READERS COMMENTS

Wife is a diabetic and while her dr gave the okay, she hasn't yet started training and we have a reservation @ Phantom Ranch May 13. We're flatlanders and used to hot weather but have no hills of appreciatable size to hike anywhere close. What training do you suggest.
Posted: Oct 31, 2009 jpt51

Bright Angel most dangerous? Sure, for idiots that don't have a clue, but the Bright Angel trail is the freeway of trails at Grand Canyon.
Posted: Oct 30, 2009 Thomas

My first hike of the Canyon was in 1970 with 2 other men and 9 boys. We began at the North Rim over to the South Rim and back to the North Rim. Total of around 60 miles in 5 days. Out mistake was taking the hike at the end of May. There was still snow on the north rim but we encountered a temperature of 117 in the shade at the bottom! There were no injuries and no sickness among us during this hike. The Grand Canyon is still one of the most inspiring places that I have ever visited. I have hiked it a total of 3 times and always am impressed with the feeling of how small I am as I descend; how I am enveloped in it's beauty; how quiet it is; but also am aware of the dangers that can lurk around each bend in the trail. Yes, I have seen in the Canyon rattlesnakes, scorpions, skunks, ringtailed cats but bigger danger lurks in the lack of using common sense. Keep your eyes on the trail while walking; take adequate food and water; wear sensible clothing, brimmed hat, and boots with good soles. The Grand Canyon is aptly named. My friends and I are planning to hike a portion of it once again next year. Most of us are in our late 60's to mid-70's but we have the confidence that we can do without undue stress. Enjoy this beautiful, awesome place!
Posted: Oct 29, 2009 Colorado Pete

I do rim-to-rim every October. I leave before 5am. and get to the North Rim around 3:30. i don't get direct sun on me until I'm past Cottonwoods on the North trail. The return trip is somewhat easier but also warmer with more direct sun. I don't do summer rim trips anymore because the intense heat is dangerous and very draining. In October, the North Rim is still open and the water is still turned on. The physical preparation is important, but I've found that the mental aspect is much more important.
Posted: Oct 13, 2009 Rob B.

If you are truly in shape and prepared for a one-day rim-river-rim hike, I would suggest descending South Kaibab and ascending Bright Angel. I've done this several times (even in the summer), and it is a great time.

Of course, I always run into people who are on the trails and are under-prepared in one way or another.
Posted: Sep 01, 2009 WB

Six ofthe young adults in my family (31-38) hiked down the South Kaibab, spent the night at Phantom Ranch, and headed back out the next morning on the Bright Angel. While neither were a piece of cake, the BA seemed harder, I think, because of the hike the day before. My feeling is this, you can't train for the canyon like you can train for a 10k. It is nearly impossible to mimic the conditions that the Canyon has in store for you. But, you do have to be in shape. On the way up the BA, we took plenty of H2O, stopped and ate ever mile and a half or so, and doused ourselves with water at the different water stations. It was 110 on the day we hiked out. We're no different than the 50+ hikers that did the same thing we did, but you just have to be smart. We saw a bunch of people wearing flipflops, little to no water, no hats to protect their heads from the sun, etc. You've got to know what you're up against. If you don't or just shrug it off, you'll pay for it.
Posted: Aug 14, 2009 Matt Walker

I hike the BA twice a week for exercise, usually to Indian Garden. The danger is not the trail but the idiots who go down ill prepared and clueless to where they are going.
The dangerous part of the trail in the erosion caused by the mules. You have to pay close attention to avoid a turned ankle or worse.
The best time to hike RTR is October or March. You would have to be suicidal or an ultraathlete to do a RTR or even a rim to river in August. Attempting and failing is pretty selfish; you put the ranger EMT's and helicopter crews at risk when they have to fly you out.
There are more dangerous trails here at the Canyon...they are not as accessible as the BA for ill prepared tourists. The BA is considered dangerous solely because of the tourists making poor decisions.
Posted: Aug 12, 2009 chukie

The RTR is an awesome experience. I agree that the trail is tough, but not really dangerous (if you are prepared). My 23 year old son and I did the North Kaibab to Bright Angel route over two days in June of 2009. Our packs were too heavy as we had too much gear. We left at 4:38 AM from the North Rim and got to Phantom Ranch at 7:00 PM. We rested for 4 hours at Ribbon Falls, which was necessary due to the heat and the lack of shade on the trail... In the Box, it was over 100 degrees actual and probably about 120 ambient. We were lucky that we had a cool front !!! On Day Two - We left Bright Angel Campground and crossed the Colorado on the Silver Bridge about 7:30 - 7:45 which was too late. By the time we got to Indian Gardens, we were pooped (I am 55 but in good shape). The last 4.5 miles were tough. we reached the 1.5 Mile way shelter at 10:00 PM and had to rest for several hours. Made a morning snack and left at 6:45 AM and reached the South Rim after 8:00 AM. had the best breakfast ever at Bright Angel Lodge. I recommend the Rim to Rim skillet dish. It was one hell of an adventure and one of the most grueling hikes I have made - I have over 600 trail miles of experience in the Tetons, Weminuche, Pecos Wilderness, Big Bend and others. The heat just sucks the life out of you in the bottom of the Canyon. Its an undescribable journey. Would do again, but only in the winter !!!
Posted: Jul 06, 2009 Jerry Frey

Me and 3 other buddies hiked the Bright Angel on June 17th, 2009 and went from rim-river-rim in 8 hours and 30 minutes. The overall time was right at 10 hours due to the 1 hour and 30 minute rest at the river. It is possible to hike down and back in one day. After have done this, I do not recommend doing a rim-river-rim day. It was a very difficult hike. We all experienced either ankle or calf pains one we reached the top. Those pains continued for several days with each of us. Ages of us are 27,27,24,24. Each of us are in pretty good physical shape.
Posted: Jun 20, 2009 Casey

Hiking the Grand Canyon in the winter is great. I hiked it in the winter when I was in 7th grade with my dad and I will be doing a day hike hopefully in a month. I definitely recommend hiking it in December or January. The views are better and you don't have to worry about the heat. If you do hike in the winter just bring crampons because there will be snow and ice.

