I was in good shape for sixty, so I carried my 30 pound military backpack to make the hike challenging. Big mistake. Hardest 10 hours of my life.
I hope no one tries to tell you what you SHOULD have done. You now know better than anyone what you would do different. Great video, this from a guy who has done this many times but always with an overnight stay at Phantom.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. It is a cautionary tale for many hikers, and this video may well have saved someone's life.
As someone who hikes a lot in the alps and the English mountains, I've heard lots about watching out for bad weather, and being careful around ice and high winds. Never seen anything like this though. That hike and the temperatures looked brutal. I'm glad that you made it out
My best friend, Wendy, and myself decided to hike the Grand Canyon. We took our time planning the trip, (Two years in fact)! We planned everything from foods, backpacks, boots, and also scheduled the time and time of year. I made us reservations for Phantom Ranch, for two days worth and meals. I got up and faxed out to the Forest Rangers for our permits for our hike and the reservations at the campgrounds. We were gonna hike South Rim to North Rim. We hiked around our area of where lived all the summer before we left to The Grand Canyon. Trails up and mostly down. We drove down and stayed the night on the North Rim and picked up the shuttle to the South Rim. Got to our camp and set up and then toured the area. The next morning we took to the trail. We took our time. And drank about 4 liters of Gookinaid, that first day, camped and the next day arrived at Phantom Ranch. Spent two days there and hiked up to Cottonwood Campground. Stayed there two days and hiked up the grueling last 9 miles to the top on the North Rim. No injuries, no blisters, no sunburn. We had a blast. Spent the night in a cabin and ate a great dinner We didn't have to cook.
The point I am trying to make is we researched water needs, food, etc. We were prepared! It was fantastic. So if you hike the GC R2R, do your homework, be prepared. Know what you are going into before you get into problems.
Good story and info, I also believe in heavy preparation and respecting these areas when doing such serious endeavors. Btw, your dog in that picture is beautiful
@@turkey4957 my dog, Kody, thanks you. He was a pup then. He's 2 1/2 yrs old now. He's huge now...lol. Pure White German Shepherd. The AKC does not recognize them for showing but Canada and the UK and Europe do. Go figure.
Great lesson for anything a person wants to do, but particularly in the G.C.
Well done for finishing it even under such distress. I did a mule trip in the 80s. It didnt go all the way but it was very hot. We were given plenty of water stopping so the mules could drink too and had plenty to eat. That was very exhausting so I couldn't imagine how difficult it would have been walking it. You are very brave. Good luck on your next trip.
I'm glad you posted this as this video shows a ton of things NOT to do. And I'm glad you made it back safely.
1. Do not even attempt this from May - September. The average temp is over 100 in June-August and over 90 in May and September. It's far too hot and remember the bottom is roughly 25 degrees hotter than the rim - sometimes even 40 degrees hotter. And remember you're starting early, so at the rim it might be a brisk 45 degrees before sunrise with an expected high of 70. That means it's going to be 90+ at the bottom where you'll be spending hours in high exertion with little shade. On a bad day, it could be 120 in the shade at the bottom. Try March. March is nice.
2. You must consume. Once you're at Phantom Ranch and heading up Bright Angel, there's plenty of places to get water so don't conserve. You need liquids and calories to survive this trip. If you're going up the Kaibab trail then note there is NO water and you must bring extra. But either way this means frequent meal bars, trail mix, tons of water/electrolytes and a good source of something salty. You're going to build a deficit in calories and liquids no matter how much you consume, so the less you eat/drink the bigger that deficit grows. Eventually you'll just bonk. You gotta fuel up and stay fueled up, no matter how much you don't want to eat.
3. Don't start too late. 6AM is late in the day, especially for that time of year. Really you want to be on the Kaibab trail in the dark or just before sunrise. The hotter the day, the earlier the start that is needed. If you have someone there who can drop you off, don't be afraid to start in the pitch black.
4. Bring a headlamp. Bring a neck gaiter. Bring a change of socks. Bring sunblock. Bring a batter charger for your phone. Be prepared.
