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Welcome to THE home of Grand Canyon hiking. If it happens below the rim—from short day hikes to Rim2Rims and beyond—you'll learn all the tips and tricks to have your safest and most memorable Grand Canyon experience.
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This is the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show presented by Hiken. Hiking plus kinship. That's Hiken. Together, we roam. Here's your host, my hubby, and cofounder of hiking, Brian Special.
Brian:Well, even as the North Rim burns, we need to start picking up the pieces around here at least. So far, the Dragon Bravo fire has consumed around a 130,000 acres. It's about seven times the size of Manhattan, and there is no end in sight. It's been just over three weeks now since we lost the lodge and the visitor center, and much of the infrastructure in the developed area of the North Rim, And we know the fire is burning not only on the rim, but inside the canyon itself. In Transept Canyon, in fact, which is just to the west of the lodge, topographic maps show the fire's perimeter at a staggering 2,600 feet below the rim.
Brian:And you can of course see it for yourself when the sun goes down, as I did last week when I went to the South Rim. You know, it was just something I felt like I had to see for myself. And while seeing the fire burning below rim level was sobering, what really stood out to me was the scale, which photos just cannot capture. You can see the smoke for most of the drive from Williams, which is an hour south. This fire is just massive, and that's only seeing the east to west perspective.
Brian:South to north is only bigger, but you can't see that from the South rim. One thing we still don't know is the fate of the Upper North Kaibab Trail. The maps appear to show the fire burned from the trailhead all the way down to Supai Tunnel, which is 1.7 miles and more than a thousand feet down, but we do not know the extent of the damage, much less what it means for when the trail might be passable once again. I have reached out to the park on three separate occasions now, and every one of those emails, well, apparently didn't justify an acknowledgment or even a no comment or we don't know. They were ignored altogether.
Brian:Sorry about that, which is well, that is a topic for another day. But today, I know a lot of you are trying to figure out what to do now that your rim to rim plans are no longer possible. I do hope you'll still come to the canyon. And if you've never been before, perhaps take on rim to river. Still an epic, big bucket list adventure that will give you memories that will last a lifetime.
Brian:I promise you that. A traditional Rimmed River does require the river trail to reopen, so we've again got access to Bright Angel from the river, and that is still supposed to happen on October 1. The fire apparently has not delayed the work being done on the Trans Canyon Waterline Project, so there's no reason to assume the river trail won't reopen on time. But of course, we definitely cannot say that for sure. If it doesn't, well, you can still round trip it on South Kaibab, though that is the less preferable option and will require heat mitigation to be your number one concern until the weather finally cools off, hopefully, sometime in October.
Brian:But let's talk more about the hike itself and the logistics behind it. Now logistically, rim to river is easier to plan than rim to rim, and you can do it all year round. Whereas with rim to rim, you have to plan around the North Rim essentially being inaccessible from December 1 until May 15, unless hiking in deep snow is your thing. Well, with rim to river, you start and end on the South Rim, which, of course, is open three hundred and sixty five days a year. Now the traditional rim to river route is going down the South Kaibab Trail to the river, with the option to continue on another half mile to Phantom Ranch, and then going back up Bright Angel Trail to the finish in Grand Canyon Village.
Brian:You can certainly do it in reverse if you'd like, down Bright Angel and up South Kaibab, but that's typically discouraged as there is no water availability whatsoever on South Kaibab, and that trail is also steep and exposed to the direct sun, so going up Bright Angel is the better option for most. Now going up South Kaibab is more doable in the cooler months if you know how to manage your water, but if it's a warm day, or if it's your first time in the canyon, I would highly recommend going up Bright Angel. The Bright Angel and South Kaibab Trailheads are more than four miles apart, and there's no parking and no private vehicle access to South Kaibab, so the best plan that I found for doing this hike starts with parking my car near Bright Angel Trailhead. That could mean around the Bright Angel Lodge area or at the backcountry office where there is plenty of free parking available. Having your car close by at the end of this hike is something that you will no doubt appreciate, because, you know, you're gonna be worn out, and not having to deal with waiting for a shuttle is definitely a good thing.
Brian:Next, you'll hop on the Village route shuttle, that's the blue route, and go all the way to the visitor center. There's also a hikers express shuttle that runs three times every morning that is far preferable to the regular shuttle. The hikers express will take you straight to South Kaibab without having to change buses. Just check the park service website for times on that. But if you're on the regular shuttle, you will change buses at the visitor center and take the Kaibab route, the orange route, directly to South Kaibab.
