This traverse of the Grand Canyon is a once-in-a-lifetime “bucket list” achievement! Depending on which direction we go, we will descend nearly a vertical mile to the historic Phantom Ranch. After enjoying a break and, if you like, the most refreshing lemonade to ever quench your thirst, the real test begins as we climb out of “the Big Ditch.” Bring your“A” game…this hike is not for the faint of heart or weak of mind!
May 16-18, 2024
Oct 3-5, 2024
Oct 24-26, 2024
Airbnb or hotels
Day 1: Travel to pre-hike lodging: We will depart Phoenix mid-morning of day one to our lodging and staging area. Along the way we will purchase any last-minute gear necessities as well as food for breakfast, snacks, and lunch for our hiking day. After enjoying a hearty dinner, we will get some much-needed rest prior to our rim-to-rim hike the following day.
Day 2 Rim-to-Rim Hike: Day 2 starts with an early wake-up and breakfast. We will be on the trail no later than 4 am. The descent of this hike is significantly steep and hard on our bodies. If you have trained well, the pain in your knees and legs will be minimized, otherwise, that is where you will feel some comfort. Controlling the pace and making sure we keep up with our hydration is critical during this phase of the hike as the less damage we do to ourselves during the descent will make the ascent less difficult. Phantom Ranch is at the bottom of the canyon and is a welcome oasis for us to take a longer break to replenish ourselves for our hike out. The climb out will mostly punish our lungs and test our leg strength to carry us out of this massive chasm! The crux of the crossing comes during the last 4.5 miles and 3,000 vertical feet of climb to the rim! The better you have prepared the more you will enjoy the hike and the less pain you will feel during this part of the adventure. After completing our amazing journey, we will have a celebratory dinner before enjoying the most well-deserved sleep of your life!
Day 3: After a restful night and a healthy breakfast we will begin our journey back to Phoenix. Along the way, we will take a slight detour down scenic Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona and have a relaxing lunch before heading back to the valley of the sun.
Meals
Tip for guides/driver (10-20% of trip cost)