5. If you're absolutely wrecked, get in one of the shelters and hang out there in the shade. Better to be in the shade and laying down than to collapse on the trail in the sun. Now if it's 115 you're pretty f-d either way but on a more normal day (say 85 in April), if you have water and need a rest just take a nap.
@@JDS54 By the way, major props on keeping active and fit at 66. I'm (only a bit) younger than you and it's amazing how many people don't stay active. I'm somewhat your opposite in that I lean towards strength training versus cardio (while still doing both but my running days are long gone) but it's sad to see people our age who can't pick up a case of water or walk 2 miles.
Hiked the Tonto trail at age 57 in September. Got to 115 degrees. All we could do was ‘shade hop’. It was a cool 110 in the shade. Then off to the next boulder. Relived the pain watching this. Glad you made it ok.
I'm glad to hear that you made it through this ordeal. I am thankful that you posted this video and I found it in my feed. I am 60 and next May 10th I will go on this very hike. I thought I had an adequate training program in place. However, I now know that I would most likely end up your situation or even worse if I continued at my current place. With your suggestions and those of ToddM I feel confident knowing what I need to finish this hike successfully.
That's my son's Birthday. I always tell him your my Mother's Day present.
Incredible. Lots of great support and excellent commentary here. I did an overnight on the Appalachian Trail out of Hawk Mountain, PA. We had 8 in our group with two knowledgeable guides. Our camping gear was taken to our overnight location so we didn't have to pack it with us. Made for a very enjoyable outing - saw lady slipper flowers and several timber rattlers sunning on a rocky outcrop. I also did an overnight in the Sierra's, up near Strawberry, in the mid-80's. Hiked into the backcountry totally unprepared for the experience. Lightening, thunder, rain, sleet and hail followed us down the mountain the next day. It's lucky we weren't injured or killed. Mother Nature. Respect Her.
It’s good that you have shared the story of your journey. This is a fantastic hike that hundreds of people every year totally underestimate. Here’s a couple of things that I will offer as you prepare for your next hike. Plan to spend a couple of days hiking along the rim before tackling the big hike. Since you live at low elevation, this will allow you to better acclimate to the higher elevation. Picking a better month than September and getting started much earlier in the day will also help you. I did this hike in April. Temperature at the South Rim was 29 degrees and the highest temperature I encountered in the canyon was 78 degrees. Note: hiking in sub freezing temperatures can lead to dangerous icy trails at the rim. I carried micro spikes but most people won’t need to even think about this concern. I would also recommend hiking with a buddy and leaving the video behind next time. I love photography and it was difficult for me to not stop and record the views when I did this hike. You need to make better time and not be distracted by photography/video. As an “Instagrammer” myself, I know how difficult this can be! You’ve had great advice in comments on nutrition, hydration, electrolytes, and the need for training for steep terrain. This hike requires more planning than most day hikes. The National Park Service strongly recommends that this not be done as a day hike. This is excellent advice because so many rescues are conducted every single year and fatalities aren’t uncommon. That said, careful planning on the season of the hike, fitness, training, nutrition can make your hike not only a safe experience but an enjoyable one too. We left the South Rim early in the morning and had a relaxing early lunch along the river. We carried high quality water filters and drank electrolytes before heading up to Indian Garden. We enjoyed a shady water break there and we were back on the South Rim in the afternoon. My buddy and I had a good dinner and celebrated with a cold beer. I should mention that I was 67 years old when I did this hike last year. I live in Washington State and frequently take long mountain hikes and go snowshoeing in steep terrain. It’s not uncommon for me to do day hikes in the Cascade and Olympic Mountains that can hit 4,000 feet of elevation gain before descending 4,000 feet back to the trailhead so I am accustomed to long steep day hikes. One thing that I have noticed that is “easy” about hiking in the Grand Canyon is the trail system is like a super highway compared to the rugged rocky walking surface of many mountain trails. In general, the Grand Canyon trails are much easier underfoot. There aren’t steep scree fields, boulder fields, head walls to climb over, snowfields to deal with or countless deadfall timber to clamber over. It’s not a technical hike at all. It’s the relentless heat that gets Grand Canyon hikers in trouble and causes hundreds of rescues like the one you witnessed and triggered the offer of an IV for you. I am planning a rim to rim to rim hike for 2023. This hike will start on the South Rim with a day hike to the North Rim. I’ll do a two night stay on the North Rim before day hiking back to the South Rim. I will do an incredible amount of planning and training for this. Even though I am a frequent hiker in steep terrain, I’ll never take the dangers of hiking in the Grand Canyon lightly.
