Last November, me and some running friends did the Rim to Rim to Rim run in the Grand Canyon, an experience captured in my post titled "Grand Canyon By The Numbers." While this North-to-South-to-North run was amazing indeed, there was one part of that ultra that we didn't complete: The Bright Angel Trail. We were planning on ascending South Kaibab, running the Rim Trail to the Grand Canyon Village, and then descending Bright Angel in the original R2R2R run. But an early required return time on my part prevented us from being able to carry out that original goal. We went up and down South Kaibab instead. Not doing that portion of the R2R2R has bothered me ever since. Ever since being down there, Bright Angel has been on my mind: maps, pictures, images, and imaginations have made me wonder what it was really like.
Last week, I was in Snowflake, AZ on a business trip with a company rental car. It happened to be on my birthday that I was driving home through northern AZ. Incidentally, March 12 was when COVID 19 was declared a pandemic, that is a global epidemic. I was overwhelmed with the news on the airwaves and social media, 24/7. I needed a break from the gloomy news. I needed some fresh air. I also knew I needed to break up the long 10-hour drive back to Salt Lake City, UT in some way. I thought to myself: what better way to break it up than to run the Bright Angel and South Kaibab Trails of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on the way home?
Temps were cool around 65 amid a broken-clouded sky with patches of snow on the ground.
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| First tunnel on Bright Angel Trail. |
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| Perfect running conditions. |
The first 5 miles of the rim was a nice, flat warm-up on a paved trail from the South Kaibab parking lot to the Bright Angel parking lot. The hardest part here was weaving through all the gawking tourists near the Village. Getting to Bright Angel trailhead, I began the rapid descent down toward the lush Indian Garden Campground. The switchbacks here were all very run-able.
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| Very runnable switchbacks into the heart of Grand Canyon. |
After Indian Garden, the crowds really thinned and it started feeling like a self-supported run for the next 5 miles.
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| Mule Train of 10 mules on the way to Phantom Ranch. |
Finally I made it down to the Colorado River, where I took my first break behind a mule train. I learned quickly that the mule trains have the right-of-way on these trails, and you don't question it.
I ran across beautiful Bright Angel Bridge, within view of Kaibab Bridge just another mile or so downstream.
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| Bright Angel Bridge, and Kaibab Bridge/Phantom Ranch in the background. |
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| Surprisingly tame herd of elk. |
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| Bridge selfie tradition. |
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| Lemonade only tastes this good at Phantom... |
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| Horse and mule corrals at Phantom Ranch. |
I took a quick pit stop at Phantom Ranch to refuel and buy some of the most ridiculously-priced, delicious lemonade around at $5/cup. Starting to get crampy, I packed up and ran out toward the familiar South Kaibab trail back to the Colorado River. Crossing the bridge, I said goodbye to the mighty Colorado one final time. I was tempted to take a quick dip in the river, but the winds had already picked up here so I wasn't overheating at this point anyways. Starting the steep ascent, I was feeling fine until Skeleton Point. Here, the leg cramps started picking up again.
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| Above Skeleton Point. |
I was low on carbs by this point and I had to slow way down the last 2 miles, unfortunately. I suppose being ill-prepared is what you get when you combine an unplanned ultra-running trip with a planned boring work trip.
I made it back to the car pretty depleted at 22 miles and just under 5.5 hours of total moving time in the prettiest desert country of North America.
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| Back at the car, after 22 miles. |
In the final analysis, Bright Angel is far prettier and far more runnable than South Kaibab. There is more diversity and fewer people on lower Bright Angel. It is much greener and cooler. If you have time for only one trail on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, pick Bright Angel - you won't regret it. I'm glad I finished the unfinished business of Running the Grand - all of it.
What a great birthday present it was to myself to finally take care of this unfinished self-supported ultra-run in Grand Canyon National Park.
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| Grand Canyon at dusk. |