Brian:If you wanna skip all the hassle of the shuttles, you can call for the Zanterra taxi anywhere in the village. This is one of the best Grand Canyon hacks that there is. They'll pick you up and take you directly to the Sao Kaibab Trailhead. And I think as of late twenty twenty three, that service was only $15 for up to three people. So it's extremely affordable, and it can save you up to an hour's worth of time on the shuttles.
Brian:Highly recommend the taxi. Alright. Those are the logistics, and now it's time to hit the trail. What follows will be my thoughts as they happen from the trail. This is the iconic rim to river hike in the Grand Canyon, and we pick it up as we start down the South Kaibab Trail.
Brian:I've done this hike many, many times before, and I get excited every time too because this is about as good as it gets. Here at the Grand Canyon, one the seven natural wonders of the world. Gonna put in a lot of work today on the legs. Just over 16 miles total from Kaibab Trailhead all the way to the river and then back up to Bright Angel Trail. Add a little bit more if you wanna go all the way to Phantom Ranch and have some of their famous lemonade.
Brian:So going down Sao Kaibab, start of the Rimba River hike. The first thing you're gonna do is go down a steep set of switchbacks called the chimney. They're steep, but they're short. In the wintertime, they're probably gonna be iced in. You're gonna need traction for your for your shoes, microspikes in order to deal with the ice because it stays shaded and icy here just about all winter long.
Brian:Okay. Right after the chimney, you'll no doubt notice a warning sign. It's probably the most graphic warning sign in any national park. On it, you'll see a painting of a man who is on all fours without his shirt on, and he's violently vomiting right there on the trail. He's affectionately known as Victor Vomit, and he's there to warn hikers, especially inexperienced day hikers, that what they're doing can be extremely dangerous if they're not properly prepared.
Brian:Specifically, it warns people not to attempt to hike to the river and back in a day. From the South Rim, distance can be deceiving. While the bottom might not look that far, I can promise you that it is. And if you're not careful, you can easily meet a similar fate to Victor. The trap of the canyon is that you go down first, and then you go up.
Brian:The So easiest part is first. You go down. It feels easy. Anyone can do it. But it's beating your legs up, and you still have to gain a lot of elevation on the way back out.
Brian:So I see so many people on these trails that I just worry about because I hate seeing people let their lack of experience and their ignorance get them in trouble and have that turn into a a rescue and a less than stellar, obviously, canyon experience. Because all we want is for people to love this place the same way we do and have the best experience possible. And biting off more than you can chew is the the easiest way to have a memorable but awful canyon experience. Don't go too far unless you are prepared for it. Don't be like Vic.
Brian:Okay. Our first stop down South Kaibab comes right at a mile in at the social media famous Oo Ah Point. Now, depending on the time of day, it can get very crowded at Oo Ah, and you'll quickly understand why when you see it. This is the first spot where you see those panoramic canyon views. Ooah can definitely get a little nuts, especially at sunrise.
Brian:It can be a lot more crowded than what you what you just saw. It's kind of the Instagrammable, easily accessible place for the, tourists to come. It's only nine tenths of a mile down from Trailhead. So a of lot people make that their their destination when they come to the canyon. But don't worry.
Brian:If it's too crowded, the views are even better than that the farther down we go. Indeed, in just a couple of more switchbacks, you'll see why the South Kaibab Trail is the trail not to miss in the Grand Canyon. First time I ever did this hike, this is what I remember more than anything else. This spot right here. I remember the sun was just coming up, and the canyon just revealed itself.
Brian:And I was like, this is incredible thing I've ever seen in my life. And as many times as I've done this since, I still get that feeling every time when I come to this spot. So this is just between Ouau Point and Cedar Ridge, probably about maybe 1.1 miles down the trail, and the canyon opens up. And this is how the views are just about the entire way. This is why South is the greatest trail in the entire world, in my opinion.
Brian:You guys are gonna get so tired of me saying it, but this trail is the iconic Grand Canyon experience, the South Kaibab Trail. You get the whole experience because these views are out of this world. Now I say that, and I also give you a disclaimer. There are no words. There are no photographs.
