Grand Canyon – 2 Day To Win Huge

Date: 05/11/2012 to 08/11/2012

Path: Some km along US-93 and the first signs to the Grand Canyon aparecem.Seguimos to the state highway AZ-64 to Grand Canyon Village, already inside the park.

Grand Canyon National Park – 2 Day To Win Huge

Ultimately, reached the top! We were exhausted. Within two days, descend to the bottom of the world's most famous canyon and climbed back all 1600 m height. We brought in baggage beautiful photos and new friendships.

446 km long, to 29 kilometers in length and 1.600 m profundidade. The Grand Canyon impresses by its grandeur and also by their unique combinations of colors and shapes. Like em all the parks we visited in the United States, This structure also has very organized visitation, with various trails marked and information centers for visitors (Visitor Center). It was in one of them we learn about the trails, the offering and the difficulty that brought. Our eyes lit up when we discovered that some of them took to the bottom of the giant, the banks of the Colorado River. And it was still possible to spend the night down there! We had no doubt, find our program for the next few days.

Preparation

1) Permissions. There are two options for those who want to spend the night at the bottom of the canyon. Downstairs is located Phantom Ranch Lodge, an inn that offers relatively simple, Pre-scheduled meals and even a bar. The price is somewhat salty, but ends up being the only option for those who want a shower and a warm bed after a long walk. We prefer the second option: o Bright Angel Campground, where there are spaces reserved for camping by the river. More account, but rootz, but further increases experiment, in our opinion.

The first step then was to get a permit required for camping in the park. In the case of deep canyon that permission costs $ 10 per space, plus $ 5 per person and can be achieved in Backcountry Information Center. The vacancies in the canyon bottom are limited so it is advised to get the permissions in advance.

2) Equipment. Tolls can be great, but does not include everything we would have brought to five people. The truth is that we did not have suitable equipment for camping outside our tents automotive. We needed tents for camping, thermal insulation to the ground, besides backpacks larger and more comfortable to carry the weight of food for the next days, Apart from that we would need to bring their own tents. Some of us wanted to walking sticks to give that strength on track. Happily, within the national park, 's service equipment rental camping with all imaginable. All the equipment we rented cost us about $ 100.

3) Shopping. Fruits, Seeds, sandwiches and water. The latter is one of the most important items in the backpack, once largely track the points of water supply has not worked because of winter. The heat in the canyon is strong and desitração is a subject that takes seriously the park. The rangers will recommend numerous times the amount of water that is needed for each path, as well as where the bottles can be filled.

Programming

After much discussion with the rangers Park, the script was programmed. The long walk required that we got in early morning Backcountry Information Center, from where express buses to various park trails. The idea was to complete the downhill before nightfall.

There are two trails that lead to the bottom of the canyon by the southern part of the park (South Rim): a South Kaibab Trail e a Bright Angel Trail. There is nothing to recommend any of these tracks to date, much less both on the same day, once the path of return would add about 27 km of descent and ascent. O ideal, then, is sleeping downstairs and even follow the next day with renewed batteries.

We chose to go down the South Kaibab Trail due to its steep. It was better to do this trail down to rising. Get FIM afternoon to camp, along the Colorado River, prepararíamos where our tents for the night. Sometimes serious pela Bright Angel Trail, equally cansativa, but less inclined.

The trails

1) South Kaibab Trail – They claim to be the track with the best panoramic views of the park and we saw, do not doubt anything. Do Skeleton Point, There is a beautiful 360-degree view of the canyon. Are 11.3 km of hiking to the top of the canyon Bright Angel Campground, in a drop of nearly 1600 meters, being the fastest way to reach the Colorado River. But, there is little shade and no water supply until the end of the trail. During the winter months, the constant exposure to the sun keeps most of the track relatively free of ice and snow. During the summer, not recommended the hike due to lack of water and intense heat that makes the path.

2) Bright Angel Trail – This is considered one of the best and safest park trails. Are little more than 15 km of beautiful scenery and a good walk. Very well preserved, Track provides drinking water stations along the route, well as emergency phones and various points of pillows, where you can even camp. Moreover, there rangers located at the midpoint of the track (Indian Garden) and also the bottom of the canyon, próximo ao Bright Angel Campground. Its name comes from the glow that emanates from the gigantic rock formations when the sun illuminates the region.

