Wednesday 25 September 2024

Wednesday 25 September

The Rim-to-Rim / R2R / Rim2Rim Hike - Getting Started!

Like I mentioned yesterday, we all piled into bed early after dinner in the North Rim Lodge, and agreed to meet at the van by 3:25 am, and to be on trail by 3:30 am. I was up at 1:30, putting glide on my nipples and pretty much everything from mid thigh to belt line to avoid getting chafed by salt or just general rubbing friction. I drank a bottle of LMNT electroltyes, and made 2 more bottles up, and filled my hydration bladder. I rechecked my backpack had everything, nutrition, cameras and batteries, emergency gear and medicines, water filtration, headlamp, etc. I was ready early, and nervous... like when I did the marathon, and wasn't totally sure I could do it. At 3 am I woke Elizabeth, and started loading my stuff into the van while she got ready. Then it was time.

When I got to the van John and Tammy were walking up with their stuff. It was crisp and cool, mid 50's F. Everyone was in a good mood, but a bit nervous. We piled into the van and quickly covered the 2 miles to the trailhead. John was eager to get on trail, and skipped parking or hitting to pit latrines before getting on trail. That caused me to rush getting my cameras and sound gear full setup, as they were getting their packs on and getting their headlamps and flashing red LED rear markers running. It was much cooler at the trailhead, in the 40's with occasional gusty wind. We got a couple of quick pictures and then headed down the North Kaibab Trail. We were on our way by 3:30 am.

Getting on trail - North Kaibab Trailhead

John and Tammy in the van
Me getting ready...
Tammy's ready
So is Johnny
Packs and lights on
Battle Stations!
...and we're off...

North Kaibab to Roaring Springs and Cottonwood Campground

One of the nice things about my Garmin InReach Mini is that it offers unlimited (even on the cheap recreational plan) unlimited "Check-ins". This just sends a quick message to whomever you specify that "I'm checking in, everything's fine". I agreed with Elizabeth up-front that I'd send these about every hour just so she didn't worry. You can see one of these messages below, and it shows your current location as well. I also signed up for Garmin's "SOS Rescue Insurance" to defray the cost of a potentially expensive helicopter rescue, should it be needed. The north rim is at 8,241' elevation.

The first several miles down hill I didn't take any pictures, because it was so dark and technically difficult. I tried to keep up a good pace, the fastest I thought I could safely do, but also trying to keep up with the pace chart (below) that I had made up and was wearing on my arm (quarterback style!). I had hoped we could do 3.5 MPH downhill, but that proved unsustainable in the dark, and with the trail being very rocky with sandy dirt covering those and making them a bit slick.

Our first stop was the same Supai Tunnel (1.7 miles down the trail and 6,800' elevation) water and toilet area we'd visited on Tuesday by mule. The water was off, but I took a pee break, and then kept moving. The next stop was Roaring Springs at 5 miles and 5,220' elevation where we did make a quick water stop. This is where I changed my camera batteries the first time, but John and Tammy kept moving. The sun was about to come up, so it was about 5:30 am I think (2 hours into the hike). I didn't want to get lost (the trail is well marked, but they're not plentiful, and can be easy to miss in the dark). I didn't catch up to John and Tammy again until Cottonwood Campground, at 6.9 miles and 4,080' elevation. This was clearly after dawn, and we all put our headlamps away after making a toilet stop. Coming out of Cottonwood I would pass John and Tammy both, and not see them again until after my stop at Phantom Ranch.

"Checking In" on trail
Pace Chart for the hike
Overall Rim2Rim Pace
Elevation Chart
Pace miles 1-12
Pace miles 13-24

Cottonwood to Ribbon Falls and Phantom Ranch

So, at Cottonwood John asked how we were doing on pace, and it was a convenient time since we stopped to pee and the sun had just come up. I looked at my pace chart, and was quite impressed that we were on schedule with 2 minutes. Then I realized the horrible truth. We'd started 30 minutes early than my chart assumed, so we were well behind pace! One of the points I'd been pretty adamant with JT about was, I was NOT going to be in the canyon after dark if I had any option to be done first. So far we were floating around 2 to 2.5 MPH average, and conventional wisdom says we shouldn't plan to do better than 1 to 1.5 MPH on the climb out of the canyon. So, I came out of Cottonwood determined to make up some time, and in particular get through "
the box" (and get to Phantom Ranch) before it got hot (conventionally the heat to avoid is 10 am to 3 pm according to the Rangers).

Dawn is breaking as I cross one of the bridges
The sun is well and truly up now
Tammy Selfie - a "Talfie"
John
John and Tammy at Phantom Ranch
John and Tammy crossing the Colorado
John and Tammy at 4 mile rest house?

Phantom Ranch to 4 Mile Rest House

Things get a little jumbled here, but I made good time to Phantom Ranch, arriving a bit after 9 am (9:15 I think). I took a good break, caught up on my hydration, refilled by bottles and bladder, and had a bottle of electrolytes with some mixed nuts (one snack-sized Ziplock of Kroger mixed nuts with some added macadamia nuts) and my "Nick's" keto bar. I didn't feel hungry, being in ketosis, and I didn't want to knock myself out of ketosis, so that's all I ate during the hike.

Videos: Leaving Cottonwood Campground Prettty Catching up to John Found a creek