Here's the only thing I would add ... "next time, add two more days." Stop overnight at Cottonwood, and then, also stop overnight at Indian Gardens. This way, "you can spend all the time you want at Ribbon Falls." And, "you can walk out to Plateau Point for sunset." (Bring your flashlight!) The first time that my wife and I made this trip, we chose a similar abbreviated itinerary. But, in the very many years thereafter when we repeated it, we added the extra days. Slow down. Take your time. And, "trust me on this." Even though you might think of this trip as "bucket list," it won't be. Instead, it will become "a repeat." Enjoy. At first, you will prize your "Phantom Ranch T-Shirts." But eventually you will make a [treasured ....] "T-shirt Quilt" out of them. (And fondly remember every single one.)
Hi Mike. I like your idea. We've talked about going back and doing the entire thing in one day for the challenge but we might need a 3rd trip and do it your way. Happy adventuring!
Wow, that was many moons ago. Hope the tape still exists of your journey. What an epic adventure hiking to the bottom is. Thanks for watching and reaching out to us.
thank you for the video I can't help but admire the video quality. Anyone who has seen your video will be amazed. My dear friend, you did a great job~~ Merry Christmas🎁😊👍55
Loved this video, great scenery but i also enjoyed the whole trip with hotel, narration and details on the various stops etc a lot of charm, visual indulgence, great job, thanks
10:52 Lovely, you hike all that way and they make you climb those stairs to use the restroom?! 😱 😂 32:33 oh No! That is cruel! 😂. I really enjoyed watching your journey, don’t think I would be able to do it myself!
Yeah, some of those bathroom steps towards the end especially weren’t necessary, lol. Thanks for the kind remarks. We have such great memories of the hike 😊.
Looks like you had a great trip. I'm about to turn 60, and I hiked the GC last September. It was my first serious hike. We spent 3 days in the canyon. We hiked down the South Kaibab to Phantom Ranch where we overnighted, then split the Bright Angel hike out into two days with another overnight at Indian Garden. It was a FANTASTIC trip. Planning on doing Bryce Canyon/Escalante in September!
We’re the same age. Glad you enjoyed the GC last year. We may try to do R2R in one day next time 😳. We love the Escalante area and have been making plans to be there in 2023. Utah is hard to beat. Best wishes to you 👍🇺🇸.
Hello Buckeye Drifters! Congrats on completing the Rim to Rim hike! What an amazing & memorable accomplishment! In addition, you did a great job documenting your journey. We loved the well deserved applause that you got when you finished! Way to go! 👏👍
What a beautiful sunrise in the morning, the clouds are so beautiful. Just seeing those mountains early in the morning is beautiful to look at before you start your day. The falls are just gorgeous, with the water running over the rocks, awesome looking trail you all went across. I enjoyed the video.
Hi Scott. Your kind words are very appreciated. You’re going to create a memory of a lifetime. It makes us happy to hear of others excited for the grand adventure. Best of luck!
I have to say this video is amazing! 👏After watching videos with younger people do it in one day, I stumbled on your video! We are in our late 50's and have a friend in his 60's who want to do the hike, but spend the night before heading out Thanks for showing signs and telling us how long it took you to get to certain areas! I have learned so much from your video! Can I ask what month you went in? Since this is posted in December, I'm assuming November?
Hi Beverly. Wow, we really appreciate your kind words. It makes us happy to know others find value in our content. Our hike was October 4-5 which is ideal timing, not too hot or too cold. It was a glorious two days. We hope your dream of completing the hike becomes a reality. Best wishes 😊.
So glad I stumbled upon your channel. We are Buckeyes as well! We did a Utah parks/Grand Canyon North Rim trip this summer and are planning a Washington parks trip for this summer. Looking forward to watching your videos from these parks. We're still a bit from retirement age, but would love to do what you're doing when the time comes!
O-H! So glad to hear from you. Isn’t Utah awesome?! Washington was incredible! All 3 parks are top notch. If there’s any questions we can answer, please ask 😊🇺🇸.
Congratulations! We did this hike in one day north Rim to south.we did not have luck with phantom ranch. We will like to do it again but definitely with one night in the bottom of the canyon.
