Older Hiker: Rim to Rim at Grand Canyon
9,477
Published 2023-10-24
It’s 11:20 pm and I am getting up to attempt a rim-to-rim hike.
As a man, I have been trained to project confidence and competence, but I must admit this morning that I am full of self-doubt.
Any realist of my age acknowledges a degree of frailty. I have watched 20-year-olds on the trail tumble for thirty feet, then get up, laugh and move on. For me, a fall could mean the end of the hike or send me to the hospital. For years I have been acknowledging that I am not as young as I used to be, but this is the first year I acknowledge being old. I have to be slower and more careful now, and to some degree that erodes my masculine self-image. Doing the rim to rim forces me to confront this.
So why do I do the hike? I do it because I am going to die. Maybe I harp on mortality too much, but I think I do because so many people deny it. I want to be clear, I love my life, I do not want to leave it, but I am a realist and facing that my days are numbered makes those days all the more sweet. The other side of the coin to acknowledging mortality is celebrating being alive now. I am still alive, and I plan to hike as often as I can for as long as I can, as health, weather and finances allow.
Hiking rim to rim taxes me to my physical maximum. I have a list of diagnoses that read like a career criminal’s rap sheet. At one point in cancer treatment, I got a handicap parking placard. I don’t use it, but I think of it as my blue badge of courage, recognition for all I have been through.
I have always had a bad back, or at least that’s what I called it, but on one of my cancer CT scans, they gave it a more serious name, degenerative disease of the spine. And that is what concerns me today. My back is troubling me and I am not sure I will be able to complete the hike. Late hours and self-doubt. That sounds like a good title for a book or record album.
This hike is 23 map miles, about 30 miles on a fitness tracker, and if I make it, I would like to do it in 13 hours. There’s almost a mile of descent to the river and a mile climb to the North Rim. Then, if it goes well, I get to do it again on the return trip. If I make it, I will post this video. If I do not, the failure will go unrecorded.
This video, hopefully, will be a hybrid of tips, travelog, and maybe a bit of adventure. I like watching other people’s R3 videos, and usually they focus on themselves, failing to mention things that might help other hikers like times, water availability and trail conditions. I will try to include some of that information. But my top priority is the hike. This is the tail that wags my dog. Videos are time consuming and will take a back seat to completing the hike.
And, before I hit the trail, my first two tips. First, water availability has been unpredictable this year. Two weeks ago, I did a training hike and when I went through Phantom where they had posted unannounced that the water was off from Phantom to the North Kaibab Trail head. That is about 14 miles without a treated water source. It is important to have the ability to both filter and chemically treat water as livestock frequent these trails. I have not yet had to use these, but they are essential to have available.
Second, have fixed in your mind your turn-around decision points. One time I hiked to the River, before the sun was up it was 86 degrees, and I decided I could do the R3, but it just would not be any fun. I went back to the rim and drove in an air-conditioned car to North Rim instead.
The halfway point on the hike, for me at least, is at the end of the box, a few miles North of Phantom Ranch. At this point, it is actually more efficient to walk to the North Rim, rather than walk back. Especially if you would still need to drive the extra 4 hours to get to your non-refundable hotel room on the other rim.
So, with those first two tips covered, times a wasting and it time for me to hit the trail. Wish me luck (and good health)!
All Comments (21)
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Being approx. your age, am impressed with not only your story, but your attitude and vision of "Being older" and "Getting out!" Keep it up, Wes
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Thank you for your inspiration. Being an older hiker who fell on a trail today, was very humbling. I have hiking poles but wasn't using them and had my pharmacy at home. Both mistakes you addressed, and I am now inspired to plan differently. Thank you, kindred spirit !
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Thank you for your kind words on my channel. I watched this and applaud you for doing it. I too have advanced degenerative disk disease. Fortunately, my back generally doesn't hurt when I hike. My issues on the backpacking trip I did were sciatica (really severe), bone on bone in one knee, and vertigo when I lie down and flip over. But, I agree, I will keep going as long as I can. I just have to adapt based on the changes that come with aging. Keep on getting out there. Watching your video I would have never known you were having any issues. I've always said that you do have to do some training, but a lot of it is mental.
