It is a couple of days after Thanksgiving and time to do some serious work to counteract the effects of all that turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and, yes, the pumpkin pie. Living in Flagstaff, there is no better way to do that than to take a day hike in the Grand Canyon. Especially when the weather is terrific - clear blue skies and balmy inner canyon temperatures.
So, along with two hiking buddies, we headed out of town at 7 a.m. Our plan was to hike down the South Kaibab trail to the Tonto trail, then over to Indian Garden and hike back up to the rim on the Bright Angel trail. The total distance is about 13.5 miles and each trail segment -- South Kaibab, Tonto and Bright Angel - is about 4.5 miles.
The temperature was right about freezing when we started down the trail at 9 a.m, after taking the shuttle bus to the trailhead. We were in the shade and it stayed cold until we reached Cedar Ridge 1.5 miles down the trail. The trail was busy with hikers but not crowded like at other times of the year.
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As we continued down we got to see some of the work that has been done on this trail over the last couple of years. The improvement on the section through the Redwall is especially noticeable, as the rocky stretches have now been replaced by well-formed steps.
At 11 a.m. we reached the junction with the Tonto trail. We headed west and began to contour our way through Pipe Creek Canyon. This trail gets a lot less use and is in a much more primitive state. Not surprisingly, over the next three hours, until we reached Indian Garden, we only saw two other groups of hikers.
Pipe Creek is perennial, which makes it a great attraction at any time of the year. We pulled in here a little after noon and ate our lunch. The low-lying winter sun quickly set behind the South Rim above us, encouraging us to move on. From here we hiked in the shade of the towering façade of the South Rim nearly all the way to the Bright Angel trail.
Just before reaching Indian Garden, the trail passes by the site where Ralph Cameron once had some tent cabins for rent. I brought along a copy of a photo of these tents that was published in National Geographic in 1914. We found the little terrace where these tents once stood, along with a few pieces of metal.
At Indian Garden there was construction going on at the restrooms along the trail and the day use area was closed. So, we rested in the campground area, snacking and filling up our water containers. During the winter, the water faucets along the trail above Indian Garden are turned off, so you need to have all you'll need when you leave here.
We started out of Indian Garden at 2:30 p.m. and within 15 minutes were back into the shade, permanently. As we climbed up the trail, it got colder and colder. By the time I reached the rock with the ancient pictographs, about two miles from the rim, I was back to wearing my fleece jacket and a headband around my ears.
I was the last of the group to reach the rim, topping out at just before 5:30 p.m., as the setting sun was casting a dim light that had turned the very top of the north rim purple, signaling the end of a perfect hiking day in the Grand Canyon. Perhaps a reward is in order. I wonder if there is still pumpkin pie at home?
Dennis Foster lives in Flagstaff and has been an avid hiker in Grand Canyon since 1977.