It became apparent immediately after I woke up that I would be taking a rest day and saving my day hike to the North Rim for tomorrow. I unzipped my tent and tried to stand. The overpacking had finally caught up to me. My legs were locked up, despite taking magnesium, electrolytes and staying hydrated. I crawled over to the picnic table and collected my supplies for morning coffee and breakfast. I would need to eat all day to get my load to something within reason for the last half of my trip.

I spent time stretching and enjoying the scenery, eating as much as I could physically handle. Tinkering around camp, I pulled off my rain fly and lifted the footprint of my tent to dry out the little moisture that had accumulated. I have a habit of scouring my campsites for micro trash, tiny pieces of garbage that are easily missed by even the tidiest of campers. Whenever camping at established campsites, I always encourage my friends to spend 15 minutes focusing on looking for bits of garbage and it never fails that we end up with a good-sized pile.

I rummaged in my med kit for anything that may be helpful in repairing my busted water bottle and in making a temporary 0-ring for my water filter bladder. I ended up twisting up some medical tape and wrapping it around where the o-ring would be. I plugged in the hose and it worked! The water bottle was a more difficult matter. I wasn’t terribly worried since the crack was on the top, but I would need to use this to carry a full 2L of water for when I camped at Cremation Canyon on the way out. The medical tape again came in handy, with a waterproof bandage for good measure.

I made a good dent in my book before deciding to head down to the creek for more water. My legs were finally working, although you’d think I was an elderly woman and not someone who could backpack across the Grand Canyon and back. My walk was more of a shuffle, made worse by the fact that I was wearing thin soled slippers. I was too tired to put on real shoes for the short walk.

After dinner and an incredible sunset, I settled into my tent early to get rest before my 13-mile, +4000′ round trip hike the next day to see this canyon from the North Rim. I didn’t hear any mice running over my tent while in my deep sleep.

Rim To Rim To Rim AllTrails Link:

Just The Tips:

1. Instead of flying into Phoenix, opt to fly into Flagstaff. I’ll be doing that next time instead of making the 3 hour drive each way.
2. If you are flying in, pre order your stove fuel and other supplies online from Sportsman’s Warehouse in Phoenix or Flagstaff. I found this to be quick and easy.
3. Be aware that your tracking devices and phone may not be able to get a satellite connection in some of the narrow canyons. Tracking may get wonky, as the vertical walls can cause a location ping, hundreds of feet above or below you.
4. Permitting for the Grand Canyon can be confusing. It is best to apply for the lottery, which opens based on the month of travel and is available for application on the 16th of the month, in the 5th month prior to your trip. For example, a September Trip lottery application period would open April 16. See this article for more information about getting your Grand Canyon permit.
5. Give yourself more than one night at Cottonwood Campground to allow for a side trip to Chimik’yana’kya Deya’ (Ribbon Falls) or a day hike to the North Rim, plus a rest day. I found 3 nights at Cottonwood to be perfect.
6. If hiking rim to rim to rim in the winter, know that there are no services at and no access to the North Rim. You will be one of the few people in the area, far from help. Bring hiking poles and microspikes in case of snow. Evaluate your abilities and comfort with heights honestly before traveling this stretch of trail.
7. Carry plenty of water and a water filtration system. Don’t drink unfiltered water. It can contain bacteria even if it looks clean. Be sure to dry out your filter when you get home.
8. Get to the park early. The entrance gets extremely backed up with traffic beginning mid-morning.