Grand Canyon South Rim in JAN

Hike Name: Grand Canyon South Rim in JAN Location: north AZ Length: 23-30 Submitted by: Joshua Trost Date Submitted: 0/0/00 Rating:	more Arizona trail reviews Arizona national parks Arizona state parks
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Description
Ah... The Canyon of Grandness; what an understatement!!
This weeklong hike has been a regular of mine each Jan. for the last 3 years.... Just remember your instep crampons!!
A top-notch hike, with extremely difficult ascents and descents, extreme weather, and breath-taking encounters with wildlife!

Directions to Hike
Take the road into the south rim, parking your vehicle at the backcountry lot after getting your permit from the ranger. Be certain to make careful note of the locations of water which the ranger will point out to you... I once had to literally spoon drops of water into my filter bottle... a daunting task in such cold weather!
Go down to Horseshoe Mesa... Start just after 12 pm, so the trail will have lost a bit of the ice. Follow the loop west at whatever pace you find comfortable! Watch the rock cairns carefully... in spots the trails diverge and converge, but the risk of getting lost is quite slim given the difficulty of the terrain...
I advise taking a day or two of "layover" during your journey to enjoy the majesty of this great park in winter. Otherwise you may be in too much pain to appreciate it while you're hiking! Also, a duff day at the oasis-like camping ground before beginning the killer ascent, complete with tourists on burros, is highly recommended... It's always a very stressful day!!

If you feel particularly adventurous, add to your itenerary a descent into the inner gorge. A lot more work, but it pays off!!

Contact Information
Call 1 (800) 365-2267

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