sounds alot like my south side trip in 1995. Glad you made it out. I was for sure.
Adding a comment so the algo picks up the video so more people see it. I am glad you made it out.
Thank goodness you survived. I hiked the canyon when in my 40's on the Bright Angel Trail, which is much easier than the Kaibab. I was fit and in good shape. Went down one day, camped at the bottom, then back up the next day. It was 120 degrees at the bottom. Hard to breathe or move even. Everyone that was going to hike to the bottom had to have an orientation at the top before going down. This was given by experienced rangers. The strongest warnings were to not try to hike to the bottom and back up in one day. They said almost all of their medical emergencies were from this. Another warning was to be sure to eat, as well as drink water and not to just drink water. They said that without eating food, the body tries so hard to hydrate that it becomes toxic. I followed their instructions and didn't have any problems, except the heat at the bottom was hard to deal with. Hiking the canyon is not a piece of cake, although it was the experience of a lifetime and one I wouldn't trade. Devil's corkscrew was indeed steep. While I was on trail, there were two medical emergencies and helicopters were flying around trying to find the people in distress.
You were so fortunate to make it back up and to your motel room considering the condition you were in. It was evident that you were in a lot of pain by the sounds you were making. Having hiked the canyon, I could appreciate some of what you were going through. What an experience!
You are one amazing guy! Thank you for posting this. I've only been to grand canyon once but it was breathtaking and that was only from the top. Congrats on that hike you will never forget!
A group of friends and I did Kabib South to Phantom and back up via Kabib South. We left at 3am thankfully to hopefully be up and out prior to noon. Lots of water and electrolytes two days prior to the hike. Carried down snacks for every 45 minutes and enough water to make it to Phantom. Also used Snake Juice electrolyte blend and salt packets along the way. Going down is one thing, coming back up turned into a cramping nightmare for those who did not prepare with hydration two days prior. The last few miles definitely pushed my envelope. Never been so happy to climb into a car in my entire life. Needless to say the cramps hit us all on the drive home. Make sure to drink water or electrolyte mix every 15 minutes and shove snacks down your throat every 45 minutes. It's a spectacular hike and journey though hell at the same time.
I enjoyed your video, the imagery is beautiful. I know how hard it can be to document an excursion like this; the desire to survive after you begin to seriously doubt your decisions trumps the desire to document the journey. I've done a few in Mammoth Lakes, but nothing as strenuous as this. I appreciate your sense of humor and honesty. Congratulations on the odyssey.
Glad you made it out. Thank you for sharing for everybody to hopefully learn from!
My father took me down to phantom ranch when I was very young. I did great going down but couldn't make it back up. Luckily I was able to hitch a ride back up on a donkey or mule. That experience never left me! I now hike so prepared it takes forever to get out the door.
I'm glad you made it safely out! Heavy packs, I fractured a toe hiking with too heavy a pack once. Lesson learned. Keep enjoying those beautiful hikes!!
Glad you made it, otherwise we would not see this awesome video. Thanks for sharing.
I’m a 911 Call Taker. We take several calls each year of hikers who overestimate their abilities. I am very glad you made it out Sir.
