Bright Angel Trail ( A portion..that is)

[dennisbench]

This was my first trip up to the Canyon. Words just can't describe it as everyone who's seen it knows. We arrived Saturday at around 10am, and found very few people there. We checked out some overlooks, then hiked a short portion of the Bright Angel. We descended down to the 3 mile point. It was a very nice day, and required no more than a long sleeve shirt, with a fleece for some parts. We passed a fair number of people coming up from their stay at the bottom. There was snow in many parts, but didn't require anything more than hiking boots. This 6 mile hike was very fun and was a great warmup for our hike in Saguaro N.P. This wetted my appetite for more hiking in the Canyon. Especially the sight of the trail going over the edge of the last cliff you can see until it goes down to the river. Not being able to see what was over that cliff was very mysterious. I loved the fact that there weren't many people there. I don't know if I would be able to handle it during the peak times. Now I just have to get in shape for the R-R-R!! (Maybe next year )

[evenstar]

Hi dennisbench, that trail that appeared to go "over the edge of the last cliff" was the trail out from Indian Garden to Plateau Point. Over the edge is right; once you get out to the point of that plateau it's almost a straight drop, 1,600 feet to the river. I hiked out to the point my second hike in the Canyon in '01 and it's really awesome view! But all you can do is go back the way you came. Round trip from the rim to the point is 12.2 miles and managable as a day hike if you have plenty of water, salty snacks and do it before it gets too hot. Trail to the river goes down the right side of that plateau.
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John Richardson and Richie Rich, El Perro de Playero
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When the Man waked up he said, "What is Wild Dog doing here?" And the Woman said, "His name is not Wild Dog anymore, but the First Friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and always. Take him with you when you go hunting."
--Rudyard Kipling, from Just So Stories, 1902

[ck1]

Dennis - congrats on discovering my favorite place on earth...the canyon is just amazing...in the 3+ years I've lived here, I've average one visit every 3 months...it's amazing!
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-Colin

"The Journey is the Destination"

[Nealz]

[Canyon Dweller]

I've done 5 backpacking trips down it and 2 day trips. My last was Dec. 2000. I really miss it. Its an increadible place. I'll probably never hike it again.
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Mountains are there to be climbed!

"Meaningless! Meaningless," says the teacher, "Utterly Meaningless, Everything is meaningless."-Ecclesiastes 1:2

[maryphyl]

Canyon addicts are welcome at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/grandcanyon/messages
and
http://www.gchba.org/ Mary
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Shikekeh hozhoogo naasha.
I walk in beauty.

[dennisbench]

I really would like to go up there a few times a year, I can't imagine going up in the summer though. The visitation stats on the NPS website are staggering http://www.nps.gov/grca/facts/mthstat.htm, the fact that winter limits the number of people visiting nov-feb makes me want to go during those times, weather permitting of course. When I've been to Yellowstone and Glacier during the summer, you can normally avoid the masses by getting on the trails a bit, it seems like there isn't much you can do to get away from the masses at G.C. At least until you get more experienced at hiking there, to leave the main trails, I guess.

[evenstar]

Think that usually, once you pass the three mile rest house, the crowds disappear on BA; and the best part of the hike, in my mind, comes after that. it's the summer heat as you drop in elevation that's the danger. And about all you'll find anytime of year, on the the non-maintained trails are the experienced hikers.
_________________
John Richardson and Richie Rich, El Perro de Playero
http://members.tripod.com/~evenstar/index.html
http://www.arizonahikers.com
When the Man waked up he said, "What is Wild Dog doing here?" And the Woman said, "His name is not Wild Dog anymore, but the First Friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and always. Take him with you when you go hunting."
--Rudyard Kipling, from Just So Stories, 1902

[maryphyl]

If you want to go up in the summer go up Hwy 89 on the Cameron side. No lines at the gate. When you are on the rim walk 50 feet away from the parking lot and you will feel as if you have the place to yourself. Tourists stay in herds bless them. Take a picnic.
Speaking of picnics the Grand Canyon Pioneers just changed their name to the GC Historical something. They felt people were turned off by the pioneers and felt they had to be one to join. This is a great group--I have been a member for three or four years. I will see if I can dig up their web site. They have a fun picnic every June on the rim in a private place.
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Shikekeh hozhoogo naasha.
I walk in beauty.

[maryphyl]

http://www.kaibab.org/gcps/gc_gcps.htm Found it. They also have an Easter sunrise hike at South Bass every year--I have not attended that one but I will. All of the programs that I have been to were fun even though some of them sounded rather dry they were interesting and I was glad I went.
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Shikekeh hozhoogo naasha.
I walk in beauty.

[ck1]

[maryphyl]

Actually it is not any longer to go up 89. It is 45 miles from Flagstaff to Cameron and then 30 miles up to the park. I think it is 90 miles going up the other way. It is longer if you are going to the village of course but only 5 or 10 miles more.
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Shikekeh hozhoogo naasha.
I walk in beauty.

[Canyon Dweller]

If you go up 89 be sure to pull over at an overlook of the little colorado river. There is a certain point that its an 800 foot drop and very narrow; very impressive.
As far as the crouds go I have noticed alot are japs and the like to stay in one huge group. They never seam to leave the group.
I personally have never been to the grand canyon in the summer, not only is it too touristry, but too hot. There was one time we did a 4 day trip in the end of september and it got to 96 degrees, way too hot. We usually tried for December or January to do our hiking. I have hiked down it in the snow most of the times i've hiked it.
Hiking it durring spring break was a bad idea Bright Angel campground was full and we say the most rediculus things that trip; people with full siz tents, lanterns, we even saw two people at the bottom of the kiabab trail hauling a cooler down the trail
_________________
Mountains are there to be climbed!

"Meaningless! Meaningless," says the teacher, "Utterly Meaningless, Everything is meaningless."-Ecclesiastes 1:2

[GTG]

[tracker]

Yeah to be "politically correct" we should call them Nipponese
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My backpack weighs less then a hotel room.. simple!
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