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At 85, you look great! Thanks for sharing your insights on tackling this iconic trail system.
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Thanks for sharing!
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Congratulations on pushing through. I am 71 and just did the Rim-to-Rom (North Kaibab trail down and Bright Angel trail up the south side) on June 2. It went well. Temps were close to 100 in the Furnace (Bright Angel from the river to Havasupai Gardens. Temps were 93 at Phantom ranch about 11:30 am and 91 at Havasupai Gardens at 3800 feet after the Furnace section. The keys were a lot of electrolytes and soaking my shirt regularly in the streams that are still running in June.
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I think your philosophy and positive outlook are fantastic. The fact that you layout turnaround points shows the experience and trekking poles are a must in my book. They won't stop every fall, but they do stop most falls. Great hike, and thanks for sharing. New Subscriber.
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Nice my friend, thank for sharing. Have a great day:popcorn-yellow-striped-smile::popcorn-yellow-striped-smile:🙏🙏👌👌🌹🌹😁😁
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Loved this.
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Beautiful scenery and an inspiring journey. Thank you for the video.
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Congratulations you did a great job. I did it at 64 I said if I make to seventy and have my health I will do it again have a year to go
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This video has been so helpful to me for my upcoming hike at Grand Canyon next month and I just want to thank you for sharing your own experience and expertise on this video. Thank you so much and great work.
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Thank you for sharing your story here. I was in the US in May this year and we ended up at 5 or 6 of the National Parks on a short 4 week road trip. When we got to the Grand Canyon (after Yosemite, Death Valley, Zion, etc) we were new to the 'going down is optional, coming back up is mandatory' mantra, so tried out as far as the Havasupai Gardens and return the first day. My sons were keen to go to the river and return the next day, but were a bit worn out and agreed to the Hermits trail as an alternative instead. Being the 'old' one of the party I was okay with them not pushing themselves and was certainly not going to try it myself. Since returning to Australia, I can't seem to shake a sense of being almost homesick for the incredible hiking trails that we enjoyed while visiting the US, and find myself thinking of how I can get back there again, almost despairing that soon I may be too old. Plenty of diagnosed health issues too, which funnily enough didn't seem to surface at all whilst hitting the hiking trails. Your story here has renewed my hope that I can continue to plan, train, keep in shape, and keep an eye out for the next opportunity to get over there and enjoy a south to north (or vice versa) rim hike. Again, thank you.
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Thank you so much for this video. What an adventure! I know exactly what you're talking about when your back spasms and you can do nothing but lie there and moan. I hope you get relief and have many more hikes.
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Hey GC 👋 I so agree with you! Knowing our time is coming makes each time out there more sweet. I know over the last decade I have done hikes that I won't be able to do at some point in the future. The 10 mile hike we did in Pictured Rocks this summer was one I practiced all spring for. It is probably one of the best hikes of my life, one I don't think I will get to do again. I enjoyed your trek through the GC here, as someone who knows their limits, I would not ever be able to do this. So I enjoy watching those that can. The views and colors are beautiful, and what a nice waterfall. Your advice is always solid. I can't tell you how many falls trekking poles have saved me from over the last several years. I'm so happy that you were able to push through and do the entire trek! Well Done 👏 ✔️ You don't look 10 years older, just a bit tanner.😊
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Nobody except endurance athletes should attempt this in one day. Lots of people end up in the emergency room or dead trying to do it in one day. 2-3 nights. Take your time and enjoy it!
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Wow, quite an adventure! Thank you for sharing it.
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Great job, I know how hard it is to keep going every day when battling the C word. Watched my husband do it for 14 years. I hope you get better and can continue enjoying life, you are right life is short. I am 63 and you inspire me that I could hike rim to rim. Thanks for the video. Also, you have great looking legs. lol
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This is a very helpful video. I appreciate it. Thank you for sharing.
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Great tips. Thank you for sharing.😊