I went down this same path all the way down and all the way up in one day. This was many years ago, I was like 21, just out of the Marine Corps, with a friend, and we had a miniature Schnauzer named Ricky, who I had to leave in a kennel at the top, and the guy told me they closed @ 5pm, and so I didn't want to leave Ricky overnight there, My friend didn't want to go and stayed at the top waiting for me...so I ran all the way down, and all the way up, saw the river, drank some water, saw some Natives, than went back up. Many people along the way said I wouldn't make it, and to be careful. When I got to the top, I collapsed on the ground and I basically just about passed out. To this day I can't believe that I made it, and if I was older I wouldn't even had attempted it, it was brutal to say the least!
I'm glad you made it out ok!! Despite your struggles you captured some beautiful footage! I'm disabled and could never physically do anything like this but I enjoy watching others visit these amazing places. Watching the video I felt like I was there hiking along side you. Stay safe!
Wow! Amazing story. Glad you made it out alive. Thank you for sharing this beautiful video.
I admire your courage. Thank you for the detailed and beautiful footage.
My goodness me. I've only watched the first 7 minutes so far, and my hands and feet are wet - this is my first reaction to vertigo, a wholly visceral thing, what my body decides to do for some reason.
It is just astonishingly beautiful. This is the very first time I have truly got a feeling for how lovely the Grand Canyon can be, rather than just sort of big and wide. But the path you are walking down is so narrow, so high up, with such a sheer drop.
In my 20s I developed, unknown to me, severe vertigo. It makes me unable to go to places with cliffs, or high buildings. If others do I make sure not to go along, so as not to constrain what they would want to do.
Therefore my only way of seeing such places in such a personal way in via the unusual recordings like yours. It is so nice hearing your foot steps,. It provides a more tactile understanding of what walking is like. Also hearing your breath and your thoughts, so much better than music.
I"ll continue on watching now...
I'm so sorry you suffered so, but for me it was delightful and educational. Which is very ridiculous on my part - for a reaction.
Thank you very much for making the film and posting it.
@@JDS54Tap on a clip to paste it in the text box.
WOW! Awesome job. I am familiar with this hike as have been on these trails previously. It brought me back thru the experience vividly. Thank You for sharing.
Thank you for sharing valuable lessons learned. Glad you made it out ok!
Cool to see. I did the exact trail 30 years ago now (I’m 60) I was in great shape and made it there and back, but I’ll never forget haw exausted I was the last 5k
Appreciate that you were humble enough to post this. You learned a lesson and I'm thankful to learn it through your experience. To all the people here who say "that was so stupid! You didn't prepare", I think he knows that and that's why he posted. No need to kick someone when they're down. It takes a big man to admit he was wrong, but a little one to say "You should have..."
@@JDS54 The guy wasn't calling YOU stupid, he was telling other people not to call you that
Agreed. Respect for him acknowledging that.
Thank you for sharing. SO Glad you made it out & survived to share your story.
That’s all very good advice at the end. I would add: know the difficulty of the trail to assess if your skill level matches up. People die on trail unnecessarily. It’s too easy to not be prepared. I hiked those same trails when I was 20 with a group from my college geology class. Never had hiked in my life and had no clue what I was doing. I wore brand new hiking boots and my pack was too heavy. Barely had any food/water. Thank God it was Spring and it was cool. We stayed a couple of nights at Phantom Ranch. Walking over Silver Bridge was terrifying because the river was raging!!! Totally thrilling though. I thought I was going to die hiking back up, ridiculously hard! I became a lifelong hiker because of that trip. I’m glad you lived to tell the tale, sir. God helped you♥️
Can I ask.what college were u at that did.that hike?.just curious..thank u!
Great video, much more valuable than glossy accounts where everything goes right! Great summary of lessons learned, at the end.
Amazing effort will done to keep going then share the experience and information. Thank you, and also for the great quality filming and photos particularly at the beginning.
Live in AZ and done Rim2Rim and Rim2River2Rim numerous times. Won't repeat all the previously posted cautions. But will say that the number of people who die in the canyon each year is never officially published, and that's not an oversight. It's kept very quiet. Admittedly many are suicides unfortunately. But most are not. And there is even a book you can buy that's updated often. Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon. It details the many ways the canyon can kill you and has tables at the end tallying deaths by year. Wise reading before a trip.
interesting. I'll stick to moab.
