Bright Angel Resthouses

Let me blog again about my trip Out West last June. I’ve been quite derelict on finishing that up.

While I was at the Grand Canyon I ended up doing less strenuous hikes than I planned. Most of that was because it was hot (and I’m aware of the dangers with heat in the Grand Canyon).

But I did make sure I had fun with whatever hikes I did.

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See Da Cedar Ridge

Continuing writing about my recent trip out west, on June 5 I was still at the Grand Canyon. On all of my previous trips I’d backpacked to the bottom, but my knees (going down) and my hips (coming back up) are appreciating that extra weight less and less as I’m getting older, so this visit I decided to take it easy and just do day hikes.

Fortunately, the Grand Canyon offers plenty of opportunities.

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Blunder Bus

On my second full day (June 4) at the Grand Canyon I decided to do a bit of sightseeing. While I’ve tended to go there for the hiking, that has meant that it’s been easy for me to miss many of the other fascination things that go on there.

So I did some of their special programs, rode the buses, and caught some new views.

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Agave Up

On my 2017 trip Out West, I’m now up to blogging June 3. (I’m also back home now and have the ability to edit pictures and stuff much more easily.) I had arrived at the Grand Canyon on the previous afternoon.

On the 3rd I descended the Tanner Trail (one you probably haven’t heard of). I had great intentions of going a long ways down and then back up, but discretion is the better part of valor.

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I’m Movin’ On Up

After spending the night of August 23, 2016 at the Bright Angel Campground, it was time to head back up to the top. While heading up is a change in elevation of about a mile, in some ways it’s not as hard. For one, you’ve eaten some of your food so your pack is lighter. For another, you don’t have to carry as much water, since you can refill at Indian Garden (and then at the 3-mile and 1½-mile Resthouses).

On the way up I did get quite a few people asking how my bare feet were doing. My answer: “They’re just fine; it’s my hips that are hurting. I’m used to hiking barefoot; but I’m not used to carrying this pack uphill all the time.”

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I’m Going Down

In writing up my trip Out West, it’s now time for my backpacking trip down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, where I camped at the Bright Angel Campground (after getting a permit).

This was on August 23, 2016.

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Desert View

I’m still trying to catch up documenting my trip Out West this past summer. I’ve now made it to the day just before I headed down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, August 22, 2016.

That day (while waiting to get a response from the Park Management about my bus issues) I spent my time driving out and visiting Desert View.

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Living on the Edge

Let me continue documenting my trip Out West this past summer. Last blog post about the trip I’d been tossed from the shuttle bus system at the Grand Canyon. That meant I was doing more driving than necessary.

But I also didn’t do much hiking.

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The Grand Canyon: Bus-ted

Continuing blogging about my trip out west this summer, I’m now up to August 20. In the morning I left Chaco Canyon. In the afternoon, I arrived at the Grand Canyon.

And in the evening I got an all-expenses paid, free trip in the back seat of a police cruiser.

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Grand Canyon Shuttle Bus Recap

I thought I’d give a recap of what happened regarding bare feet the past two years on the Shuttle Buses at the Grand Canyon. It’s mainly just an excuse to post the email I sent to the Superintendent of the park, but I think it’s also useful to see it all laid out in one place.

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One More Day at the Grand Canyon

After finishing up our ascent out of the Grand Canyon, my son and I headed back to Mather Campground (that’s the standard car-camping campground on the south rim) to spend two nights relaxing and seeing some of the rim scenes.

We also met some fellow barefooters.

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Up the Bright Angel Trail

So far in the last week and a half I’d hiked barefoot in Zion (8.4 miles, 5.4 miles, and 5.4 miles) and in the Grand Canyon (1.1 miles on the rim, 6.3 on the way down, and 3.7 north of Bright Angel Campground). I wasn’t particularly footsore.

But now it was time to head up the Bright Angel Trail: 9.5 miles horizontally and 1 mile vertically.

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Oh! Two Feet

I went from Ode to a Campsite to Oh! To a Campsite.

I think I’ll move on to Oh! Two Feet.

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Oh! To a Campsite

Last year when I visited Chaco Canyon, I wrote my Ode to a Campsite.

Well, for the visit to Cottonwood Campground, halfway up the north side of the Grand Canyon along Bright Angel Creek, I think I’ll say “Oh!” to a campsite.

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In (and Out of) the Box

After spending the night at Bright Angel Campground, the next spot on our itinerary was to head up to the Cottonwood Campground. It is about a 7½ hike up the north side of the Grand Canyon.

And we spent it taking precautions against my over-heating.

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