Brian:There are no video clips that can possibly capture how spectacular the Grand Canyon actually is. You have to see it with your own eyes. I've never seen a video clip or or a photograph of the Grand Canyon that that captures its size, scale, and just its overwhelming beauty. You have to see it for yourself. If it's not on your bucket list, you might wanna put it there because you won't believe what you're, what you're seeing.
Brian:Special.
Zeena:Breaking Canyon news, hike reports, and answers to all your questions. Find it all in our Hike in Grand Canyon Facebook group. Inside, you'll have access to Brian, coach Arnie, and just about everyone you've ever heard on this show, all there in a safe, judgment free space, geared to root each other on and help you have your best best possible Grand Canyon experience. The Hikin' Grand Canyon Facebook group is the official group of the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude show and is completely free to join. Just search for Hikin', H I K I N, Grand Canyon on Facebook and join the conversation today.
Brian:Alright. Back to Rim to River. The next stop is at Cedar Ridge. At this point, we've descended 1,140 feet over a mile and a half. There are toilets at Cedar Ridge and spectacular views in every direction.
Brian:Cedar Ridge is a mile and a half from the trailhead, so it's a pretty good day hike for a lot of people, but we're going around the river today. We still got a long way to go, another five miles before we even get to the Colorado and then begin to think about the long hike out on Bright Angel. But the views will never stop. Iconic the entire way down. They'll keep you going.
Brian:Depending on what your goals are, it is really nice to stop and take a break at Cedar Ridge, then beyond at Skeleton Point, tip-off. Just places where you can take a little, pressure off your legs for a little bit because you're doing a lot of damage to your legs going down, believe it or not. It can feel easy, but probably gonna feel it, on the way up. Not gonna feel it until it's too late, to be honest with you. I remember the first time I did this hike.
Brian:I went down too fast because it feels so easy going down. And you're so excited. You're running on so much adrenaline. You're at South Kaibab, and you're at the Grand Canyon maybe for the first time. So you gotta be careful about going too fast because going down feels easy.
Brian:But the problem is once you get to the bottom, you still gotta go back up. So you can do significant damage to your legs and it makes the way out a lot a lot tougher because your legs are hurting and sore and your joints are hurting, so be careful going too fast on the way down. Now another hard lesson I learned on that hike was about using trekking poles. That's something that had never even crossed my mind beforehand, but let me just say, in the canyon, I have never ever hiked without poles since. Downhill on South Kaibab does not mean a smooth path the whole way.
Brian:In fact, the trail is rugged and it's rutted out by the daily mule trains, and there are also giant steps that can be over knee high that you have to go down. Having poles to brace yourself and transfer some of that energy to your, upper body and away from your knees and joints is a real leg saver. You'll appreciate having them on the hike out as well. There's a couple of switchbacks below Cedar Ridge and then the trail, I'm not gonna say levels out, but there's no switchbacks between just below Cedar Ridge all the way to Skeleton Point. So it's kind of a nice respite a little bit.
Brian:But Skeleton Point is our next stop, and that is a mile and a half from Cedar Ridge, three miles from the trailhead. At Skeleton Point, we're three miles below the rim and have descended more than 2,000 feet. The best views in this area, in my opinion, come just a few more steps down. You go three switchbacks below Skeleton Point. You'll find what I always say is the best view in the entire Grand Canyon, at least of what I've seen.
Brian:Just absolutely spectacular. You see the river for the first time. You can see where Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground are. You can see the Tonto Trail. Still a long way to go to get to the river, but this view right here, three switchbacks below Skeleton Point, absolutely spectacular.
Brian:Not gonna do much better than this. Now this is also the point where you'll see the steepest drop off that runs right next to the trail, But you're never in any danger on South Kaibab or on any of the corridor trails for that matter as long as you stay on the trail. The trails are well marked and typically four to six feet wide the whole way. If you do have a fear of heights, it's easy to just stay on the side closest to the canyon wall, and you'll have no trouble at all. Now, as we descend toward our next stopping point at the tip-off in another mile and a half, we hit the notorious red and white switchbacks.
Brian:Just be thankful we're going down the red and whites instead of the opposite direction. These are the most formidable switchbacks on South Kaibab Trail, in my opinion. About 500 feet elevation loss in a very, very short distance. Oh, it looks like we're gonna come up on a mule train here as well. Cool.