Went to the GC in the sixties with a group of guys in the 9th or 10 grade. Started at the north rim and walked to the south rim (or vice versa) in the summer. Left when it was dark and going down wasn't too tough. But, really thirsty when we got to the bottom. Had no canteen and nothing to scoop water with and nothing to eat. Lapped up some water and off we go up the trail. So hot, so tired and exhausted; had to stop every 50 yards to rest. I'm thinking some people must have given me water, but I don't remember. Anyway, finally made it to the rim. So exhausted that I laid down on a stone that was part of a corral and it felt like a feather bed. Adults in the group should have known better and had us supplied properly. This man's video brought back some memories.
Very good to see that you are okay. I hope you stay safe on all your travels
Thanks for sharing. I am happy you made it out to tell the story.
This is a realization for me that I possibly cannot hike even part of the trail at age 67! I’m in moderate shape, but definitely not enough for the steep hike back up. Thanks for this video showing the truth on how steep these trails are!!
It’s not really that they are that steep, It’s that it’s relentlessly downhill and then relentlessly uphill for hours and then there’s the heat…
Great effort, glad you made it.
Its always good to be prepared, enough salts, potassium, and magnesium.. anything beyond 2 hours requires good nutrition to maintain the effort being put forth.... I am glad you made it out...
Rim to river to rim…you’re in way better shape than I am my good sir. Glad you made it out ok
Thanks for this video. You pushed yourself to the maximum limit. Glad that to lived to tell about it. I’ve done that and promise never to go there again.
Blew my quads out going down the Kaibab trail with a full backpack to Phantom Ranch in November 2018. But I recovered very well overnight at Phantom Ranch and the next day I had no problem at all going up the Bright Angel trail. It was easier for me to go up.
My wife and I are both 71 and will hike from the north rim to the south rim with full backpacks next week (October 26, 2022). Taking 2 1/2 days to do it. Ranger called that an “aggressive itinerary”. Seems easy going to me. Oh well.
Good health!
Stay strong!
Absolutely amazing and educational video! Thanks for shar'n this! Lessons learned!
Glad you made it. I hope people learn such lessons too without having to experience it like you did.
the pics were beautiful! glad you made it out alive! the suggestions are practical and lifesaving!
After seeing yours and other rim to rim videos I decided to give it a go. I trained for 6 months in Ohio, running, lifting weights and doing some hikes, each one longer than the last, the longest was 16 miles. I'm 66 and on October 19th I hiked rim to rim South rim to North rim. It was amazing and super tough especially the last 5 miles with 4,000 feet of elevation gain. I left the on the South Kaibob at 4 am and finished on the North rim a little after 6pm. It was an amazing adventure and I'm glad I did it. I'm actually considering a rim to rim to rim hike :).
Thanks for taking me hiking with you!! Beuatiful video!!😍😍 I'm Glad you made it out!!!💪💪
WOW Fascinating !! Thank you for sharing this video.
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful hike with the world. I was with you every step of the way. And I am on the other side of the world…
I hope you have fully recovered and are ready to hike again. I really enjoyed the walk with you.
Best regards
Yessamyn
Thank you for sharing your story. I cannot even imagine hiking in the heat. I hiked it at 70 degrees and got overheated. About vomited twice going up Bright Angel. Others did just fine in heavy clothing.
The rams weren’t laughing at you. They were angels encouraging you to go on. You can celebrate you accomplished this hike. When I attempted it, I, only, made it to the 3 mile point as I knew going back up was going to be a butt kicker. It is a difficult trek! You did very well. In fact, it was awesome! 😎. Thank you for this vlog!
Aging ungracefully recommended I see this. He wasn’t wrong. Good video. Painful to watch. My take always: train on hills also maybe playo. Start EARLY. Hydrate and take in calories. Hike with a buddy. Take rest breaks. Thanks for sharing.
