North Kaibab Trail

We were up by 4:30 am and met the guides at the van for breakfast at 5 am. Not really my kind of breakfast - yogurt - blech - and fruit and bagels. I had a bagel with peanut butter and some orange juice. We made our lunches - turkey, cheese, and lettuce - chips and pretzels and carrots - packed the trailer with our suitcases, loaded our packs on top and headed for the trailhead. The temperature where we ate breakfast was probably in the mid 50's - when we got out of the van at the trailhead, maybe three miles down the road, the temperature was in the 40's. Incredible difference. Nancy was freezing and we stood around for a while before hitting the trail at 6:35 am.

The trail was dusty and very dry - the dirt so fine it was almost like talcum powder. It changed color as we moved through the many different layers of rocks - tan, charcoal, red. My knee was still bothering me, but like the day before, once I warmed up, the discomfort was manageable and I felt relieved. Unlike the trails we've been climbing in the White Mountains (which are rocky, full of roots and straight up or down), these trails are all switch backs, and the descent was much less steep. The trail also smelled of mule piss and mule dung - par for the course since mule trains travel up and down these trails every day. We started out walking with Bill, Jenn and Chris close behind us. We stopped at the Coconino Overlook for a group picture and an hour later reached the Supai Tunnel rest area where there is a composting toilet. We waited for everyone to catch up, then decided that the A Team had to set its own pace so we moved on as a group of 5 - Mark our personal guide. It was great because he knew a lot of the plant names - especially interesting was the Century plant. These plants bloom only once in their life. The blooming spike is so large and grows so fast that it saps all the resources of the plant, which then dies, leaving a tall wooden seed stalk. The plant is called the "century plant" because of this "once a century" bloom (actually the plant lives an average of 25 years).

The steepest part of the North Kaibab Trail was the first 4.5 miles. We passed Roaring Springs, the source of water for Phantom Ranch, the Grand Canyon Lodge and most of the South Rim village, and is pumped out via a pipe that was laid under the trail we walked back in the 1930's, during the Depression, by the CCC. As we neared the Ranger's Station, the sound of cicadas became so loud that we could hardly hear each other. Their wails were our constant companions for the next 36 hours. We arrived at 9:45 - took off our boots, put on water sandals, and walked down to the creek to dunk feet and bandannas. Cold, cold water - while the three women were at the creek, the ranger came out and spoke to Mark and Chris - warning them that the extreme temperatures would make walking through what they called the "box" a very dangerous endeavor. The ranger recommended waiting until 4 o'clock when there would be more shade before continuing. We waited until the rest of the group arrived - about 45 minutes - and asked Bill, the lead guide, if we could go on. We felt great, were hydrated, had plenty of water, and our next stop was Ribbon Falls.

Bill acquiesced and said he would be the sweep (last person on the trail). We put on our boots and took off. We arrived at Cottonwood Campground around 11 am. It was hot, really hot - we were in the desert with very little shade - just soaring cliffs framing the trail. We filled our camelbacks and water bottles, wet bandannas and soaked our heads before continuing on. Both Nancy and I did well with the heat - we reminded each other to sip water every 5-10 minutes and we felt fine. Although our sweat evaporated almost immediately, I never felt any ill effects from the sun or the heat. I did put on a hat though, despite the fact that I hate hats. It helped. We reached the spur trail to Ribbon Falls and walked in - Chris wasn't feeling well - he needed to eat, so they stayed back and climbed up to an alcove that was in the shade. Nancy, Mark and I walked up to the falls. It was incredibly beautiful. At the base of the falls there is a mound of minerals called travertine which was covered by a thick spongy layer of some kind of moss-like plant. Other hikers were resting near there. After we had drunk our fill we walked back to the alcove and joined Jenn and Chris for lunch. My knee was bothering me so I chewed three Advil's and ate my lunch.

