Dave’s Grand Canyon Hiking Adventure

On September 22-25th Dave went on a hiking adventure in the Grand Canyon. He did the “Thunder River Backpacking” trail. Dave had no intentions of going on this hike, but his friend Ben called and explained to him that someone out of their group couldn’t make it and wanted to know if Dave would fill in at the last second. Dave of course jumped at the opportunity, and then later started realizing exactly what he was getting himself into and started getting a little nervous.

This hike is really intense and not for beginners. Most people train for this for at least a year. You have to acquire a permit to do this trail and only a couple of hundred people a year are allowed to do it. The hike itself is 17 miles round trip with a total elevation change of 4300 feet. It is straight down, and then straight up.  Here is what the Grand Canyon National Parks website has to say about the hike:

 

Thunder River Backpack

Autumn is an ideal time to hike trails that cannot be accessed in the winter or are too hot to endure in summer. A day trip to the Esplanade and back or a three day backpack to Thunder River and down Tapeats Creek to the Colorado River are perfect for the cool days of November. If you enjoy scenic drives to remote places, be sure to visit Crazy Jug Point and Monument Point. These little known view points in the Kaibab Forest offer spectacular views of the Grand Canyon.

Photo Album: Thunder River Pictures
Trail Map: Thunder River Trail Map
Driving Map: Monument Point Driving Map
Day Hike: This is not recommended. This trail is best done as a three day hike. Do not attempt to hike down to Thunder River and back in one day.
Distance: 17 miles round-trip
Average Hiking Time: 3 days. 5 Hours From Monument Point Trailhead to Campsite on the Esplanade. 3 Hours From Campsite on the Esplanade to Thunder Spring. 4 Hours From Thunder Spring to campsite on the Esplanade. 6 Hours From Campsite on the Esplanade to the Trailhead at Monument Point.
Equipment: Sleeping bag, pad, tent, rugged hiking shoes, extra socks, clothing, jacket, rain gear, hat, first aid kit with blister treatment and ibuprofen, personal hygiene accessories, wag bags, stove and fuel, pot for heating water, freeze dried foods, electrolyte replacement Powder, 1.5 gallon water containers for each person, water filter or purification treatment, map, compass, zip locks for trash and toilet paper carryout. Hiking poles can be useful. Keep weight as low as possible.
Difficulty: Strenuous. Skills are needed for navigating remote backcountry areas and a small scrambling section. The descent from the rim (and the climb back up again) from the trailhead to Thunder River is beyond what most backpackers are comfortable with.
Sun Exposure: You will be in full sun during most of the hiking.
Permits: Yes, for camping. A permit can be acquired by logging onto www.nps.gov, go to the Grand Canyon directory and look for backcountry permit procedures. A downloadable, faxable permit registration will need to be completed; including the dates you anticipate camping, where you will be entering the Grand Canyon and where you plan to camp. At the time of this report, a permit request is $10 and $5/person per night while camping in the Grand Canyon National Park. There is no guarantee that you will get the requested dates that are submitted, so if there is some flexibility in your schedule then you may wish to submit second date choices.
Trail Conditions: This trail is hot in the summer. Consider hiking in the spring and fall.
Trailhead: Bill Hall Trailhead - Grand Canyon North Rim
Trailend: Same as trailhead
Trail Access: The roads in the Kaibab Forest are good, but they are dirt roads and can be impassible when wet, have fresh snow on them or there is melting snow. The roads tend to dry out quickly even after a heavy rain storm and can usually be traveled the next day.
Best Season: Spring and Fall
Elevation: Highest Elevation near Monument Point- 7166 feet
Elevation: Rim of the Esplanade – 5000 feet
Elevation: Thunder River – 3850 feet
Total Descent: 4300 feet
Total Ascent: 4300 feet
Off the Beaten Path: Yes
Water Availability: Thunder River - purify before use.
Restrooms: None. Pack it in, pack it out including toilet paper. Use 6" cat holes and stay away from any water source.

 

Dave only had a few days to prepare for the hike, so we rushed to get everything purchased that he would need an in order. He didn’t have any hiking boots so we had to run to Cabellas to get some. They only had one pair of 15’s and they ended up being perfect! Dave was going to be borrowing a backpack so we didn’t need that, but we had to purchase some MRE’s for Dave to eat. Dave’s boy scout instinct kicked in while packing and he started thinking of all the useful things he would need to bring on this adventure. It was so cute to see. There were several times when Dave said he was really nervous to do the hike. At first I thought he was joking, but after learning more about what it would entail, I can see why he had some reservations.

As I kissed Dave goodbye I had a gut feeling that it was going to be an awesome, yet very difficult adventure for him. He would have no cell phone service the entire time, so that was going to be difficult for us. Since his friend Ben has such a grueling work schedule where he is gone most of the time, Dave has really missed hanging out with him. I think they were both excited to be on this adventure together.

Like I mentioned in one of my previous posts, the timing of this trip ended up being horrible. Right after Dave left is when I received news that my Grandpa had taken a turn for the worse. As hard as it was, I patiently had to wait until Sunday afternoon before I could talk to Dave and tell him everything that was going on. He was 6 hours away from the hospice but said he would try to get there as soon as possible. I quickly asked him how the trip was and the first thing he said was, “The hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.” Wow….that is saying a lot.

In the days after, Dave told me story after story from the hike and I loved every one. It was so grueling yet so fun all at the same time. Due to Dave’s condition of walking like Barbie, the tops of his toes rubbed up against his boots. He came home with some infected toes and eventually lost a couple toe nails. It was all worth it though for the hike of a life time.

He took lots of pictures on the trip. I’m sure they don’t do the Grand Canyon Justice though. Enjoy…