On Friday, March 9, 2012, I ran across the Grand Canyon. And back. As hikers descend into the canyon, danger signs are in place that warn people "DO NOT attempt to hike from the canyon rim to the river and back in one day. Each year hikers suffer from serious illness or death from exhaustion." The round trip distance that this warning describes is 13 miles. Along with my friend Timothy Pitts, we not only ran from the south rim on the South Kaibab trail to the Colorado River, but then through the entire canyon and up the North Kaibab Trail to the north rim for a distance of 20.9 miles in five hours and 31 minutes. After taking seven minutes to rest and take pictures, we turned around and did it again making it a true "rim to rim to rim" as it is commonly known. Ironically, we covered the return distance in an equal amount of time, five hours and 31 minutes. At the end of the day, we had run 41.8 miles with 21,200' of elevation change in 11 hours and 9 minutes, meeting our goal of finishing the route in under 12 hours.
Pictures are here
Nutrition
| Quantity | Fuel | Calories/Serving | Calories Total | Carbs/Serving | Carbs Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 bottles
|
First Endurance EFS Liquid Shot
|
400
|
800
|
100
|
200
|
2 bottles
|
Vanilla High Protein Boost
|
240
|
480
|
33
|
66
|
1 bar
|
Honey Stinger 20g protein Peanut Butta pro bar
|
350
|
350
|
36
|
36
|
3 bars
|
Honey Stinger Apple Cinnamon Bar
|
180
|
540
|
28
|
84
|
1 pie
|
Oatmeal crème pie
|
170
|
170
|
26
|
26
|
1 pack
|
Jack Link's Peppered Beef Jerky
|
80
|
80
|
4
|
4
|
Total
|
2420
|
416
|
| Quantity | Hydration | Calories/Serving | Calories Total | Carbs/Serving | Carbs Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
70 ounces
|
Hammer Strawberry HEED
|
100
|
875
|
26
|
228
|
90 ounces
|
First Endurance EFS Energy Drink Mild Grape
|
96
|
432
|
24
|
108
|
20 ounces
|
Lemmy's Lemonade
|
100
|
250
|
25
|
63
|
20 ounces
|
Water
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Total
|
1557
|
399
|
Total Nutrition
| Total Calories | Total Carbs |
|---|---|
| 3977 | 815 |
Mileage/Elevation/Time/Duration
| Distance (mi) | Elv (ft) | Location | Gain/Loss | Grade | Time | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 7250 | South Rim | 0 | 0.00% | 5:00:00 AM | 0:00:00 |
| 0.75 | 6450 | Oh Ahh Point | -800 | -20.20% | ||
| 1.5 | 6300 | Cedar Ridge | -150 | -3.79% | ||
| 2.5 | 5700 | O'Neill Butte | -600 | -11.36% | ||
| 3 | 5200 | Skeleton Point | -500 | -18.94% | ||
| 4.3 | 4000 | Tonto Trail Junction | -1200 | -17.48% | ||
| 4.5 | 3850 | The Tipoff | -150 | -14.20% | ||
| 5 | 3550 | Panorama Point | -300 | -11.36% | ||
| 6 | 2500 | Kaibib Bridge | -1050 | -19.89% | 6:22:00 AM | 1:22:00 |
| 6.2 | 2450 | River confluence | -50 | -4.73% | ||
| 6.4 | 2450 | Bright Angel Campground | 0 | 0.00% | ||
| 6.9 | 2550 | Phantom Ranch | 100 | 3.79% | ||
| 8.9 | 2950 | The Box | 400 | 3.79% | ||
| 12.5 | 3750 | Ribbon Falls | 800 | 4.21% | ||
| 14 | 4000 | Cottonwood Campground | 250 | 3.16% | 8:04:00 AM | 3:04:00 |
| 15.2 | 4850 | Pumphouse | 850 | 13.42% | ||
| 16.2 | 5200 | Roaring Springs | 350 | 6.63% | ||
| 17.1 | 5900 | The Needle | 700 | 14.73% | ||
| 18.9 | 6800 | Supai Tunnel | 900 | 9.47% | 9:48:00 AM | 4:48:00 |
| 20.15 | 7600 | Coconino Overlook | 800 | 12.12% | ||
| 20.9 | 8250 | North Rim | 650 | 16.41% | 10:31:00 AM | 5:31:00 |
| 0 | 8250 | Leave North Rim | 0 | 0.00% | 10:28:00 AM | 5:28:00 |
| 21.65 | 7600 | Coconino Overlook | -650 | -16.41% | ||
| 22.9 | 6800 | Supai Tunnel | -800 | -12.12% | 11:01:00 AM | 6:01:00 |
| 24.7 | 5900 | The Needle | -900 | -9.47% | ||