Thank you for everyones comments it's helping get ready for my summer hike there.
Posted: Jun 16, 2009 Will

Opinion from a local: The Bright Angel is to the South Rim what the AT is to the East Coast. There are certainly more scenic and infinitely more difficult trails and routes in Grand Canyon than BR. The reason so many people have heat related issues on BR is that most obviously, there are SO... MANY... PEOPLE on it. Second, like the first person commented, it's NOT the nature of the trail itself: BR is easily the least demanding rim to river trail in all of Grand Canyon IMHO- It's wide and maintained, nontechnical, very well traveled, shaded in many spots, multiple water sources. Compared to what else is in Grand Canyon, BR is child's play. There's just a LOT of people on it, and MOST of those people are absolutely clueless when it comes to hiking safely in high desert country and are often so un-used to real physical activity that a lack of water and air conditioning at literally every turn becomes a real threat on what really is a fairly easy Grand Canyon trail.
The problems experienced on BR do not reflect the character of the trail, merely the general ineptitude of most of the people on it.
As a local I avoid Bright Angel like the plague, I'm only grateful that it keeps the crowds away from the good stuff. Best time to visit Grand Canyon? Dead of Winter, hopefully during a nasty storm, and as far away from the South Rim as you can get.
Posted: Jan 30, 2009 Dave from Flagstaff

You'v GOT to be kidding, right? Is this some kind of joke?
The BA is more dangerious that the Royal Arch route, the New Hance trail, the Tanner trail, the South Bass trail?
Get a grip. It is traveled by people who do not have a clue (high heels, blue jeans in summer, no carried water) and they get in trouble. It is NOT the trail, it is the Bozos.
Posted: Jan 29, 2009 Michael

I definitely agree that the Bright Angel Trail is a very difficult trail - almost solely because of the hike back up. I did the rim-to-the-Colorado-and-back-in-one-day thing in August 2007 and while I'm in pretty good shape, I was with two people who weren't. That said, if people know their limits and prepare, it can be accomplished. Obviously the trail isn't for everyone but it can be tackled with the right planning. There are numerous water sources along the trail but do not depend on them - take a water filter or a SteriPen in the event something happens. I carried nearly 200 oz. of water (two bladders and two Nalgene bottles), electrolyte replacement mix, a generous amount of trail mix, and some granola. Be on the trail before the sun rises and set a turn-around time. For us, we said that we were going to stop at 11:00 AM, have lunch and relax, and then turn around no matter where we were. It turned out that we got the Colorado before then so we cooled off underneath some trees and had lunch along the river before starting back up. The hike back is brutal - there is no way around it. Hiking 4000 feet up in 8 miles or so is very difficult but pace yourself and stay hydrated. The key for me, I believe, was to just keep drinking water to the point that I never felt thirsty. There is a ranger station at Indian Gardens (around milemarker 5) if you run into any problems.
Posted: Jan 26, 2009 Jordan

You can hike it anytime, but be prepared for ice or snow in February. I was there in early May last year or so and there was a couple-of-inches-snowfall at the South Rim campground. There are no narrow ledges on the taril.
Posted: Jan 24, 2009 KKM

You can never depend on the water sources.I've seen guys on the trail repairing the pipelines after breaking. Or there are probably other things that can happen to the water supply, too.
Posted: Jan 24, 2009 Karen Mesikapp

Do the 5 to six liters of water need to be carried or can I depend on water at the designated spots on the trail map?
Posted: Jan 22, 2009 SAM

We are planning a trip to the GC in February. Is that too early to hike the Bright Angel trail for a 3-day backpack? Also, are there any narrow ledges to negotiate? Thanks.
Posted: Jan 14, 2009 Lu

In 1997 I hiked down the north rim on the north kaibab trail. On the accent a few days later my group and I tried to hike up and out of the canyon in one day. Big mistake. We ran out of water about half way up and I became dehydrated. I made it out O.K. but, six month later I got kidney stones from being dehydrated. In 1999 I went down the Bright Angel Trail and over compensated with the water. I made sure to drink as often as possible. My problem was I did not take in enough food the night before the hike or that day. My friends and I made it to the Phantom ranch with no problem. Except I felt terrible. I could not cool off for anything. Then I passed out and the rangers put me in a wheel barrel and took me to their station. I found out that I had something known as hypernatremia or water intoxication. I needed to be air lifted out of the canyon the next day. Because this is a life threatening condition. The trail is tough enough but, I believe it is the human mistakes that will hurt you even more .
Posted: Jan 13, 2009 Craig Buchalter

You should be careful at the Canyon. I did not do Bright Angel but did go down and up Bright Angel with is supposed to be tougher with no water or shade. I am in a little better than average shape. I did get a little dehydrated one day, my own fault. But we made it with no real problem. Never underestimate the Grand Canyon.
Posted: Jan 08, 2009 Beaux

I absolutely agree with your calling Bright Angel one of the ten most dangerous trails in America. I would go one step farther, as the Park Service does, and advise people not to go down to the Colorado River and back in one day!
Posted: Jan 02, 2009 David V

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