We spent the day in Flagstaff mooching around and going to Target to buy supplies. Flagstaff has a backdrop of snow capped mountains that looks as if they've been photoshopped in. Just beautiful!
At the end of the day, we drove up to Tusayan at the entrance of the Grand Canyon National park and on the way stopped to play in the snow. We had to stay close by because we wante
d to get to the Canyon for 6.30am the next day. We had read about The Phantom Ranch in a guide book. It's the only accommodation actually 'in' the Grand Canyon and can only be reached by hiking or by mule. To get a cabin or dorm you have to book 13 months in advance. We rang up the day before just to try our luck. We were told to arrive at the visitor centre at the top of the GC by 6.30am on the day we wanted to stay and if there were any cancellations, we could get a cabin.
So at 6.30am, we found that we were lucky enough to get a cabin! All we had to do now was hike down the Grand Canyon to stay in it!
We watched the sunrise and then caught the 'hikers express' bus to the the start of the Kaibab Trail. We decided to take this trail down and then take the more popular, easily accessible, Bright Angel Trail on the way back up.
The Kaibab Trail is 6.5 miles (10.4km) and descends 4820 feet (1472 m). It has stunning views across the canyon and is very steep in many places. At the top of the trail we were joined by a number of hikers - all kitted out with hiking gear, including icy crampons and hiking sticks. Of course, we didn't have any of this.
Here is what the start of the trail looked like - packed snow and ice:
And looking at this photo, you can see where the trail goes and how narrow it can be:
We were so surprised how much the weather changed as we descended. It felt like we were going through 4 different seasons. At the start we were in full coats, scarves, hats and gloves and by the bottom we were in shorts and tshirts basking in the sun.
At the base of the Canyon is the Colorado River - it has a beautiful green colour and there are 2 suspension bridges across it. It really was stunning.
We arrived at Phantom Ranch after 5 hours and 45 minutes of hiking. Basic, but comfortable, the cabin was built in the 1930's of stone and wood. All meals are served 'family style' on long tables in the canteen building and its a great chance to chat with other hikers. It made us feel like we were in a little club - we had made it down the canyon!
After almost 6 hours of walking, beef stew and a beer never tasted so good!
Our legs were killing us and Lucy had a huge blister on the side of her foot. We asked hikers advice on what to do with the blister and it was agreed that it had to be popped and then some plaster put in layers around it to build the other skin up to the same level, so when you walk it is not sticking out to be grazed by the shoe again. Of course, we didn't bring a first aid kit down with us! But one of the hikers very kindly lent me hers. So armed with the only sharp thing I could find - a paperclip, we had to pop the blister.
After an early night (nothing like no TV and a long walk to put you to sleep) we were up at 5.30am for breakfast and to collect our lunch sacks.
We set off of 7.30am - literally as soon as it was light enough to see in front of us. We were told the journey UP, takes 6-10hours. So if we set off at sunrise, 7.30am, that gave us exactly 10 hours until sunset at 5.30pm. Nothing like a bit of pressure to start a 9 mile walk! We really really really didn't want to be walking up the snow packed trail in the dark!
I'd love to show you some pictures of the way up, but we don't have any. We decided at first not to waste time stopping to take pictures, so we could make good time. By the time we had made good time, we were too exhausted to move any part of our bodies that didn't help us get up the mountain. So, no pictures. But essentially, the canyon looked pretty much like it did the day before - but the trail was a bit different and more lush, as it followed a creek a lot of the way.
The Bright Angel Trail is 9.5 miles (15.2km) and ascends 4500 feet (1371 m). I know it seems completely bonkers to choose to go UP the mountain on a trail that is 3 miles longer than the one we went down on. BUT, the Bright Angel is more popular (ie more people) and also has a half way ranch that has water. This was the key thing in our decision making. Would we rather take the slightly shorter, steeper trail but not have a chance to refill our water bottles and risk being stranded if we got injured as there are not many people on the trail OR should we take the longer, safer, with-water trail? Longer won out.
We reached the half way mark in very good time - we were averaging 1.5 miles an hour. This point was where it began it get a bit chilly and we stopped for half and hour to eat lunch and chat to the other lovely hikers.
It was from this point that the journey became very very tough. We had 4.5 miles to go - uphill. There was a rest point at 3 miles and a rest point at 1.5 miles. The mentally hardest section was between 3 and 1.5 miles - we thought we'd never get there. And then came the pure physical pain for the last 1.5 miles. Each step was like dragging concrete. Lucy perfected a slightly mad laugh/cry and we focused on doing 50 steps then stopping. And the worst was when the trail was snowy there was no where to sit down. We just took to lying on the path it got so bad.
The funny thing was, on the Bright Angel Trail, on the last 1.5 miles, you get a lot of general tourists walking a mile down and then back up again. I'm pretty sure they just thought we were completely deranged as we struggled up.
But, we made it! It took 8 hours and 15 mins and really was one of those achievements we'll never forget!
We got back to the motel in Tusayan and showered, bathed and lay on the bed. The blister had come back with a vengeance and both of us could barely get off the bed. Never have I had such sore legs.
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