That was fun. I remember the heat, the exhaustion and the river. All in 1 day, twice. At 19 and 36 yo. You did fabulous. Tucson,AZ.
Wow dude! Thanks for sharing. I will definitely prepare; I appreciate your video and glad you 're okay
You're very lucky but it was you not giving up and realizing what you had to do and when. You knew the danger every minute that passed. Most seem to have to be completely screwed before they realize how bad the situation is. Good for you!!!
Wow, you did it. I did this trip 3 years ago, and still, it had never had anything like this that pushed me to the limits. Even now I remember each step, especially the ones upwards. Looking forward for rim to rim. Greetings from Germany.
I rafted the canyon. Congratulations on your amazing adventure. I'm so happy you made it out on your own and really enjoyed your video.
I've done rim to rim twice, but never at this pace. Will do it again in my 50s with my kids and a take a few days. Wonderful hike
Holy moly glad you made it out ok!
Such a great video. Glad you got out ok. I hike a lot with a friend but this sure was a crazy hike that I will not be trying even though the views are breathtaking!
Thanks for sharing your video! We have been training and I’ve been watching video after video to get a good idea of what to do and not do! This was helpful!
I wish everyone, young or older, who plans to do this hike, could see your video. When I volunteered at White Sands National Monument (now a nat'l pk) many years ago, a 23 year old nurse died in 110 degree weather while doing a long hike on the dunes. Such places can dangerously dehydrate a body well before the first hint of feeling thirsty. As austinado says in his comment, I mean no offense, but I too could tell you were in trouble, by listening to your breathing, even at Ooh Aah Point. I'm so happy you survived. I would have sought medical attention if I'd been you. You could have died in the hotel bed afterwards. Again, I hope a lot of people see your excellent video. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Thanks for sharing! We viewed this on our TV and the canyon made us "ooh and ahh". So glad you made it!! But I'd say you were too brave doing this hike alone. Always bring a friend.
I read in the comments that you were heading back to do a R2R in late Sept/early Oct, have been training at 6,400' elevation, and have lost over 40lbs!! I just wanted to say great job, and I hope you had a fantastic trek! I was there mid-Aug to run it again, and celebrate my 60th, (shot a video for the channel) and returned on Oct. 7th for a speed run across it.
Love the way you ended the video - that you’re grateful for the experience. Yes indeed! I finished bright angel in one day yesterday and I have nothing but gratitude for how special the experience was. Other than the obvious grandeur, the GC has a strong spiritual element to it that can’t be described. The whole place is alive with many different personalities.
I very much enjoyed your video. Thank you.
Glad you're okay!! I can't even imagine the terror and fear that starts to overtake your body
Fantastic video and quite a story. You have more courage than me!
Thank you for sharing your experience including the good and bad.
I was hoping to get out there 20 years ago. It is now permanently removed from my desires thanks to your video. No way I could do that now.
Awesome journey! 💪🏼
This is a great review, and cautionary tale. Your video from the South Kaibab Trail, in particular, depicts the immense beauty (and sometimes scariness) of this hike. Mother's Day weekend 2012 my best friend and I hiked down South Kaibab; spent the night at Phantom Ranch (shared female bunkhouse); and hiked out the next day on The Bright Angel Trail. We were out of water about 20-30 minutes before we made it to Phantom Ranch! NOT a good feeling. Haven't made that error since.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m going next week and this certainly helps
@@JDS54 yes it was a tough hike but extremely rewarding!
This hike is no joke.. I did it in my 20's very much in shape sking all winter.. I have never been so tired on a hiked and literally counted every step as I was making it to the top.. Pure exhaustion as I made it to the car
Yeah I ski too- Vail. Hiking isn't sliding. Whole other animal. I did run uphill on my skis once after taking the wrong fork in the trail. It was about 100 feet to the lift. I almost passed out. Lift was closing in 5 minutes and I did not want to get stuck in the back country alone at night.
@@UTAH100 Actually I was working at Vail at time! I worked for 3 season for Vail Resorts working for the Lift Dept so got to Ski most days during the season. What trail were you on?
