Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim, Part 1 - North Rim to Phantom Ranch Hike

GRAND CANYON RIM-TO-RIM | PART 1 — NORTH RIM TO PHANTOM RANCH On June 10, 2015, Mark, Robin, Dave, and Jo Ann began an adventure we would never forget—a two-day Rim-to-Rim hike across the Grand Canyon. This video follows Day One, from the North Rim down the North Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch—nearly 14 miles and approximately 5,800 feet of descent into the heart of the Grand Canyon. And Mother Nature made our adventure even more memorable. During the night before our hike, tropical moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Blanca moved into Arizona, bringing heavy rain, fog and unusually cloudy conditions to the North Rim. At 4:45 a.m., with darkness still surrounding us and the trail wet from the overnight rain, we posed for one final photograph at the North Kaibab Trailhead…and started down. As daylight slowly revealed the canyon, our journey took us past Coconino Overlook and Supai Tunnel, then onto increasingly narrow and exposed sections of trail carved into the canyon walls. We continued toward Redwall Bridge, passing waterfalls made even more dramatic by the recent rains before reaching Roaring Springs Junction at approximately 9:45 a.m. From there, Bright Angel Canyon led us toward Cottonwood Campground, which we reached at 11:07 a.m., and then past the spectacular oasis of Ribbon Falls at approximately 12:30 p.m. Ahead was one of the North Kaibab Trail's most notorious sections—The Box. Its narrow canyon and dark rock walls can absorb and radiate tremendous heat, making this section especially punishing during a June afternoon. But on this particular day, the clouds and moisture associated with Hurricane Blanca helped temper the intense desert sunshine. Finally, after more than 10 hours on the trail, we emerged from The Box. At 3:10 p.m., we arrived at Phantom Ranch, deep within the Grand Canyon. Tired legs. Dirty boots. A lot of photographs and video. And four very proud hikers reaching the Phantom Ranch entrance. We had descended almost a vertical mile from the North Rim. But our Rim-to-Rim journey wasn't finished. After a well-earned 5:00 p.m. steak dinner at Phantom Ranch, we would spend the night deep inside the canyon before beginning Part 2—Phantom Ranch to the South Rim the following morning. This video is more than the story of a hike. It's a look back at four friends sharing an extraordinary adventure through one of America's most magnificent landscapes. Some journeys stay with you forever. This was one of them. Our Day 1 milestones: North Rim Trailhead — 4:45 a.m. Coconino Overlook — approximately 6:00 a.m. Supai Tunnel — 7:00 a.m. Roaring Springs Junction — 9:45 a.m. Cottonwood Campground — 11:07 a.m. Ribbon Falls — approximately 12:30 p.m. Phantom Ranch — 3:10 p.m. Steak Dinner — 5:00 p.m. Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim — June 10, 2015 Mark • Robin • Dave • Jo Ann