Grand Canyon NP May 13-20

[russco]

A trip report from our Grand Canyon Adventure this past May.
http://hikindad.blogspot.com/
It's the one titled best Grand Canyon trip ever!

[dkerr24]

Russ -

Great pics and trip report!  Grand Canyon is still one of my favorite destinations for backpacking trips (even with the hassles of permits and lodging).

My next trip there is in Nov for 5 days... 3 days in Clear Creek.  I was there last Oct, but the trip was cut short due to illness and the smoke from fires set on the North Rim.  I'm hoping this year they have no fires.

I really like the North Rim area as it is more remote and not like the lines of cattle at the South Rim view points.  Same goes for the off-corridor trails.  I've hiked sections of the Tonto trail where I went an entire day without seeing another soul.

[russco]

Thanks dkerr, my next trip will be Oct. 5-11 2008. I am doing Grandview to Tanner over the escalante route.....can't wait. I also will be doing the Hermit to Bright Angel loop as a WFR (wilderness first responder) for the Grand Canyon Field Institute in March of 2009 my role on the trip will be to assist the guide and provide medical care if the need arises....should be interesting!...

[EdB]

Thanks for the report and pics. I've never done a guided trip but that one looks good. I'd probably learn a lot and see more than I usually do.

[russco]

Having a guide to show you the way is priceless! I have come up the Bright Angel Trail 3 times before going up with the guide and he showed us many (very cool) things such as archaeological sites that you can't see from the trail to pictos to waterfalls that can't be seen from the trail suitable for showering to...the list goes on...I was amazed at what I had missed on my prior trips!
He also knew axactly what time to do what ie. viewing things with less people around or being somewhere when it's not too hot etc. The Grand Canyon Field Institute offer trips in the form of classes. All of their tripsare educational based and the guides are some of the leading specialists in the GC area and skilled in things such as Archaeology, Botany , Geology, etc. Our guide was a Geologist named Wayne Ranney and he basically wrote the book on the geology of the Grand Canyon..In fact he did..it's called "Carving Grand Canyon" and is available in all the gift shops at GCNP. If you ever think about taking a trip out there I highly reccomend hiring Wayne and reading his book before you go...check it out.
link to field institute- http://www.grandcanyon.org/fieldinstitute/
link to Mr. Ranney's site- http://www.wayneranney.com/

[BigBendHiker]

Hi Russco!
Thanks for the trip report.  It brought back good memories -- I went there in Aug 1980.  Hiked down Bright Angel Trail to Indian Gardens, but then had to head back as I had not made plans to head all the way down to Phantom Ranch and the river.  Seeing your pictures makes me want to return.

THANKS for sharing the story and pictures.


BBH