Day 11: Hike on the South Kaibab trail

May 13, 2003

The temperature only got down to 50F overnight, surprisingly warm for this elevation. I got up at about 7:30 and found out why. The sky was overcast and it looked like it could rain at any minute. It never did rain more than a few scattered drops but it remained overcast all day. I biked to the reservation desk at Bright Angel Lodge to find out if there were any cancellations for tonight at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. No cancellations. So I walked around for a while on the rim walk that connects the lodges, then pedaled back to the campsite. I washed some clothes and stopped at the store to buy a sandwich to carry on the trail for lunch. Then I biked 5 miles east to the South Kaibab trailhead. Cars are prohibited on the 1 mile spur road to the trailhead. Most visitors arrive by shuttle bus.

I started hiking down the South Kaibab trail at 10:50 AM with my large fanny pack carrying 2 liters of water. I also hung my Thermarest stuff sack from the fanny pack, containing the sandwich and a pint of grapefruit juice.

View near the top of the South Kaibab trail.

It took me 90 minutes to hike to my turnaround point at Skeleton Point, a distance of 3 miles with a 1920 foot descent (less than halfway from the rim to the river). From there I could see the Colorado River and Phantom Ranch 3000 feet below. I stopped for about an hour and ate my lunch. It was still overcast but the sky was somewhat bright, about 75F. Skeleton Point is the recommended turnaround point for day hikers. I was not alone.

From my turnaround point I could see the Colorado river and Phantom Ranch along Bright Angel Creek.

While eating lunch I snapped pictures of a California Condor that flew overhead several times.

California Condor hovering over the Grand Canyon.

I took many photo/rest stops on the hike up which took 2 hours and 40 minutes. That's less than twice as long as the descent, fairly fast.

The canyon looks different from the inside.

South Kaibab trail in the red sandstone zone.

This trail is the uphill route for mule trains that supply the restaurant and cabins at Phantom Ranch. I saw several mule trains hauling cargo and one mule trail hauling people.

Hikers are required to yield to mule trains.

The trail is blasted into a ridge, so it has panoramic views most of the time. But the overcast sky caused the colors to be muted. However, the temperature would be much warmer if it was sunny. I drank the last of my water shortly before reaching the trailhead. 200 feet below the rim I could feel a cold breeze blowing down from the forested rim. The temperature was about 65F on the rim.

Many switchbacks of the South Kaibab trail are visible.

Back on the bike at 3:30 PM, I stopped at Yaki Point (no cars allowed) and Yavapai Point on the way back to Grand Canyon Village.

I was very tired by the time I got back to my campsite. I only hiked 6 miles but it was all steep. It was great to see the view from inside the canyon but I wish it was sunnier. I planned to do a longer hike tomorrow but doubt I will have the energy. I put my water sack out in the morning but the sun never came out to warm it up. So I heated water with my stove to have a warm shower near the campsite.

Distance: 14.5 miles (23.2 km)

Climbing: 520 feet (159 m)

Average Speed: 11.2 mph (17.9 km/h)

Maximum Speed: 32.5 mph (52.0 km/h)

Hiking: 6 steep miles (9.6 km)

Today's ride: 15 miles (24 km)
Total: 475 miles (764 km)

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