Grand Canyon R2R2R Recap
It's a warm sunny Sunday morning in Las Vegas, NV when I pick up my rental car. I have one quick stop before heading to the Grand Canyon, a meet up w/a long time online friend to share some miles in Red Rocks Canyon and hear about his running of the Grand Canyon years prior. I follow the GPS on my phone through newly built homes, neatly organized in subdivisions cut into the rock bottom of southwest Nevada. I believe I have the right house and hear a "Come on in" as I walk up the porch. Stephen, an accountant and someone I became friends with through a mutual love of running in wild places and sharing them w/the world thru Instagram was just finishing up a little work before we drove out to for some miles. We did an 8 mile loop that he was familiar with and was totally new to me, beautiful miles rolled by as we chatted about adventures of past and what the next few days held for me. This was some nice time to get a last bit of info before heading out to the canyon.
Before the sweat even dried I was on the open highway across Arizona, the sun was playing on the orange and red rock all around me as I drove east. I arrived in Williams, AZ as the sun was setting and loaded up on some groceries for the next few days of Grand Canyon fun. I mainly took dried fruit, a nut mix, some PB&J's made with frozen waffles, and other various treats.
I had been to the Grand Canyon a few times in the past. Once when I was 18 I headed out there from Colorado to visit my brother and see it for the very first time. We hiked down to Phantom Ranch together and did a few other hikes that trip. That trip would be followed up with many more as the years passed by with the people closest to me in my life. I felt as I would start to piece together the significance of each those trips and the people I shared them with the deeper I got into the canyon.
As I was making my way east across Arizona, Josh & Robby were making their way west from Colorado Springs to the south rim. They had arrived at the room a few hours before I did. I remember having a strange feeling come over me as I pulled up to the room, this was the building that my brother had worked at 20 years ago, and now I was staying here, trying to set out tomorrow to run all the way across the Grand Canyon in one day. The R2R2R (Rim to Rim to Rim) route takes you from the south rim across the floor of the canyon back up the north rim and back in one day. In total it stretches 46 miles with a total of 11,000 feet of gain. Twenty years ago when I came here, looking out I would not of believed you if you said someone ran across this place. Only through seeing other people accomplish it did I ever even think it was possible. Then, thanks to many thousands of training miles, ultra races, mountain adventure it went from possible for someone to possibly possible for me. Then not that long later here I was, getting my pack ready at 5:00 am and walking out the door of our room, through the parking lot, on the tracks and then finally.... down in to the canyon!
From the 1st few steps into the canyon this did not feel like your typical run, the feels were different. It was hard to pinpoint what made it feel different to me than an ultra, or a mountain traverse or even a similar canyon run but what I think it was that the Grand Canyon was not just monumental in American culture but also monumental in my life. In my life it had been a place of great adventure, a vacation with family, a learning of native American culture, an appreciation of everything southwestern, my 1st Navajo taco, my 1st long distance multi-day hike, my first big adventure with Suzi, overnight hiking and backpacking with my mom & siblings. I didn't realize it until I re-stepped foot into the canyon but this place held the memories of my life, and with these 1st few steps we were making one more of them. And thanks to the ice that had filled the 1st couple miles, we were being safe not to make the memory making stop at this trip. as the canyon cliffs are steep and so incredibly unforgiving to even the smallest of trail running screw ups.
We worked our way down the canyon with everything after the ice feeling like a breeze. the nice downhill grade allowed us to just enjoy the views and the trail as we made our way down to the river. Around mile 9 you start your big climb back up to the North Rim. This climb begins with like 3-5% grade and then slowly build to 10+ as you approach the North Rim. The last few miles were snow packed and had us back in our yak trax. Arriving at the rim was neat, it was all covered in snow and super cold. we ate a bit but tried to get back into the canyon quickly because of the temp. That stretch coming back (after the snow/ice) is pretty runnable. Especially after you get past the "drop-offs" that had me fairly frightened. Also the bridges, running over the bridges was fun but also terrifying.
Around mile 40 we returned to the bottom and Phantom Range. It was mid day and the sun was shining again and we had all warmed back up. I chatted with a tour guide who moved to the canyon from Ohio and was now leading the mule trains down to Phantom Range. He told me he was "truly living his dream." We spent a bit of time here talking about the climb back out. You have 2 options here, the way we came down, longer but less steep or S Kaibab trail, shorter and super steep. We decided on Kaibab trail and headed out. There wasn't much running until we were having to hike again. I spent much of these miles dry heaving as I couldn't get my stomach to quit knotting up on me. we spent many of these miles waiting on me to get done dry-heaving, which was frustrating me but the other 2 were so patient. you could hear the echo's of my heaves throughout the canyon walls, it was something I wont forget lol.
We made it out of the canyon just as it had gotten dark and no one was around. We were 3 miles from our car and freezing cold. I was still dry-heaving but had made my way into one of the 2 concrete bathrooms at the trailhead while we waited for a ride back to the car.
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| looking out the day after thinking about the adventure we just had. |
I returned to the Canyon the next morning and the place was buzzing with tourist. I made my way through them and looked out over the edge trying to comprehend what we had just completed. What it meant to me personally to have accomplished this goal. And what it meant about what the future held. With R2R2R behind me.. the future is wide open to more and more adventures. The canyon will remain a place of pure adventure in my life and I cant wait to bring Kiera here. To share miles with her on the trail and backpacking experience with her before we conquer the Colorado Trail. But until then, we'll go out and run gravel roads in Nebraska, day dreaming of these places and these type of days.
https://www.relive.cc/view/vLqeNVYPoRv
https://www.strava.com/activities/3149541522
