Weather: sunny & hot
I arose at 6.50, planning to make an early start for the canyon. I bought some food for breakfast and for lunch at the Safeway supermarket just across Route 66 and returned to the room to eat breakfast.
I left Williams at 7.50, and arrived at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center around 9.00. I spoke briefly to one of the park rangers about likely conditions in the canyon and was told it might be fairly hot but otherwise good conditions for walking.
I next sought somewhere to park near the trailhead, finding a space near the Maswik lodge at the western end of the village. From here it was a walk of about five minutes to the head of the Bright Angel Trail, and I started on my way down at about 9.30. The Bright Angel Trail is the most popular of the trails in the Grand Canyon, and generally considered the easiest of the inner canyon trails. Strictly it is two trails, one on each rim. The south trail heads some 7.8 miles from the trailhead to the river, and another two miles on to the campground at Phantom Ranch. Here the lightweight Kaibab suspension bridge takes the trail across the river to the North Kaibab trail, which heads another 14.5 miles up to the North Rim.
The most frequently repeated advice on the South Rim is ``do not attempt to hike to the river and back in a day'', since the distance is too great, particularly with the climb involved (almost a mile) and the high temperatures of the inner canyon. However the Bright Angel Trail is well suited to the day hike, with rest stations roughly every 1.5 miles (and separated by roughly 300 metres of altitude), providing in particular the most important commodity in the canyon, namely water. At the 4.6 mile station of Indian Garden, an area kept fertile by a small stream formerly used by the Havasupai Indians, the trail splits in two, with one section heading down to the river while a second continues along a relatively flat path to Plateau Point. This viewpoint high above the Colorado River provides an opportunity for day hikers and mule riders to obtain a view of the river, and was the point for which I was aiming.
The initial section of the trail proved relatively easy going, being downhill and in the morning shade provided by the high cliffs of the side canyon. I passed many people on the way down, most of them evidently out for much shorter hikes than I was planning. At Indian Garden I passed rangers' house and campground set back from the path among this leafy oasis, and, noting that I was making good time, headed out onto the fork of the trail to Plateau Point. Here I headed out into the fierce midday sun of the open plateau, and reached the end of the trail around 12.15.
The view was magnificent, with the mighty Colorado River flowing over 500 metres below, with several sections of rapids visible. High cliffs of varied colours surrounded me on both sides of the river, with the winding paths heading back to the rim and down towards the river providing the only signs of human presence elsewhere in the canyon.
Having taken the obligatory set of photographs, I decided to have a bit to eat and plenty of water before setting back. However I was just ready to go when I saw some rafts and canoes come into view on the river. I therefore spent some time watching and photographing them as they past by below me, in particular noting the way in which they were thrown about as they negotiated the foaming white waters.
I ended up leaving at 13.05, and started the long walk back. It was fairly easy, if rather hot, on the first stretch back to Indian Garden, but I took full advantage of the shade and water offer to ensure that I was suitably refuelled for the steeper sections to come. I sat finishing my lunch as various other hikers passed through. Many of them were taking the sensible precaution of soaking heads, hats and other clothing under the water before heading off -- the idea being that one is cooled by the the evaporation of tap water rather than losing valuable water through perspiration in a situation where dehydration is a major risk.
The next stage, up to the three mile rest-house, proved to be the most
strenuous section, climbing over 300 metres in direct sunlight and
temperatures of over 40
C, according to a thermometer at Indian
Garden. I was most glad when I finally reached
the shelter of the rest station and was able to sit down in the shade.
Many other hikers were gathering here as time went on, and a ranger was on
hand to check all was well. He told us that temperatures that day were
exceptionally high for the time of year, more typical of July than
September, but even so he seemed confident enough that everyone would be
able to make it back to the rim safely. He advised that by 15.30-16.00, the
majority of the path back up to the rim should be in shade, making
conditions far easier.
I set out around 15.15, having taken on more water, and slowly made my way onwards. I eventually reached the rim around 17.15, in need of a rest. I purchased an ice cream and sat beside the rim to eat it, looking back on the path I had taken, snaking its way down the side canyon to Indian Gardens and onwards towards Plateau Point. Suitably refreshed, I browsed for a little while in one of the souvenir shops before returning to the car, deciding to head home before dinner so as to travel as far as possible in the light.
Back in Williams, I had problems getting into my motel room as my electronic `key' appeared to have been canceled. I was not overly happy at having to stagger back down to the front desk in order to get it sorted out, especially when the first attempt didn't cure the problem, having already walked a long way that day and being rather footsore.
Eventually I got into my room and decided to rest for a while before heading out for some food. As things turned out, I never did feel like heading out again that evening, merely nibbling a few bits of food left over from the hike and retiring to bed early.