Brian:Always love seeing the mules. Yeah. Mule trains are a common sight in the canyon. They can be doing trail work as this one was or carrying tourists or supplies down to Phantom Ranch. If you do run into one on any of the corridor trails, all you have to do is simply step to the side and follow any directions the guide might give you.
Brian:Now at the base of the red and whites, we are three and a half miles from the top and just past halfway to the Colorado River. The tip-off is the last stop before the river. There are toilets and a shelter here where you can take a break in the shade as the sun exposure on South Kaibab is just relentless. At tip-off, we are four and a half miles from the top, and we have descended 3,260 feet with just over 1,600 to go over the last 2.1 miles before the river. Just past tip-off, we're below the canyon's tanto platform and entering the inner gorge.
Brian:Here, the landscape changes dramatically and the trail turns red. We can see the Colorado for most of what's left of the descent. The switchbacks are also steep for the rest of the way. Alright. We're blue tip-off now, and you can see the Black Bridge down there, which is the means we're at the bottom.
Brian:First time seeing the Black Bridge, and you can also see the Colorado is running green today. It's usually either that color or a muddy brown. One or the other. It's a my opinion, it's a lot prettier when it's green, so this is a good day. When you finally see the tunnel at the bottom, you know that you've made it.
Brian:The light at the end of that tunnel is the Kaibab Suspension Bridge, better known in the canyon as the Black Bridge. From here, you can see up and down the Colorado and off to your left, perhaps even a resting group of river runners at what's called Boat Beach. On the other side of the bridge, we follow the trail for another quarter mile or so to the junction with the North Kaibab Trail. Don't miss the interpretive signs along the way that tell the story of the Native Americans who once called this spot home. At this point, we are at the bottom.
Brian:You can either go up this way to Phantom Ranch, about a quarter mile or so up the trail, see what Phantom has to offer, and have some of their famous lemonade if you, if you so desire. Or you can cross the creek right here, get some water, use the restrooms which are just over there, and then you're on Bright Angel Trail and across the Silver Bridge and be on your way out. We're about seven miles in, got about nine, nine and a half miles to go and it will all be up We've lost 4,800 feet so far. We'll gain 4,400 feet on the way back out of Bright Angel because South Kaibab is about 400 feet higher than Bright Angel. But a lot of work to do, long way to go.
Brian:This is where it gets serious. So it's a good time to fuel up, make sure you have enough water, drink some electrolytes, have some food, even if you don't feel like it because it's hard to feel like eating when you're on the on a big hike like like this, but it's important. And, get yourself ready for the long trip up Bright Angel, which is a whole different hike. It's a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun. Let's go do it.
Brian:We'll skip Phantom Ranch on this trip, but if you've never seen it, it's certainly worth checking out. There are snacks available at Phantom in addition to that often talked about lemonade. And you can also purchase and mail postcards from the bottom of the Grand Canyon, which will then be carried out by mule. Others like to dip their feet in the river at the aforementioned boat beach, just follow the signs to get there, or you can dip your feet in Bright Angel Creek, which you can't miss. The water is cold, but it is oh so refreshing on tired feet and legs that definitely need some rejuvenation for what is still ahead.
Brian:There are flushable toilets and multiple spots to fill up on water in the Phantom Ranch area, and it's the last chance you'll have until Havasupai Gardens, which is five miles up the trail. It's a good place to just relax for a while, and if it's hot, a good place to wait out the heat of the day, and for shade to take over a bright angel, That direct sun can take its toll if you're not careful. Now, once you are rested and ready, you'll follow the trail and cross the Silver Bridge, which is one of the coolest bridges you can imagine. The bridge is made up of see through grates for the entire 500 foot crossing. That means you're looking down and seeing the river about 50 feet below the whole way across.
Brian:It is so, so cool. Once on the other side, it is time to get to work. We're about nine miles from the Bright Angel Trailhead, and we will gain more than 4,400 feet in elevation on the way out, but almost none of it for the first mile and a half as we meander along the Colorado and try to avoid some of that infamous sand that you've probably heard others complaining about. And if you've been in the forums or the Facebook groups, you've no doubt heard about the infamous sand on Bright Angel. Now I'm just gonna give you my opinion here.
