Grand Canyoneering

[TripLeader]

2008
Part 12 [The North Kaibab from Cottonwood to the Rim]

The next morning we continued up the North Kaibab. Only two of us took the hike, as the other two had already completed a R2R2R several years earlier.

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We topped out at the rim, then took a stroll to the visitor's center.

 

[TripLeader]

2008
Part 13 [The North Rim]

Continuing to the visitor's center and lodge.

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November 12, 2008. It had a forecasted high temperature of 46 degrees F at the 8000' North Rim.

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The visitor's center was staffed by a volunteer. Nice fellow, but... We told him of the condor sighting, thinking the NPS staff might wish to know. I showed him the photos on my camera. He told us it was a buzzard. I pointed out the tags on the wings. Still a buzzard to him. Oh well.
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The lodge was already closed for the season.

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We made a couple of phone calls from a payphone and then headed back down.

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We took longer on our hike up to the rim than we anticipated. We ran out of daylight.

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We came across a man jogging up the trail. Not a particularly friendly guy, as it turned out. He did not look like much of a jogger, but he was doing it. His supplies consisted of a 1980s style 6V flashlight he held in one hand as he shuffled along. He literally nearly bumped my friend off the trail. Not off the trail as into a bush, but off the trail as into a precipice.
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We continued on back toward our campsite. Our other two friends had begun to worry that we had not returned by dark. They had come out to check on us. We met them on the trail.

 

[GB_Willys_2014]

2008
Part 13 [The North Rim]

Continuing to the visitor's center and lodge.
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November 12, 2008. It had a forecasted high temperature of 46 degrees F at the 8000' North Rim.
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The visitor's center was staffed by a volunteer. Nice fellow, but... We told him of the condor sighting, thinking the NPS staff might wish to know. I showed him the photos on my camera. He told us it was a buzzard. I pointed out the tags on the wings. Still a buzzard to him. Oh well.
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The lodge was already closed for the season.
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We made a couple of phone calls from a payphone and then headed back down.
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We took longer on our hike up to the rim than we anticipated. We ran out of daylight.
View attachment 556009
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We came across a man jogging up the trail. Not a particularly friendly guy, as it turned out. He did not look like much of a jogger, but he was doing it. His supplies consisted of a 1980s style 6V flashlight he held in one hand as he shuffled along. He literally nearly bumped my friend off the trail. Not off the trail as into a bush, but off the trail as into a precipice.
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We continued on back toward our campsite. Our other two friends had begun to worry that we had not returned by dark. They had come out to check on us. We met them on the trail.

Two observations about your uphill jogger:

1. Trail etiquette and uphill right of way. That is to say, there is an expectation that downhill hikers are expected to allow the uphill hiker to proceed uphill. I think even park signs make note of this. Not saying you didn't show etiquette, but some people do overreact as up hill right of way claims can get a little out of hand at times. I admit being guilty of this myself on occasion when downhill hikers lack etiquette, especially trudging up with a heavy pack. But, I never tried to push anyone over the edge. That is indeed extreme.

2. Ghiglieri and Myers talk about a guy who was obsessed with claiming the Guiness World Record for ascents and uphill right of way; he eventually murdered his wife because she wanted to move away from the canyon, thereby denying him his title ... so yeah, no lack of crazy people.

 

[shade]

I think the bumping had more to do with poor visibility & a surprise encounter more than anything to do with who was ascending. Not a huge deal, but it was odd that the guy couldn't be bothered to say anything. Maybe he was in the zone chugging up the trail, and was so startled that he didn't know what to say. It's not like there was a lot of traffic on the trail that day.

 

[TripLeader]

1. Trail etiquette and uphill right of way. That is to say, there is an expectation that downhill hikers are expected to allow the uphill hiker to proceed uphill. I think even park signs make note of this. Not saying you didn't show etiquette, but some people do overreact as up hill right of way claims can get a little out of hand at times. I admit being guilty of this myself on occasion when downhill hikers lack etiquette, especially trudging up with a heavy pack. But, I never tried to push anyone over the edge. That is indeed extreme.

I absolutely agree with your point on uphill hikers have the right-of-way, and use that practice myself. I absolutely think that my hiking friends and I are more courteous than most other hikers (at the risk of sounding arrogant).

It has been some years ago, but my memory is that we both stopped and stepped aside for him, prior to the bump.

 

[GB_Willys_2014]

No lack of people in the Canyon who shall we say are ... um ... odd characters, present company excluded ofc ,.

So, who knows. He was surprised, cold or just a jerk, or all of the above.

 

[TripLeader]

2008
Part 14 [Cottonwood Campground]

We got back after dark. We played around with lighting and night-time photos.