@@germanshepherd2579 Ha- sorry to hear that...but the perks were at least good. I instructed one season at Beaver Creek but my pass worked at Vail which I liked better. Epic pass is cool since it tracks your runs. I was out there for the Birds of Prey downhill. Skied part of that steep, icy run. Would never want to race it and break my neck. They literally ice it down before races with water from a hose.
I can't recall- either Blue Sky Basin or North Woods area. Such a great mountain but easy to get lost! I always found my way over to Two Elk Lodge for some over priced grub. Loved that chili. Came out of there after a fresh dump and they were closing- had the mountain to myself and floated down China Bowl- it was magical.
Looks like you spend more time with your dog now- gave up the corporate thing. What did you do?
Great video, glad you made it back. I managed the hike to Cedar Ridge and back - that was enough for me. Also did the first mile of Bright Angel the next day.
Wow, great video, thanks for sharing. Such a beautiful and awesome place but I could never do the hike so this was fantastic to see. I have been up the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon in a boat but that’s good enough for me.😬 glad you made it out safely but think you should have eaten more!!😉
Thanks for posting this. Very generous to share with us all. I was going to do this hike soon, but have postponed it until Winter. I'll be very watchful for snow, which could trap me.
No need to do it in the winter time. April/May, and Mid-Aug/Sept/Oct are perfect weather.
@@austinado16 Thanks! PS Glad you came out OK on your trip.
I just ran across your video. I'm glad you made it out ok. I have hiked the Canyon 3 times the last time I did go down South Kaibab and it was beautiful but I still feel like the North Rim is much steeper. I have always hiked in the first week of June and it's 100+ at the bottom. Last year I ran into a hiker collapsed between skeleton point and the river. I honestly thought he was dead. I stayed with him until help arrived or 2hrs. Your experience of having to hike out in the dark is one I had to experience last year as well. My friend struggled on the way up and it took up 7 hours to get up from Phontom. I was very nervous because we didn't have head lamps. We used our phones lights. Lesson learned. I know better but will always have my headlamp with me on all hikes!
Literally, 'Walk or Die' that is the saying I kept with me as a kid from my childhood, reading Eagle comics. It used to motivate me, when I had to walk long distances.
Good stuff. At 60 I went with a group at the beginning of February, so the temps were cooler. Quads died on the way down and my cardio (and energy) surrendered on the way up. Thankfully I had poles and a well-trained buddy with me. Training on steep hills was the best advice - even if it's not as long. The punishment on the legs from the incline is severe. I also could have lost 10% of my body weight to reduce the stress on my body.
@@JDS54 Yeah, getting calories--especially a mix of carbs--is vital, right there with staying hydrated.
You bonked because you depleted your muscles of its stored glycogen.
As @toddm stated, you should use some of the running gels and fruit. You probably need anywhere from 60-90 carbs an hour to maintain your blood glucose levels so you don't bonk. Best to you!
Yeah i was similar to these stories. I was feeling ok. Did bright Angel and back in march. But right knee was tweaking out. Got worse on way up. Pain spread up and down my leg more and more. But i did okay going slow. Still passed a lot of ppl. But glad when it was over after 10+ hours.
Beautiful video. Insane temps.
thank you for sharing this!! so incredibly helpful and I am so glad you made it out! I keep hearing the same thing about the ascent of Bright Angel being very challenging. I get to experience this next month but 3 days to do the trip not 1. R2R with phantom ranch stay. so excited.
I hiked down to the river from the South Kaibab trail in June of 2004. Prior to leaving, we stopped in the Grand Canyon visitors center and a park ranger approached me to warn of the dangers. A young man died the previous day trying to hike down and up in one day. We hiked out the following day up the South Rim trail. It was 100 degrees that day. By the time we reached the 1.5 mile rest house, I was completely exhausted. A group of Mennonites who had hiked down to the rest house asked if I wanted help carrying my pack. I respectfully declined but thanked them for their generosity and just asked that they watch to ensure I made it all the way up. Quite an adventure.