Hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim

Twenty-five years ago, when driving home from Las Vegas, we stopped at the Grand Canyon. I was so impressed with its grandeur and beauty that I said, someday, I would like to hike the Grand Canyon. Lots of times, someday never comes.    

Then I saw on Facebook that a sweet friend had hiked rim to rim in one day. A video showed them completing the hike including tunnels and bridges. I was reminded that it was on my bucket list, and I wasn’t getting any younger. If I was going to do it, the time was now.

A long hike like that, with such great inclines and declines needs to be trained for, and as a first timer, should not be hiked alone. So I started investigating what I would need to do. I talked to other people that may be interested. In January I started training, first on a treadmill, increasing distance and incline. As the weather improved, I took long walks, a minimum of five miles, three to four times per week, doing stairs and bleachers. When the snow melted away, we started hiking the hills and mountains. Training was  fun, being out in nature with family and friends.

On May 28, just after my 70th birthday, we made the trip. Four of us planned to do the Grand Canyon rim to rim, hiking from the South Kaibab trailhead to the North Kaibab trailhead. In order to get through the hot part of the hike we had to start in the dark with headlamps. I thought going down would be fast and easy, but it was much slower than anticipated. Lots of hikers were present, from all over the nation and world. The hike was beautiful and amazing. Lots of work by others, engineers, etc. created the path. Blasting into the side of rock walls, building bridges and tunnels for accessibility is totally amazing.

We stopped at Phantom Ranch for lunch, water refill and to mail postcards stamped “delivered by mule.” Then on to “the box,” which was warned to be hot. It was along a beautiful creek, with intermittent shade at our time of day, very beautiful as we hiked through. The “frying pan” was next, really hot. My backpack thermometer read 117 degrees. We soaked our clothes in the creek every chance we got. I also had a fan clipped to the front of my backpack blowing on my neck and face, which was very helpful. Then we started our ascent up the north ridge.

I was so happy to have made it this far, but going up was not easy. Lots of steps had been made, some two feet high. It was so hard to get my foot up on that next step and lift my entire body up, even with hiking poles. I was getting dehydrated and hadn’t eaten properly or soaked my feet in the creek as recommended. The last five miles were a real struggle, pure torture, but I made it. I wanted to make my kids and grandkids proud.

I’m so thankful for my people that trained with me, my hiking companions and, of course, my husband who was willing to be our driver, dropping us off and picking us up at the rims.

My final thoughts are about how fun the journey was and not just the destination. I loved the exercise and how good it made me feel. Spending time outdoors with fresh air, gorgeous skies and lovely people is amazing. I loved getting out my own back door and enjoying the beauty in Wyoming. Our world is magnificent, with millions of years in the making. Success is a journey, not a destination.

 Every accomplishment starts with the determination to try.