👏👏👏👏 well done! Congrat on winning the lottery for the cabin, I am sure it is on the bucket list for a lot of people. Plus, you took great video footage, we can almost feel like we were there, fantastic scenery and great videography! 👍 Just curious, what camara and lenses do you use to film your blog? Much appreciated if you could reply with the info, we are in the market for a travel/hiking hybrid camara. Thanks.
Thanks for the kind words Richard! I’m very much a self taught amateur when it comes to videography. We do have a number of travel videos on our channel so I’ve had some practice. I have a Canon M50 that I purchased for vlogging our travels. It’s a great camera but I hardly use it. I do nearly all our vlogs with my iPhone 11. With the exception of the rainy spell we had on the trail, when I switched over to an old hero 5 GoPro, I used my iPhone for the entire Grand Canyon hike. It’s so lightweight and easy to pull out of my pocket, it just makes recording so simple. I’ve got a mini tripod that is use when recording us walking the trail. If you want a camera, the Canon M50 and G7X are both good and highly rated. Other manufacturers make good lightweight cameras too for hiking. I’m by no means an expert. Best wishes and thanks again for the kind comment😊.
@@BuckeyeDrifters thank you so such for reply. Thats incredible, video was such high quality, I suppose its the person behind the camara, I mean Iphone 👌 that makes the difference. Everytime I watched your video, especialy from the west coast, I wanted to go there. Thank you so much for sharing, your videos deserved more views, YT algorithm must be messed up somehow.
it seems late September-early October is better choice than May because of heat condition through the trail. in May the temperature at the bottom reaches 100-110 degrees.
Hi Lynette! We did not see any rafters. The water was so muddy as you saw from the video. We contemplated a dip but decided against it. Yes, our training was all the hiking we did during the summer. We didn’t think the hike was all that hard. We’ve talked about doing it in one day in the future and I’m sure that would be much more challenging. Thanks for watching!
My friend just did in one day but it’s super exhausting. Sounds like overnight at Phantom Ranch is the way to go. I was planning to do rim to river (down S Kaibab and up Bright Angel) in one day this Christmas but my wife wanted to do Maui. Guess who won :). Will do it another day
Hello and thanks for the kind comment 😊. Please see our tips below. 1-Read everything on the links provided below to understand the lottery submission process. 2-Create an account (both of you). In the upper right corner on the links you will see “login” create account there. 3-Both of you apply separately. For example: Jane applies for 2 people under her name and her husband Joe applies for 2 people under his name. 4-You will each be given 3 choices of dates. Pick all of them to better your chances. Example Choice 1-September 1-7. Choice 2-September 8-21 Choice 3-September 22-30 It’s really difficult to be drawn. All 4 of us applied separately (as a group of 4) for the entire month of Oct and only one of us were drawn. We were lucky. So again, being flexible is important if you can swing it. Let us know if you have additional questions. Best of luck! www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/phantom-ranch/ secure.phantomranchlottery.com/phantom-ranch-lottery?&_ga=2.45583585.412619755.1661980912-84059326.1661448707
Hi Xiaoyue! We’re just great. We just finished our winter stay in Florida and are back on the road. More videos will be coming this summer. Thanks for checking in on us 😊.
Thanks for taking me along. I want to do this hike. Is it good for a beginner hiker who walks a lot? How much did it cost for the Bunk house? Do you know how much the mule rides are?
I would not recommend this hike for a beginner hiker. It’s quite strenuous unless you’re an avid hiker used to long distances on uneven terrain and significant elevation change. If you are serious about doing this hike, I would look up a training routine on the internet for hiking the Grand Canyon. The couple that went on the hike with us are not avid hikers but they were in good shape from using a training routine. The Phantom Ranch cabin ran us around $200 for the 4 of us. I’m not sure how much a mule ride is but I’m sure you could find that out by going to the national park page for the Grand Canyon. Thanks for watching the video, thanks for the kind comment, and best wishes to you😊🇺🇸.