| 25.6 | 5200 | Roaring Springs | -700 | -14.73% | ||
| 26.6 | 4850 | Pumphouse | -350 | -6.63% | 11:46:00 AM | 6:46:00 |
| 27.8 | 4000 | Cottonwood Campground | -850 | -13.42% | 12:04:00 PM | 7:04:00 |
| 29.3 | 3750 | Ribbon Falls | -250 | -3.16% | ||
| 32.9 | 2950 | The Box | -800 | -4.21% | ||
| 34.9 | 2550 | Phantom Ranch | -400 | -3.79% | 1:29:00 PM | 8:29:00 |
| 35.4 | 2450 | Bright Angel Campground | -100 | -3.79% | ||
| 35.6 | 2450 | River confluence | 0 | 0.00% | ||
| 35.8 | 2500 | Kaibib Bridge | 50 | 4.73% | 1:54:00 PM | 8:54:00 |
| 36.8 | 3550 | Panorama Point | 1050 | 19.89% | ||
| 37.3 | 3850 | The Tipoff | 300 | 11.36% | ||
| 37.5 | 4000 | Tonto Trail Junction | 150 | 14.20% | ||
| 38.8 | 5200 | Skeleton Point | 1200 | 17.48% | ||
| 39.3 | 5700 | O'Neill Butte | 500 | 18.94% | ||
| 40.3 | 6300 | Cedar Ridge | 600 | 11.36% | ||
| 41.05 | 6450 | Oh Ahh Point | 150 | 3.79% | ||
| 41.8 | 7250 | South Rim | 800 | 20.20% | 4:09:58 PM | 11:09:58 |
Total Climbing
| Feet | Miles | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Ascent | 10600 | 2.007575758 |
| Total Decent | 10600 | 2.007575758 |
| Total Elevation Change | 21200 | 4.015151515 |
Notes
- The descent from the South Rim to the River was slower than anticipated due to carrying so much gear, being overdressed, stopping to change clothes, running in the dark, the trail having drainage that lead to half steps in between the ties.
- Stopped to talk to almost every person we came across
- We stopped for 5 minutes just after Phantom Ranch to ditch some of our gear/clothes that we wouldn't need for the ascent up to the North Rim and back
- There were no water sources turned on anywhere but Phantom Ranch, so we mostly filled up our hydration bladders out of Bright Angel Creek
- We spent 7 minutes at the North Rim taking pictures, changing clothes
- It took awhile for the sun to be high enough in the sky to hit the canyon
- We made great time from Supai Tunnel back to Phantom Ranch, holding a steady pace and taking less pictures
- We stopped at Phantom Ranch on the way back for about 15 minutes to take pictures, get lemonade, fill up our packs, etc
- Ascending the South Rim after 35 miles and baking in the hot sun was clearly the most grueling part. Eric went through 70oz of water in the first 3 miles of the climb and ran out.
- We estimated that at a slow hiking pace, we would need 3 hours to complete the last 6 miles from the bridge to the rim but with a late push of power hiking, we made it in 2 hours 15 minutes
Having a great time vs having a great time
This epic adventure was all about the experience; it was my first ever trip to the Grand Canyon, my first time ultra running at this elevation and most climbing I have ever done in a run. We enjoyed every minute of the run and took our time. I would speculate that given knowledge of the Canyon now, that I could probably traverse it and back rim to rim to rim in under 10 hours. Maybe someday... For now I just feel blessed to have been given the ability to run, to take in one of God's most amazing creations and maybe along the way inspire a few.
This epic adventure was all about the experience; it was my first ever trip to the Grand Canyon, my first time ultra running at this elevation and most climbing I have ever done in a run. We enjoyed every minute of the run and took our time. I would speculate that given knowledge of the Canyon now, that I could probably traverse it and back rim to rim to rim in under 10 hours. Maybe someday... For now I just feel blessed to have been given the ability to run, to take in one of God's most amazing creations and maybe along the way inspire a few.