Brian:The sandy parts and the difficulty of the sandy parts, probably the most overrated part of Bright Angel Trail. The sand is not that bad. A lot of those groups make it sound like you're walking on a beach, you're walking through that kind of sand. It's not like that at all. First of all, it doesn't last for very long.
Brian:Second of all, it's not overly thick. Third of all, if you just stay to the far left or far right of the trail when you're going through the sandy sections, it's a little firmer and a little easier. But don't worry about the sand. I'm telling you. Just don't worry about it.
Brian:It's not that big a deal. After about a mile, we make a hard left turn and arrive at the river rest house. There are toilets here, but no drinking water as we leave the river behind and start the ascent to the finish. It's cool walking along the river and seen the mighty Colorado for so long. Now we're alongside the creek and next up will be Devil's Corkscrew.
Brian:We're gonna follow this creek for about another mile then we're gonna go start going up the Corkscrew which is when it starts to get steep. Then we're in Havasupai Gardens, and we keep on moving. From here, the trail is relatively gradual for the next mile or so until we arrive at the base of the famed Devil's Corkscrew. This is the first time we really face a steep climb on Bright Angel, but it's not particularly long. And when you do reach the top of the corkscrew, the climb becomes more gradual again all the way into Havasupai Gardens.
Brian:Now just after the top of the corkscrew, don't be caught off guard if if Garden Creek is running directly on the trail. This is common, and it can be a little jarring as you're essentially hiking through the creek for several 100 feet. It is very difficult to keep your feet dry in this section, so if soggy socks bother you, this is the place you'll want to have another pair for. In the summer, it feels great. In the winter, oh, not so much.
Brian:Couple miles later, we enter the long, lush oasis that is Havasupai Gardens Campground and our next chance for toilets and water. At Havasupai Gardens, we've gained right around 1,400 feet from the river, and we're just over four and a half miles from the top. Alright. This is Havasupai Gardens rest area. We're now four and a half miles from the South Rim.
Brian:We're about four and a half miles from where we started the way up at the Silver Bridge. So about halfway now from the Silver Bridge to the top, but we still have a lot of elevation to gain on the way up. There's water here and also toilets. Best part of going up Bright Angel at this time of the day, late afternoon, is it's shaded in. And having shade going up Bright Angel, the hardest part of the hike is key.
Brian:We still have about 3,000 feet of elevation to get to the South Rim over those four and a half miles so it's a lot of relatively steep climbing and having shade is something that makes all the difference. I mean, if you're doing this late morning, you're doing this anytime in the summer, you're gonna feel what the direct sun is all about in Arizona. In the cooler months, it's not nearly as bad, but if you're here in the summertime or early fall, spring, you don't wanna be hiking in the direct sun. It's not the heat that gets you as much here as the direct sun on top of the heat. So you gotta be hunting shade anytime it's warm out.
Brian:And I would say warm is anything over you know seventy seventy five degrees. You wanna be hunting shade because it makes it so much more pleasant to hike out when you're not dealing with the direct sunlight on top of the heat, on top of the exertion. So hunting shade is a major recommendation for rim to river. A lot of people do rim to river and they start early in the morning before the sun comes up and then they're coming up late morning early afternoon and they're doing it right in the direct sunlight. So if you can start a little bit later, a, you'll get the great views on South Kaibab, won't be in the dark, most iconic views in the canyon, and b, you will hiking up at least partially in the shade as opposed to being exposed to the brutality of the Arizona sun.
Brian:After Havasupai Gardens, the trail is fairly gradual again for about the next three quarters of a mile. But if you look up at this point, you can see just how far you have to go. So maybe maybe don't look up. Now things get serious. Alright.
Brian:Now we begin to climb. We're kinda meandering since I have a soup high gardens, and now it's gonna be uphill for the rest of the way. About, you know, three and a half, four miles. We still have to go. We just started on what's called Jacob's Ladder.
Brian:And most of the elevation we're gonna gain on Bright Angel is gonna be between now between now and the top. So still got a ways to go. It's time to climb. So when people talk about South Kaibab being so much steeper than Bright Angel, it's really not. Especially over the last three miles, I'd say the elevation profile is almost identical.
Brian:Red Angel's longer but has longer stretches of gradual or flat than South Kaibab does. So when it gets steep, it gets steep in a hurry. And you'll see you'll hear people say that the last three miles of Bright Angel are killer. Most people say that. You'll find out why.