We hiked 3-5 days a week all spring/summer as we visited 21 NP’s. We never hiked more than 12 miles at one time but we did a lot in the 6-10 mile range. We also were hiking in elevations from 7,000-10,000 feet much of the late summer so we were acclimated to altitude. We found the 2 day GC hike to be just moderately hard. It wasn’t steep like many trails we hiked in California, Oregon and Washington. We think we’ll try a one day R2R in our future. Our family that joined us used a R2R training program they found online. They mostly walked flat ground at low elevation but did big miles working up to 18 miles. They were very prepared and did well on the hike.
@@BuckeyeDrifters we are planning for late October. Do you think that’s a good idea? I have a few questions if you don’t mind? First we are planning to hike south kaibab to phantom up to bright angel and end at the other side of rim. I’m wanting to know where do we go to get the shuttle bus and what time? Is it too late for us to book a cabin at phantom and if so where can we camp for the night? Lastly once we get to the other side how do we get back to our vehicle ? Is there another shuttle? Sorry for all questions but I’ve never actually had the chance to talk to anyone who’s done this hike. Lol wish I could speak with you in person! Thank you so much and I’ve watched a 100 videos on this hike and yours is my favorite! God bless! You all are an inspiration! I quit smoking so this hike is my reward and prize!
I would think late October would be a good time to hike it. You’d need to just keep a close eye on the weather forecast. 1-South Rim does have some free shuttle services: Hiker Express Shuttle. Please go to GC National Park website to get up to date bus schedule. We parked our car at the backcountry parking lot. It’s free to hikers. Also check in with the backcountry office to get any updated info on the trail, water etc. the day before you hike. There is no parking allowed at south Kaibab trailhead unless you have a backpacking permit. 2-Right now there is no water at 3 mile rest stop or 1 mile rest stop on Bright Angel. Again, check GC NP website to get updated info. 3-You have to apply 15 months ahead of time to book Phantom Ranch as it is a lottery system. Go to: grandcanyonlodges.com to get updated info. We’re not sure about the campgrounds as we were not interested in doing that. I know Bright Angel Trail is being closed in 2023 for repairs. Good luck!
Maybe I missed it, but what time of year did you do this hike? Leaving camp on the morning of day 2, how long did it take you to get to the top of the South rim? You all seem to be about my age and I'm wondering if you made it before the shuttle back to the North rim left at 1:30pm, not that you all were needing it. Great video.
Hello and thanks for watching. Our hike was October 4-5. The temps were ideal for us. Our day 2 hike from Phantom Ranch to the South Rim took 6 hours. We stopped at each rest area (3 total) for about 15 minutes each. Thanks again for the kindness.
@@Leeofthedesert About a month after I made my comment above, some friends and I that met on the Colorado trail a few years ago put in a few itineraries to be considered in the lotto draw. Lucked out and got one drawn for starting from the North and hiking to the South rim. Taking 3 days, 2 nights, the last week of October. I doubt we'll be dealing with high temps. The thing about October is, the later in the year, the more unknown what the weather is going to be. And the North rim amenities shut down. So planning details are a little more tricky. We're leaving our vehicles at the South Rim parking, hiring an Uber, or the like, to shuttle us to the North rim to spend the night there before starting our hike the next morning. Night 1 we'll camp at Cottonwood, night 2 at Indian Garden. Reserved a sack lunch at Phantom Ranch as we pass by, so our packs will be a little lighter not having to carry food for a meal or two. And with 3 days, no rush. Plenty of time for side trips like Ribbon Falls etc., video and picture taking and just enjoying being there. That's the plan anyway.
Hi Brian. We’re fortunate being retired and living a lifestyle of full time RV travel. Our passion is hiking so we usually hike April - September every year. Leading up to the GC R2R we spent all summer hiking in California, Oregon and Washington. A fair amount of our hiking was in elevations similar to or greater than the GC so our bodies were acclimated to elevation. The furthest we hiked in a day leading up to the R2R was 14 miles. If you’re unable to get elevation training I’d just suggest putting in the miles. If your doing it one day that would require more miles but if your splitting up into 2 days like we did, maybe being able to walk 15 miles would be a good target. I also suggest getting to an elevated location of 7,000 feet or more 2-3 days in advance so your body can adjust. We hung out in Williams, AZ a few days before our hike. It’s only an hour away and sits at 7,000 feet. Sorry I can’t be more specific but our lifestyle of hiking multiple times a week is unique as compared to most but that’s what had us in shape. We did not find the hike too difficult. Best wishes and I hope you’re able to complete the incredible journey someday 😊.