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[jgaz]

@GB_Willys_2014
You are correct about uphill having the right of way.
I believe that there are signs but I can’t remember where........maybe on the buses?
It would be nice if it was emphasized a little more.

I‘d be happy though if we could get the groups of tourists not to walk 3, 4, or more abreast on the bright angel.
I've been known to handle that situation a bit differently when out of uniform and not on official patrol.

 

[TripLeader]

2008
Part 15 [Upper Ribbon Falls]

While two of us had gone up to the North Rim, the other two had gone to Upper Ribbon Falls. I was jealous.
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The next day we got up at Cottonwood. We filtered water.

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I took the side trip to the upper falls.

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I headed out to catch up with the others.

 

[TripLeader]

2008
Part 16 [Back to Bright Angel]

We hiked down to Bright Angel Campground.

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Another bridge in Box Canyon.

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We made it down to Bright Angel. We had considered dining at Phantom Ranch that night. However, when we planned the trip, there had only been one reservation left. For vegetarian chili. We booked it. I was elected to be the designated diner.
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There was a couple that showed up at the dining hall toward the end of dinner. They appeared to be unprepared or otherwise lacking in provisions. They begged a meal off the staff and were given some leftovers. We saw them the next morning as we were heading out.

...I was just talking about the Texas Toast. I hope that makes the cut.

There they were.

Their style of backpacking was not my style. I typically bring all the food I need and leave the Coleman air mattress at home.

 

[TripLeader]

2008
Part 17 [The Silver Bridge]

It was time to cross the river again to start our path out on the Bright Angel Trail.

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Looking back from the south side.

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Continuing up the trail.

 

[GB_Willys_2014]

Your photography continues to amaze.

I have had the steak dinner at the canteen a couple of times. It's worthwhile for the experience; I enjoy the company and stories more than the food.

Last time, 2014, iirc, we sat next to a couple, and the wife didn't want her steak ... my hiking buddy (my your a "**************" friend) has a prodigious appetite (one of those types that can eat & eat and doesn't gain weight (as opposed to yours truly who just needs to look at food)), gobbled it up without second thought.

Dumb luck as leftover steak is probably unlikely.

Leftover dessert (it sucks), more likely.



Ah ... the ill-prepared.

There was that one time when I saw a Russian couple, in street shoes, with NOTHING down by the black bridge. They were not happy. The wife's feet were bleeding.

There was that one time I saw a woman in a parka (???) just outside of IG clutching a gallon of orange juice (???) in utter agony fighting with who I assume was her up until that point boyfriend.

There was that one time at IG when some guys in stylish leather jackets "camped" next to us in IG. They had nothing, and it was cold, so they decided to start a bonfire ... we shared our food with them and suggested that they extinguish the fire post haste. They were foreign tourists (I think from South America) and declined our advice. So, we were then treated to dinner and a show when the very pissed off ranger showed up.

 

[shade]

Your photography continues to amaze.

I have had the steak dinner at the canteen a couple of times. It's worthwhile for the experience; I enjoy the company and stories more than the food.

Last time, 2014, iirc, we sat next to a couple, and the wife didn't want her steak ... my hiking buddy (my your a "**************" friend) has a prodigious appetite (one of those types that can eat & eat and doesn't gain weight (as opposed to yours truly who just needs to look at food)), gobbled it up without second thought.

Dumb luck as leftover steak is probably unlikely.

Leftover desert (it sucks), more likely.



Ah ... the ill-prepared.

There was that one time when I saw a Russian couple, in street shoes, with NOTHING down by the black bridge. They were not happy. The wife's feet were bleeding.

There was that one time I saw a woman in a parka (???) just outside of IG clutching a gallon of orange juice (???) in utter agony fighting with who I assume was her up until that point boyfriend.

There was that one time at IG when some guys in stylish leather jackets "camped" next to us in IG. They had nothing, and it was cold, so they decided to start a bonfire ... we shared our food with them and suggested that they extinguish the fire post haste. They were foreign tourists (I think from South America) and declined our advice. So, we were then treated to dinner and a show when the very pissed off ranger showed up.

I met an older couple about a mile down Bright Angel that I believe thought they were on their way to "the hotel by the river". Their English was much better than my Chinese, and I don't think they understood my warning about the lack of turn-down service at Phantom Ranch. They continued down with no gear, and I finished climbing out. I hope they found the mini-bar.

 

[TripLeader]

2008
Part 18 [Up to Indian Garden]

We continued up the Bright Angel Trail.

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One of numerous mule trains we encountered on the trip.

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We hit the intersection with the Tonto and were soon to Indian Garden Campground.

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[TripLeader]

2008
Part 19 [Plateau Point]

So, like the year before, we hiked out from Indian Garden to watch the sunset at Plateau Point.

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