Brian:Let's be ready for it. Here we go. The next chance for a break is at the three mile rest house, 3.1 miles and 2,100 feet's worth of elevation from the top. There are toilets here and seasonal water. The water here and at the mile and a half rest house is typically turned on in late spring and turned off in late October to early November.
Brian:Probably the best part in terms of your mental well-being on Bright Angel is that you can break this this hike into mile and a half chunks. So you've got have a soup by gardens at essentially four and a half miles. Then a mile and a half after that, you get a three mile rest house. Mile and a half from here, we've got the mile and a half rest house. Mile and a half after that, we're on the South Rim.
Brian:So it's more manageable when you can break it up into those mile and a half chunks as opposed to just slogging on and on and on, not knowing if you're ever gonna get to the end. There are breaks every mile and a half from Havasupai Gardens up. Havasupai Gardens, three mile rest house, mile and a half rest house, then near at the top. It's a great way to keep, to keep motivated and just have little victories along the way. This is the hardest part of the hike we're entering.
Brian:People say these last three miles feel endless, and they can because it's relentlessly uphill. More than 2,000 feet of elevation you're gonna gain the last three miles. So it can it can be a battle, especially if you're finishing a rim to rim or finishing a rim to river and you already have a lot of miles on your legs. About this time, people are ready to be done. As great as it is, they're ready to feel that sense of accomplishment and be done with this thing.
Brian:So break it up into mile and a half chunks. Before you know it, you'll be there. The next stop is the mile and a half rest house. This is where the trail starts getting much busier, and you start seeing more tourists and even kids out to get a little taste of the canyon. We have a mile and a half to go.
Brian:Actually, 1.6, but don't tell anybody. Almost there. Sun setting. Beautiful night in the canyon on the rim to river hike. Now, are two landmarks of note to look out for on the last mile and a half, where we'll gain the final 1,100 feet of elevation.
Brian:The first is the lower tunnel. When we pass through that, there's just a mile to go. The second is the upper tunnel. When you pass through that, there's just about a quarter mile to go. This stretch is also your best chance to see some of the canyon's bighorn sheep population.
Brian:They're not always around, but if you see them, it is quite a treat. Eventually, we see the brown building that is the Kolb Studio, and we make our last right turn. Keep going straight all the way to the top. Don't take the spur that's off to the left, And just like that, you will be on pavement and see the iconic bright angel trailhead sign and know that you have made it. Rim to river is complete.
Brian:Don't be surprised if you get a little emotional when you finish. It is such an amazing physical and mental accomplishment in one of the seven natural wonders of the world, so be very proud. So that is the iconic rim to river to rim hike here at the Grand Canyon. I always think that's a real good measuring point, kinda just see where you're at. If you can do rim to river to rim, which is 16 and a half miles if you don't go to Phantom 17 and a half if you do go to Phantom.
Brian:If you can do that, you can do rim to rim. So it's a good place to measure yourself, see where you're at if rim to rim is your goal. But rim to river in itself, an iconic bucket list hike in its own right. Yeah. So there it is.
Brian:Absolutely still one of the Grand Canyon's true bucket list hikes. And I have to kinda chuckle to myself whenever I hear someone say they're just doing rim to river. Because let me tell you, there is no just about it. This is the hike that got me back into canyon hiking a few years back. I was in pretty good shape at the time, and it still just about destroyed me.
Brian:I've done marathons. I'm a daily hiker, and I remember finishing up on Bright Angel that day, saying to myself that it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. And the numbers tell the story. You're losing 4,780 vertical feet down South Kaibab, and picking up 4,400 up Bright Angel, and doing that over 16 and a half or 17 and a half miles, depending on if you go to Phantom or not. So, yeah, a very, very difficult hike, which is why I know that when I talk about progressions and building yourself up to rim to rim or rim to rim to rim, rim to river is very much a part of that.
Brian:Do rim to river in a day, and I very much believe you can do rim to rim in a day. And if it's your first time hiking in the canyon, well, rim to river is a great first big hike below the rim, and it will let you know if you're ready for rim to rim. Hiking the canyon is unique to just about any hiking anywhere in the world because of that downhill we talked about. Because you go downhill for so long before you start climbing, and while it might seem easy going down, if you aren't careful, can be unknowingly destroying your legs for the hike out. Trust me.
