The Death March -- Epic Grand Canyon Hike -- Rim to Rim to Rim

The drive out of Flagstaff was cloudy and cool. Unseasonably cool for Memorial Day weekend at the end of May. "Snow at the higher elevations, [of the San Francisco Mountains] up to a foot I hear" said the barista at the coffee shop. As we drove toward the canyon, Sam brought up the Death March, a hike he had dreamed of doing since moving to the southwestern desert 7 years ago. It involved hiking from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, to the North Rim, and back in 24 hours. 44 miles, 20,000 feet of elevation change, 24 hours. Sure, it has been done, but the question was could WE do it. Not only are you dealing with the distance and elevation, but also temperature. It is typically hot and dry in the canyon, and water is a precious necessity. Maybe next year, after we train some more and prepare our hike schedule a little more carefully.

I kept waking up every hour to check the clock. Finally the alarm sounded at 430 am. The first hikers’ shuttle to the South Kaibab Trailhead is at 5am from the Bright Angel Lodge. We quickly packed our bags, setting out with the intention of hiking to the North Rim where a cabin was reserved for our party. The plan was to stay the night and hike back to the South Rim the following day.

As we headed down the red dirt trail, I had to put my hands in my sleeves because of the cold. Approximately 40 degrees just before sunrise. Once we were moving, it was very comfortable. The South Kaibab Trail descends 4,820 feet in 6.5 miles. It is the typical trail for the mules that shuttle people in and out of the canyon. This trail isn't as popular with the day hikers because there is no water along the route. Only at the trailhead and at the bottom of the canyon can you refill your reservoir/bottle.

When we made it to the bridge to cross the Colorado River, all four of our hiking party were feeling great. The cool temperatures, even at the river, were ideal for moving along quickly. After a brief stop at Phantom Ranch, we continued on the flat stretch of the North Kaibab Trail. This trail follows Bright Angel Creek as it winds through the narrow canyon walls. It’s a slow, steady hike for 7 miles. As we started this section, Sam and I picked up our pace and discussed how the cool temperatures made the hiking seem easier. Even in the mid day sun at the depths of the canyon, it was barely 70 degrees. We made it the Cottonwood Campground, sat down, and began a serious conversation.

"I'm feeling pretty good, I'm 70% sure I want to go for it, to do the Death March," Sam says. "Next year, we will be one year older. We have perfect weather, our headlamps and plenty of food and water to do this," I told Sam. After soaking my feet in the cool water of Bright Angel Creek, I was putting things back in my pack and noticed the extra weight I had for our stay at the North Rim. "You should stash one of your packs, and only take what you need for the next section of the hike," mentioned Garth. By this point, Sam was 90%. I was all for it, but only would do it if he was in 100%. The party left the campground, but Tiffany, (Sam's wife) quickly spoke up "If you are not going to stay at the North Rim, I think Garth (her brother) and I will turn around and head back now. We'll be able to get back to the South Rim and drive back to Scottsdale tonight." Sam quickly made the decision to stash a pack, the hiking party split, and we officially began our attempt at the Death March. It was 11 am.

For a mile and half, the trail slowly got steeper. Even though the sun was overhead, we could feel the air get cooler as we continued on. Soon we passed a ranger station, where the trail then turns steep. For me, hiking uphill is easier on the knees. I found a comfortable pace and continued the march out of the canyon. The three foot wide trail clings to walls of the canyon, with drop-offs of 500 feet or more.

As we gained elevation, we could see the layers of the canyon strata change. Once we get above the red layer, then we just have the white layer. I'm not a geologist, but I knew from the previous hike that the white layer was the top. After a quick stop at the water station, we continued on the last mile and half. The closer to the rim of the canyon, the steeper the trail gets and the more shade. Thick pines cover the last half mile. At the overlook, we could see the trail we just came up, and in the distance the snow capped peaks of the San Francisco Mountains where only the afternoon before our discussion of the Death March began. Finally, we made it to the North Kaibab Trailhead. It was 2:30pm.

The North Rim was bustling with vacationers and sightseers. We made our way to the front desk to see if we could cancel our room since we wouldn't be needing it. Unfortunately, the lodge has a 48 hour cancellation policy, so we were stuck with the room. "No naps" I told Sam. "We need to eat, hydrate, and get back hiking. We need to be down the North Rim by sundown. That trail has too many steep drop offs that I don't want to navigate when I am tired and its dark." After a quick shower, two servings of pasta and a Poweraide, we hitched a ride back to the trailhead. 5pm...the second half of our expedition begins as we descend the North Kaibab Trail.

The pack we had stashed was just where we left it near the Cottonwood Campground. Inside were our headlamps, bagels, peanut butter and power bars. Just in time...it was dusk in the canyon, at 730pm. Darkness soon surrounded us as we marched through the flat section of the trail, along the creek toward Phantom Ranch. At several points, we turned our lamps off to gaze skyward, to see the gap between the canyon walls filled with stars. A sign along the trail states that only 10% of the world's population can see the Milky Way galaxy in the night sky. This reminded me that we are far from anything, exploring a remote corner of the world, with only the basic necessities. There were beds at Phantom Ranch, but all full as they are booked years in advance. It was quiet when we rolled in there, shortly after 10pm.

We couldn't get comfortable, we had to keep moving. After a quick snack and refilling the camelback, we began the final push. The Bright Angel Trail is 9 miles, following the Colorado River for about a mile before turning up to the South Rim. We chose this trail because the trailhead is only steps from the lodge, where we had parked. It is the most popular trail, as there is a water station every mile and a half. But at this hour, we didn't see anyone else hiking. Sam and I continued on, one step at a time. "Indian Garden should be coming up soon...that’s 4.5 miles from the South Rim," Sam stated. Great, only 10% of the hike to go, and we could see the lights from the South Rim Lodge.

That last 4.5 miles seemed like an eternity. Fortunately the temperature was in the 40s and it was dark. Sam and I had talked about the timing of our hike. Climbing out of the South Rim in the dark was ideal, as we were not overheated by the afternoon sun. It was still an exhausting hike, especially after 40 miles on the trail. A head lamp was quickly coming down the trail towards us. It was an Englishman, a camera in one hand a pop tart in the other. He was just starting his attempt at the double crossing; it was shortly after 3am.

The last mile was a blur for me. The adrenaline rush of accomplishing our goal carried us to the rim. Finally, 22.5 hours after our start, we had completed the Death March.

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