The Grand Canyon!

[renodesertfox]

Howdy,
Simply put, the Grand Canyon offers some of the best hiking in America. The range of scenery in incredible; from cool pine forests, to narrow slot canyons, to everything else in-between. There are trails that skirt the edge of the rim on either side and trails that plunge down thousand's of feet towards the Colorado River. And don't forget the canyon's 2 billion years of geology, arranged chronologically for your view pleasure!

Sound too good to be ture? Not at all! But before you hit the trail, there are some important things one needs to know. First, there are two types of hikes in the Grand Canyon: day hikes and backcountry hikes(overnights). Day hikes are just that, find a trail and go...no special permits are required. But due to the overwhelming number of visitors who want to go on backcountry hikes each year. The National Park Service limits the total number of permits ahead of time, which are granted on a first come, first-served basis. Not everyone who wants a permit gets one. But permits aren't too hard to come by if you apply for one well in advance. Even during peak tourist season, same day permits are sometimes available due to cancelations.

So hang with me for a little bit and hiking the Grand Canyon will soon be on everyone's lips, whether you want to backcountry hike & camp the Grand Canyon or not. And unlike most hikes on this planet, the trails at the Grand Canyon start at the top and end at the bottom. It is this "mountain in reverse" that's what attracts me and the endless desire to backpack whenever I can! Come on join the fun...I'm sure other backpackers have similiar stories. Let's go camping and then chat about our experience!

[renodesertfox]

As I stated before, all backcountry hikes start at the rim and drop down into the canyon. The elevation drop on these hikes is servere, so they are best tackled over more than one day. Onernight trails pass through terrain that the park classifies as "Backcountry." To camp in the backcountry, one needs to apply for a permit from the backcountry office. The park service has divided the Grand Canyon Backcountry into four(4) management zones: Corridor, Threshold, Primitive, and Wild.


Trails in the Corridor zone are well maintained and equipped with modern facilities. Three Corridor zone trails:

1. The Bright Angel Trail
2. The South Kaibab Trail
3. North Kaibab Trail

These are without a doubt the most popular trails in the park. The Bright Angel & The North Kaibab Trails have developed campsites along the trail. Backcountry Rangers strongly recommend that first time backpackers to the Grand Canyon to use these Corridor trails.


Threshold trails are unmaintained, but they are generally in fair condition. There are two threshold trails:

1. The Hermit's Trail
2. The Grandview Trail

The final two management zones Primitive & Wild, cover extremely rugged desolate terrain.The Thunder River Trail is the only Primitive Trail I've been on and would like to discuss in the future. Considerable Grand Canyon hiking experience is necessary in the Primitive & Wild zones.

The backcountry is also divided into "use areas" delineated on commercial maps. Knowing which use area a trail traverses is a necessary part of applying for a backcountry permit. Camping in the Corridor, Hermit, Monument, Horseshoe Mesa, and Tapeats Use Areas is limited to designated campsites or campgrounds only, and camping in these campgrounds is limited to two nights per hike.

From November 15 to February 28, however, one can camp up to four(4) nights in the popular Corridor campgrounds. Next I'll touch on the "permits."

[renodesertfox]

Backcountry Permits

Howdy,
Backcountry permits are issued by the Backcountry Reservation Office. The earliest that a permit may be requested is on the first day of the month, four(4) months prior to the proposed start date. Permit requests can be submitted via mail or fax, but are considered late if not received at least three(3) weeks prior to the proposed start date. The backcountry permit request form is available via the Grand Canyon's Web site. Permit requests are processed in the order in which they are received. All written requests are responded to via U.S. Mail(allow three(3) weeks for processing).

Although most people request permits well ahead of time, cancellations sometimes make same-day permits available. You can place yourself on a waiting list for same-day permits if you arrive at the Backcountry Information Center by 8 AM on the day you would like to hike.

http://www.nps.gov/grca/backcountry/permit_app.

or call: 1-928-638-7875 Monday - Friday, 1pm-5pm.

The South Rim Backcountry Office is located to the east of Maswik Lodge, next to the railroad tracks. Mailing address:

Grand Canyon National Park
Backcountry Information Center
PO Box 129
Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023

Fax: 928-638-2125

FEES:
There is a non-refundable $10 fee per permit, plus $5 per person per night. Permit cancellations are subject to a $10 cancellation fee. Frequent Hiker membership for $25 that waives the initial $10 fee for each permit. If the permit is cancelled three(3) days or more before the start date, the $5 per person fee can be applied to a future hike.

[renodesertfox]

More Tips from The Grand Canyon

Howdy'all,

Think before you hike.
Don't hike from the rim to the river and back in a single day! Every year, the park service rescues hundreds of day hikers stranded in the canyon. Hiking to the river and back seems deceptively easy on the way down, and by the time even a good hiker realizes how difficult the hike back up will be it's often too late! On top of the added hazzle for both hikers and National Park Rangers, evacs can cost upwards of $3000 per flight by helicopter. By planning ahead and understanding the trail, one can easily avoid a needless evacuation.

Bring Plenty of Water.
The biggest danger on the trail are not scorpions, rattlesnakes, or mountain lions(in fact, they are hardly ever seen), but dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke! In the sweltering summer months of June, July & August this danger is even more apparent. The average temperature difference between the rim & river are 20 degrees. The best way to stay safe is to avoid hiking during the middle of the day and to take and drink plenty of water. By the time you think you feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated! Although some trails have access to water, many do not. Make sure you're aware of water availability on a trail before you start hiking. Bring plenty of food; take regular breaks, and use common sense.