2013 October R2R
The Year of the Blister
📅 Date
19 October 2013
⏱️ North Rim Start Time
6:42 AM local time
🥾 Hike Time
11 hours 42 minutes
The stories told by the sisters fascinated Shadonna’s husband and Staci’s good friends. Jason, Scott and Kathy decided to make the next trip. The blistering heat and the blistering feet are something this group of hikers will never forget!
There were 5 bus 🚌 loads, including the "double-decker" lead bus, of hikers 🥾 embarking on a Grand Canyon 🏞️ Rim To Rim journey. 2013 would be the last of its kind as the authorities took legal action and determined the organizers profited from the trip which is not allowed.
The 7 hour bus 🚌 trip from Phoenix to Kanab includes a few stops with spectacular views.
The historic (old) and new Navajo Bridges that span the Colorado River.
The historic Navajo Bridge is restricted to foot traffic only.
Coconino Outlook ~1 mile from the top
Staci 👧🏻 and Scott taking a quick click!
Glorious morning on the North Rim
The elevation drop is difficult to demonstrate in photo. 📷 Staci is standing just a few feet from the rest of the team but they are several feet below her.
One break... coming up! 🚽⛏️
Jason and the sisters 👧👧🏻 at mile 7
Helicopters 🚁deliver supplies to maintenance workers 👷🏽 and perform rescue operations ⛑️ in-between the deep canyon walls. The team learned later in the day that this helicopter sighting was delivering a welding machine and iron to repair a massive water 🚰 pipe that runs along the bottom of the canyon.
The sun ☀️ is bright and the canyon is deep causing a great contrast!
Jason and Shadonna walking under one of the many ledges on the North Kaibab Trail 🧭
Kathy posing in the shadows for a click! 📷
After a break for lunch, leaving Phantom Ranch to start the ascent to the South Rim
Crossing the Colorado River to access the connector trail that leads to the Bright Angel 😇 Trail.
Who doesn't love a baby deer 🦌 having an afternoon snack?
After noon and early evening views from the ascending trail.
The top of the South Rim is above the white rock... it seems within reach but it will be a few more hours before we arrive.
Looking back and down at the trail we've come from and Indian Gardens area - the group of green trees - where we took some rest
A view from the Bright Angel Trail back to the North Rim which seems so far away now.
Darkness has fallen, the top of the South Rim reached ~12 hours after leaving the North Rim.
The fuel for one hiker. This fuel is an improvment from the rookie year... but could still use some improvement. Not pictured is home-made beef jerky.
2013 was a mild 🌞 year! The high on the South Rim was 66. This means Phantom Ranch was ~86. The yellow highlight is the hiking time.
Data collected by Staci's Garmin Forerunner 910XT watch. ⌚