Brian:I've done it more than once, I'm a slow learner. I remember that first Rim to River standing in the Colorado, dipping my legs in there in that cold water, and just thinking to myself, you know what, my legs don't feel so good, which is not where you wanna be physically or mentally, knowing that you've still got nine miles and almost a vertical mile up to go. So now you know why Rim To River is anything but just rim to river. It is a big, gnarly hike in its own right, and well worth pivoting to with Rim To rim being unavailable for the foreseeable future. Worth remembering, of course, here in 2025 is that the river trail connecting South Kaibab to Bright Angel at the bottom of the canyon, we've talked about it, we'll talk about it again, wanna make sure you know this, that it is closed for the Trans Canyon Waterline Project currently, meaning you cannot do rim to river the way I just described it to you.
Brian:Currently, rim to river means a round trip on South Kaibab, which is not a good idea in the summer months as South Kaibab has no water and little shade on top of being a more difficult ascent all around. So the best time to do this hike is October through April, and ascend via Bright Angel. The river trail again scheduled to reopen October 1. And if that holds, you'll be able to do rim to river the traditional way from October 1 onward. So if you can wait, that is the best way to do it.
Brian:Again, ascending South Kaibab is possible, but only with proper heat mitigation strategies, like hiking out in the dark during hot weather. Look, know you're bummed about missing out on rim to rim, and so am I, but I'm telling you, the day the river trail is open and the traditional rim to river route is available, you're gonna see me out there, and I hope to see you out there as well. There are still life memories to be made below the rim, and you will not be disappointed if your pivot is rim to river. Plus, you've been working hard. Right?
Brian:Being consistent. Right? And consistency matters, and you need the payoff. And coach Arnie, well, he's talking about that consistency theme in this week's training tip.
Coach Arnie:Hey, guys. This is coach Arnie with another Grand Canyon tip of the week. And again, big thanks to Brian for allowing me to share some wisdom with you guys as we are getting ready for whatever adventure that we are planning for and hopefully something fun in the Grand Canyon. So here we go. It's not a knee issue.
Coach Arnie:You might be saying, what? What do you mean by that, coach? The second most question that I am asked or that I receive is about knee pain. The first is about foot pain. But look, it's probably a foot issue or a hip issue way before it becomes a knee issue.
Coach Arnie:Because bad foot placement puts pressure on your hip which leads to knee pain. So here's your tip. You gotta strengthen your feet. You gotta strengthen your feet. And people that know coach Arnie are constantly hearing him talk about your feet, and there's a big reason for that.
Coach Arnie:Because bad foot placement, bad foot posture, weak feet leads to a lot of other problems. And the first one is probably a hip issue. It probably leads to your glutes being either put in a bad position or being exposing weak hips which eventually will lead to that painful knee problem. Okay? And especially when we're talking about our hips, we're talking about that glute medius which you may have heard me talk about before.
Coach Arnie:That glute medius could lead to IT band problems and again, knee pain. So the knee, the pain in that knee that you're feeling is the it's the result of all these other things happening. So here's the key. You've gotta be consistent. You've gotta be consistent with your exercises to eliminate the foot pain, to eliminate the hip weakness.
Coach Arnie:And if if you take care of those two things, you're gonna have less knee pain. And it must be a regular part of your program. It can't be something you're going to work in. It has to be something you do. Alright.
Coach Arnie:So there you go. It's not knee pain. It's probably foot or hip weakness. Love you guys. Get busy.
Brian:Coach Arnie. Arnie Fonseca junior, our exercise physiologist and canyon coach, pivoting just like the rest of us. His contact information is in the show notes, and you can find him and me and just about everyone you've ever heard on this show in our Hiking Grand Canyon Facebook group, the Hiking Grand Canyon Facebook group. Get in there right now and join in on the conversation. Alright.
Brian:A lot coming at you and a lot more to come. That's it for now, folks. Just one of the most volatile summers in the recorded history of the Grand Canyon, but hey, let's make the best of it, shall we? My name is Brian Special. Still encouraging you as always to go hike the canyon.
Brian:Take that first step. Embrace the journey. And when you get there, whether it's for time goals or taking your time, just hike your own hike and savor every step in one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the magnificent Grand Canyon. We'll see you next time on the Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show presented by Hiken. Hiking plus kinship, that is Hiken.
Brian:Now more than ever, hiking, together we roam.