Chris' nose was so dry from the heat and the lack of humidity that when he tried to blow it he ended up with a bloody nose. Poor guy - and the steep pitch of the alcove and the lack of food had him feeling pretty yucky. Mark tried to encourage us to stay out of the sun for a while, waiting a while so that there would be more shade, but all of us wanted to press on. Our concession was waiting an extra 15 minutes. We came down from the alcove and met Lisa, Ann and Buzz. The two women sat on rocks in the creek under a rock overhang. They were hot and not interested in seeing the falls. We left them there and headed back to the trail. We took a shortcut and crossed over the creek before getting back on the main trail. It was hot, yes indeedy - but we were ok and continued our pace for the next hour. Nancy mentioned that she loved leading and seeing the trail stretch out before her, seeing it curve and wind into the distance. I knew what she was talking about.

I was leading when the trail ended in the creek and it didn't look like it was passable. I turned around because I had seen some surveyor's tape marking an alternate trail through some tall grass and mud - it stunk of rot - and we gingerly stepped through it. Unfortunately, Nancy had a misstep and ended up in the muck up to her knee. Her feet were wet, not a good combination in this kind of heat, but she gamely hiked on. Jenn was on a mission - dinner at Phantom Ranch by 5 o'clock.

We started into the "box" at 2 pm. The box is basically a slot canyon carved out of one of the oldest layers of rock - a black rock called Vishnu Schist. I could see how walking through this convection oven at noon when the sun is directly overhead could be very dangerous. The sides of the walls were about 75 feet wide and the trail was carved into the rock on one side. An hour into the box, Nancy stepped wrong and stopped immediately, saying she had something going on with her boot. We told the others to go on and stopped to inspect her situation. What we found was a nasty blister - the misstep had caused the skin to peal away from her heel. She was in pain. We put on a bandage, but didn't really think through what we were doing since we have so rarely had to dress blisters in the field. I suggested she change into dry socks, but she was feeling anxious about holding up the others and declined. She got up and continued walking until we caught up to them. By then she was in obvious pain and stopped again to ask Mark to dress her foot properly and change into dry socks. Good idea.

Once her blister was dressed, we made short work of the rest of the trail, reaching Phantom Ranch at 4:13 pm. We were dusty and tired and hungry when we finally hit the ranch - at 4 pm it was still very very hot. Mark checked us in and we walked into our bunkhouse. The cool air that greeted us was like something out of another world. It wasn't cold air - it was cool, perfect air. The A/C in the room was called a swamp cooler. I had never seen one before. One room in the bunkhouse had three sets of bunk beds and the smaller back room had two sets. We decided the snorers were to stay in the back room and the rest of us in the front room. I was on top and Nancy took the bottom bunk. It felt so good to take off our boots and lie down for 5 minutes before dinner was announced.

Dinner was served family style in the Phantom Ranch canteen. There were four long tables seating 10 each and the most uncomfortable chairs I have ever sat in. Dinner was steak, baked potato, corn, peas & carrots, corn bread, salad, iced tea and chocolate cake. The next group of hikers arrived at 5:20 pm - Ann, Buzz and Lisa were ushered in straight off the trail and fed. We gave them a standing ovation. The rest of the group arrived when we were sitting outside after the meal - they were asked to wait until 8pm to be served - after the 6:30 diners were finished. We showered in the women's shower room - three showers, sinks and toilets - very warm - no ventilation. The shower felt so good. When the canteen opened at 8 pm, we bought some lemonade (Lemmy's) and sat on a bench by the creek, rehydrating.

Shortly thereafter we decided to go to bed - I was ready. Jenn and Chris were already in their bunks reading when we came in. We left the lights on for Bonnie and Tracee and things finally settled down about 45 minutes later. With all the water we had drunk after and during dinner, the mass exodus to the toilet started around 2 am. My first experience getting down off the bunk bed in pitch dark bordered on hysterical - I ran into the door, then couldn't find the light and because I couldn't find the light I couldn't find the toilet paper. I finally found the toilet paper and then wondered if I should flush or not. What a production. Didn't get any good, deep sleep, but got enough to feel ok the next day.