Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim: The Great Glorious Grand Canyon Adventure

30, 0, 21, 25, 25, 2.

Those aren’t my lucky lotto numbers, that’s my weekly mileage for the 6 weeks leading up to our Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim trip (R2R2R: Grand Canyon’s South Rim to North Rim, then back to the South Rim - 45-50 miles).  So with a whopping 17 miles/week under my belt, and Julie doing marginally better, we set off anyway on this adventure with our beloved Rockhopper crew.

I couldn’t believe how many of us converged together at the Grand Canyon.  I’d estimate 30 Rockhoppers (my counting skills have atrophied) from 4-5 cities around the country, as many friends have moved from San Antonio recently.  On Friday, a group of us did some light sightseeing around the Rim trail.

I like how GC doesn’t coddle people with a bunch of railings

Sheila, Michelle, Tom, Chris, and Julie

Saturday was the big day.  Around 4:20am, about 10 cars drove around the Do Not Enter gates to drop most of us off at the South Kaibab trailhead.  When we opened the door, we heard a ranger yelling at everyone to get back in the cars and leave, as cars were not allowed in the lot there.  So I quickly grabbed my stuff out of the trunk to zip out to the trailhead, when I noticed Julie had dutifully gotten back in the car per the ranger’s instructions.  So cute!  I rustled her out and we were shortly on our way down to the Colorado in the cool, dark morning air.

It took a few miles for the crowd to thin out, as there happened to be another large group starting at the same time (that poor park ranger!).  We passed several groups and I really had to pee, but I didn’t want them to catch up to me peeing on the trail (everyone has headlamps).  Long story short, I had the song “Pee on the Run” (tune of Beatles’ “Band on the Run”) in my head for the next 40 miles.

We yo-yo’d a bit with Rockhoppers Steve and Laura down to the Colorado River, where dawn finally broke a bit.

About 6 miles in

Then there was a fun bridge to cross, over the river.

Julie on the bridge over the Colorado

It’s Steve and Laura!

Once at the bottom in Phantom Ranch, we were able to refill drinkable water right out of the spout, and then started heading up to the North Rim.  The Box Canyon going upstream, although warm, was pretty neat and only very gradually uphill.

Nice and shady

The next 12-14 miles we climbed from ~2500’ up to ~8200’, filling up water filtration bottles from streams, and dealing with long stinky mule trains coming the opposite direction.

Michelle, Tom, Laura and Steve filling up

We saw Edward and several others on the way up!

1 of 3 demanding mule trains

Coconino Overlook

Finally we got to the top, halfway done!

We saw more RHs at the top - here’s CJ and Jake

Patrick and Rob

Julie and I were the first to head down, but Edward and Stefan quickly caught up.  This was great, as we stuck together most of the way back.  Edward moved to Salt Lake City earlier this year, and it was great to catch up.  The best part was how often we would stop and sit in cold streams - it was 90-95 degrees near the bottom that afternoon and the water was a relief.

So refreshing

Took a ~1-hour detour to Ribbon Falls to relax a bit

Stefan, Edward, and Julie, taking a break in the hot canyon

The most difficult part of the day was the last 6-7 miles from the Colorado back up to South Rim via Bright Angel trail.  You already have 40+ miles on your legs and now have to climb up more than 4000 feet. We were happy that we got to cross the Colorado again before sunset.

Time to go to work

That’s about all I have, picture-wise, since it got dark for the trip up, but those were tough miles for me without having much fitness going in.  With 1.5 miles to go, Julie and I were taking a final break with Stefan (Edward amazingly rocketed up to the top already); I was laying on my back, looking at the most stars I’ve ever seen, and I did not want to get up at all.  Finally, we made it back to the South Rim via Bright Angel (GC Village, where we were staying).

Satellite view - start @ green dot, finish @ checkered dot

Jeanie was waiting there to take care of our every need, as usual.  She did this for the next 12 hours, as Rockhopper groups came in all night, finishing up with the final (and most amazing) group: Janet, Don, and Rich (Jeanie’s husband) - all in their 60s - all three finished the entire R2R2R.

So, I actually DO have one more picture, which I think I’m stealing from Jazzy, but not sure.  Either way, it’s my favorite picture from R2R2R - this is what true joy looks like in its purest form.

Front to back: Janet, Don, and Rich, finishing around noon Sunday