Day 1 - A descida, the French and the rest deserved

Leased equipment, water and food purchased, prepared backpacks. Each had about 15 kg on the back when we left for the Backcountry Information Center, where we would take an express bus to the entrance of South Kaibab Trail. The buses that circulate through the park are quite useful, making practical locomotion for the various trails and observation points the canyon.

At the entrance of the trail, a stop to use the bathroom and fill our water bottles, since only we find the next point of drinking water 11 km a frente, no final destination. Breathe deeply and began what promised to be a long walk.

The Skeleton Point (2.4 km at frente) is the first official parade, with an unforgettable view of the landscape in all directions. So far the walk was quiet, but a few miles over the sun and head tilted down, and backpacks have begun to weigh. We brought enough food for at least 4 meals over the next two days, beyond the tents and water bottles, still full on downhill. We stopped for lunch after we reach the tipoff, a rest stop, with restrooms, after 4 km of track. We found a shadow among the stones and prepare our snack: tuna sandwiches and chicken salad. Hunger was such that the sandwiches were tastier than ever. At the same time em Commission, fought to scare the squirrels trying to grab a piece of our food.

A full belly, follow descida. No wonder that the Grand Canyon is one of the seven wonders of the world. The scenery that accompanies the walk is really impressive. We stopped several times to take a picture from a different angle than the way. There were more 7 km after Tipoff until we reached the bank of the Colorado River. We cross the suspension bridge over the river, and finally reached the Bright Angel Campground.

The campground has organized spaces with a large table and closed boxes to store food. It is also important to store food and debris boxes, once the animals and their sensitive noses are always in the neighborhood. The bathrooms are relatively clean, but there are no showers at camp. We found a place by the river, pitched our tent for the night and prepare a snack.

The clock read something around 17 hours when we reached our destination. After the tents arranged, began to search for something to pass the time. We were tired, but it was still too early to sleep. That's when a ranger came by our booth to check permission to camp. Sympathetic, soon began to make conversation. Suddenly, the question: "You have food?”. The first did not understand why the question, but the fact is that we had food, and quite! After supper, we realized that we would need much more brought. He continued: "Why have a group of French back there that has no food! Pussy to say!"We could not stop laughing.

That's how we know the French: ChaCha, Suzie, Johanna Camille e. They played some sort of game by candlelight as we passed by his tent to pull a chat. "Bonsoir", screamed to break the ice. Hairy seen, also sought some way to spend time down there, and what better than to chat to solve the problem? Conversation will, conversation comes stretched and chat with wine glasses in a bar located next to the lodge a few meters from camp. The French came to spend a few months in the United States, and touched a project related to architecture, its formation. Parallel, took the opportunity to learn a little more from the land of Uncle Sam. Shortly talk and have talked as if we were intimate. We were great friends who had only just met.

Day 2 - A rise, the laughter and conquered the top

The climb began early, around 9 hours, after a breakfast in the morning greatly enhanced. We invite the French for coffee, but, they were thinking of leaving early, since they follow the same day trip, thus they reached the top. It was agreed that we would find along the way.

Backpacks lighter helped increase. Much of our food was already in my stomach and it was not necessary to carry plenty of water, since there are several points of supply by Bright Angel Trail. The look was as beautiful as or perhaps even more than the previous day's decline. Unlike the South Kaibab Trail, a green plant and the sound of natural water sources accompanied the huge cliffs. There is much more spare and fresh air on the way, which is still less inclined than the previous.

After about 8 km of track, reached an oasis amid the rocks, with many trees and abundant water. It was around 13 hours when we stop at Indian Garden. The tired legs from the previous day asking quiet once in a while but then we relaxed the whole way, stopping when necessary. We left for lunch the next stop (Three-Mile Resthouse), 3 km adiante. After all, Our coffee was served, and we had not yet found the French. "Do they ran up?"We were walking relatively fast, already getting tired and still had not reached the.

That's when we approached the point where we would have lunch we hear conversations in French. Finally as we find. We thought it was not going to happen, ultimately the pace was letting them in our slipper. From dai, tiredness of the whole walk was offset by the conversation and the laughter we shared to the top.

Ah, top!! A sincere smile that appeared each reached the end of the trail. After 2 day walk, almost 30 km of track, back to the top of the Grand Canyon. A dinner was all we needed to celebrate winning the top and the new friends we made on the way. Não knew, but chat vai, Chat comes, and shipping company to win the next days.

To check out more photos of the Grand Canyon, click here!