Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim – Part 2
The sky was painted was painted in pastels and the rock walls were glowing in the sunlight creeping over the horizon. Wow, I thought, this is absolutely incredible. The second morning of our Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim adventure was already a complete 180 from our first day filled with rain and thunderstorms.
If you missed it, check out Part 1 of our adventure. And now for the conclusion…
Day 2: South Kaibab to North Kaibab (21 miles and 6,000 feet elevation gain)
Due to an almost farcical situation with trying to schedule a taxi, we didn’t get to the trailhead as early as we hoped. We finally started back down into the canyon just before 6:00 a.m., and we knew the day’s weather and experience would be quite different from the day before.
Just a mile down the trail we made it to the aptly named Ooh Aah Point. The light of the sunrise made the red walls glow, and we paused for many photos on this section as it was simply too beautiful. Under a vast pastel sky, the canyon stretched out beyond, beneath, and around us. I can agree that this canyon is, indeed, grand. We oohed and aahed in amazement more times than I could count.
We were treated to bluebird skies as we descended down the switchbacks. Our spirits were high, and we were enjoying comfortable temperatures with truly stunning scenery surrounding us.
It wasn’t long before we spotted the Colorado River below us, along with a mule train on their way up. Depending on trail conditions, switchbacks, and timing, it can be tricky to find a good place to get out of their way, but the wranglers were helpful and guided us to a spot that was safe for everyone. We dodged the mules’ pungent puddles of pee as best we could while switchbacking down to the Colorado River.
After we crossed the river, we spotted a mule deer enjoying its breakfast and posing nicely for us, and we soon arrived at Phantom Ranch (mile 7.4), ready for our own substantial snack. We also treated ourselves to their famous lemonade, and honestly, it *was* worth the hype. I don’t know (or care) if it is just a package mix, but oooooh it really hit the spot on a warm day. While we snacked, we spotted the largest squirrel we’ve ever seen. Seriously, it looked like a marmot, and it obviously was a good scavenger of any snacks left behind or left unattended.
At this point, half of our group was still digesting (and nursing some tummy distress), and the other half was anxious to run, so we briefly split up in the Box Canyon section. The canyon walls had shaded the trail, and I felt good, and I loved running this section. We met quite a few hikers in this part, and everyone was friendly and encouraging. And because we were running at that moment, they seemed to think we were some sort of speedsters; I wasn’t going to disabuse them of that notion.
Once again the canyon widened and we were no longer in pleasant shade. It was midday under the desert sun, and while it wasn’t terribly hot, it was hot enough that we started to take extra care with hydration, keeping our arm sleeves wet and looking out for signs of heat exhaustion. Admittedly, it was a hot trudge at this point. We took a significant break at Cottonwood Campground (mile 14.2) to refill our water, have a snack, and douse ourselves with water to cool off.
At Manzanita (mile 15.6), the trail veered upward and became less runnable, which was almost a relief. We pulled out our poles and continued on, with the climbers of the group taking the lead and pulling the rest of us up the trail. As we climbed, the canyon walls closed in a bit and we were again in shade. The shade, plus the slow gain in elevation, meant the temperature slowly dropped. We were done with heat—whoo hoo!
We encountered even more people on these last miles. One group, also headed up to the North Rim, was lugging up folded bikes for their ride from the North Rim to the South Rim on the road. Their trip was welcome conversation fodder for our group, especially among the cyclists (Sarah, Tracy, Mark and Marna). Our packs felt feather-light in comparison to the cyclists’ awkward burdens.
By this point, we were watching the rock layers less with awe and more as a marker of how close we were to the top. “Oh, we’re still in the green layer, crap.” The final few miles, unsurprisingly, were tough . . . and seemingly unending. Glutes, quads, feet, and toes protested the upward trudge. One moment when my spirits were flagging, we met a group of hikers who raised their poles into a tunnel for us and cheered us on. Thank you, hikers, for that little boost—it meant so much!
The trail near the end is lined with maple and aspen trees, and they were all ablaze with fall colors. We’d missed it in the dark on the way down, but they were a happy distraction on the way back up.
Then, finally, we crested the rim and spotted the North Kaibab parking lot dead ahead. We finished! There were some tears of joy and relief at the trailhead, and sweaty hugs all around. 44 miles and 11,200 feet of gain, with my dearest trail friends. Miles of smiles, sweat, tears, and unbelievable natural beauty.
Afterward, Adam and I were discussing this adventure, and we agreed we would absolutely do it again. I think it’s a first for us to say that immediately following an adventure—usually it requires some time to forget the gnarly bits! While dramatic, the weather differences allowed us to experience the canyon in a way that few have, so it was extra special. There is so much to see in the canyon, so we need to go back to see more.
Some of my friends have completed the Rim to Rim to Rim in one day instead of two, but they said they preferred our two-day approach because they got to enjoy and see more of the canyon in daylight. If you’re planning your own trip and considering your options, the two-day approach does require carrying more gear, but we thought it was well worth it.
So, what was actually in my pack on the run?
Packing List
- Ultraspire Epic XT fastpack
- 2-liter hydration bladder
- Black Diamond Distance Z running poles
- First aid kit
- Garmin inReach satellite communicator
- Outdoor Research Helium jacket
- Patagonia Houdini pants
- Gloves
- Puffy jacket
- Headlamp (+ extra batteries)
- iPhone charging cord + travel battery
- Katadyn BeFree water filter (in case the water taps weren’t working)
- Travel sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- 2Toms SportShield anti-chafe travel packet
- 2Toms BlisterShield (in a small plastic bag, for my socks)
- Travel toothbrush and toothpaste tabs
- Running t-shirt for day 2 (also served as pj top)
- Running shorts for day 2
- Injinji toe socks for day 2
- Clean buff for day 2
- Leggings for pj bottoms
- Mask
- Wallet
- Chapstick
- Food for day 2, which included cold-soak oatmeal (for breakfast), Oreos, PB snickers, Spring Energy Canaberry gels, Skratch Energy Chews Matcha, honey-roasted peanuts, Haribo sour gummy bears, cheese & crackers, peanut butter filled pretzels, tortilla, peanut butter packet, strawberry jam packet, small can of Pringles
- I used the same running hat, shoe gaiters, and Outdoor Research ActiveIce Sun Sleeves for both days
