Companion forum thread to:

Grand Canyon Rim-2-Rim-2-Rim

span the grandest Big Ditch in the world

I hate to be the first to post here, because I found this article very informative, but just one minor observation: the Grand Canyon in the United States is not the longest or deepest canyon (or gorge) in the world, it is the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, in Tibet.

Really doesn't make a difference for anyone attempting to walk the canyon, but just maybe it will make walking it a bit easier knowing it is not the biggest!

i also thought copper canyon of mexico was larger. regardless, now he has to hike all three...
:)

*however the word grand has many meanings, large only being one.

Edited by mikeinfhaz on 03/11/2009 09:55:29 MDT.

Colca Canyon in Peru is also larger, grander physically & in appearance.

At some point we have to get over some of the false marketing propping up our own backcountry. The world is much bigger than that. Being the biggest/grandest/baddest is totally unneccessary for an obvious national treasure.

The R2R2R sounds truly insane. I've read blogs of elite runners doing it within a day's window and the suffering it entails. Imagine what the rangers would think if you announced your plans on attempting it :)

Props to Skurka, I'll be curious to hear how the Canyon experience once more will feel at the end of his current epic hike.

I've found it took me about 3 days to really get a sense of time and scale in the canyon and let it all settle in a meaningful way.

Edited by prav66 on 03/18/2009 23:00:38 MDT.

But it's the grandest in appearance I bet. Copper Canyon you can't even go see unless a guide takes you?

"In early April..."

Typo? It is still march, unless he's talking about last year. Explanation?

Hey Andy, which backpack did you carry on this adventure?

I am going to guess it is one of the Nathan vests that he carried during the Leadville 100.

http://www.andrewskurka.com/RACE/LT100-08/photos.php

Jeff -

Andy is on the Hayduke Trail at the moment.

The trip is worth doing at a walk, too! I did a North Rim to South Rim backpack last June over 4 days. One advantage of going during such a hot time of year was the ability to travel with minimal gear. No sleeping bag, and I could have skipped the tent body except I wanted to keep the scorpions off me at night. Going as light as I did made it possible to thoroughly enjoy the trip where many of my group suffered blown knees, blisters, and black toe because they carried too much stuff. I got started with lightweight backpacking after Andy spoke to my hiking club at Honda during his C2C tour ( I was the one on crutches). So thank you , Andy, for getting me started on BPL, and making this "life list" trip possible!

Since the subject of Colca Canyon just came up. I just got back from a trip there and want to post this photo. Colca is not the deepest canyon in Peru that honor falls to the nearby Cotahuasi Canyon, which I unfortunately didn't get to visit on this trip.





I complete Roger's MYOG poncho specifically for this trip, even we were only trekking for a couple of days. It got good use across Peru as we were often jumping off buses in the pouring rain and hoofing it several blocks up to the hotel. I am looking forward to giving it a thorough testing this spring.

Edited by vireoes on 03/12/2009 13:12:32 MDT.

Hi Liz

Good to hear! Lovely photo too.

Cheers

Nice article by Skurka. I've done a Double Crossing a few times and would agree, it's a fantastic experience. A few things I'd add:

-Going down the South Kaibab is really rough on the legs, moreso than either the North Kaibab or the Bright Angel. Down the BA and up the NK at the end is a nice way to go.

-Agree 100% on the trekking pole advice, though I'm pretty sure that Krupicka, Skaggs, and McKay power hike a bunch of the ascents.

-The Phantom Ranch store is open during lunch and dinner hours during the season and is a great place to get some chips and a Tecate before busting out the last ascent.

-DO it! it's fun!

BPL's timing in publishing this article is impeccable: I'm sitting at a computer on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and am planning to go RRR again tomorrow, which might be tough since this morning I finished my 800-mile trek from Arches and my legs will not be fresh.

Wish BPL had published those water charts though -- that's critical info if you are running. BPL - Can those get posted? Let me know if you need me to resend them.

Re comments about superlatives used to describe the GC, you will notice that I did not say the "biggest" Big Ditch in the world -- I just said the "grandest," which I understand that it is despite not having been to the others that are even bigger/deeper/wider, including the Snake River Canyon here in the US.

Finished in 8 hours 2 minutes. Smokin' fast...

Great Job Andy.

Edited by thomdarrah on 03/19/2009 13:30:32 MDT.

Don't you carry anything so you can be self sufficient in case of an accident or even blisters or cuts?

I had a one pound slab of protein-rich honey ham

You're an animal!

Good job on the run. Wow!

Andy,
Very impressive!
Congrats on the Hayduke and The Run...

I wish I had seen this before my own run. Such detail in one place would have been a great resource.

I ran this on the 2007 winter solstice. My photos are here:

Grand Canyon Run Dec 2007

Edited by jasonham on 03/23/2009 16:04:29 MDT.