We parked our car at parking lot D on the south rim. We caught the shuttle nearby at the Bright Angel Lodge which took us to the north rim. We spent the night there and began our hike the next morning. When we finished the hike at the Bright Angel trailhead on the south rim we had a short walk back to parking lot D to pick up our car.
Great video! I've watched several and this one is the most informative for me, as a first timer, going in October. Thank you for all the details!
Glad it was helpful! We appreciate the kind comment. If you remember, let us know how your adventure goes. Best of luck!
Here's the only thing I would add ... "next time, add two more days." Stop overnight at Cottonwood, and then, also stop overnight at Indian Gardens.
This way, "you can spend all the time you want at Ribbon Falls." And, "you can walk out to Plateau Point for sunset." (Bring your flashlight!)
The first time that my wife and I made this trip, we chose a similar abbreviated itinerary. But, in the very many years thereafter when we repeated it, we added the extra days. Slow down. Take your time.
And, "trust me on this." Even though you might think of this trip as "bucket list," it won't be. Instead, it will become "a repeat." Enjoy. At first, you will prize your "Phantom Ranch T-Shirts." But eventually you will make a [treasured ....] "T-shirt Quilt" out of them. (And fondly remember every single one.)
Hi Mike. I like your idea. We've talked about going back and doing the entire thing in one day for the challenge but we might need a 3rd trip and do it your way. Happy adventuring!
Hiked to phantom ranch and back up same day in '97...carrying full size VCR tape camcorder...ugh...4 1/2 hours down. Five hours back up...
Wow, that was many moons ago. Hope the tape still exists of your journey. What an epic adventure hiking to the bottom is. Thanks for watching and reaching out to us.
Really amazing video🥰🥰🥰 like it❤❤❤❤ nice shearing👌👌👌👌👌👌
Thank you! We hope it inspires others to adventure and explore our beautiful country 👍🇺🇸.
thank you for the video
I can't help but admire the video quality. Anyone who has seen your video will be amazed.
My dear friend, you did a great job~~ Merry Christmas🎁😊👍55
Hello and thank you for the kind comment 😊. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well!🎄
Loved this video, great scenery but i also enjoyed the whole trip with hotel, narration and details on the various stops etc a lot of charm, visual indulgence, great job, thanks
Hi Shady! We appreciate your kind words and are glad you found value in the video. Best wishes! 😊🇺🇸
Love watching you four accomplished your goal. Way to go. 👏👏👏👏
Thank you. A cherished memory for sure.
10:52 Lovely, you hike all that way and they make you climb those stairs to use the restroom?! 😱 😂 32:33 oh No! That is cruel! 😂. I really enjoyed watching your journey, don’t think I would be able to do it myself!
Yeah, some of those bathroom steps towards the end especially weren’t necessary, lol. Thanks for the kind remarks. We have such great memories of the hike 😊.
Looks like you had a great trip. I'm about to turn 60, and I hiked the GC last September. It was my first serious hike. We spent 3 days in the canyon. We hiked down the South Kaibab to Phantom Ranch where we overnighted, then split the Bright Angel hike out into two days with another overnight at Indian Garden. It was a FANTASTIC trip. Planning on doing Bryce Canyon/Escalante in September!
We’re the same age. Glad you enjoyed the GC last year. We may try to do R2R in one day next time 😳. We love the Escalante area and have been making plans to be there in 2023. Utah is hard to beat. Best wishes to you 👍🇺🇸.
Great trip and excellent info for the trip. It is in my bucket list to visit these trails. You are great hikers. Thanks.
Thank you. Hope you’re able to experience hiking into the canyon. Happy trails!
Wow congratulations you guys did amazingly fun and so peaceful 🎉🎉💐
Thank you! It was a memorable and rewarding hike for us. Best wishes to you!
Thank you for sharing. Absolutely beautiful ❤
Hi Liz! Have you hiked there? It was an incredible experience. Thanks for watching 😊🇺🇸.
I like how you showed how much eating is necessary on a hike like this! Loved the video, awesome adventure
Thanks for the kind comment. We all overpacked on our food. It is however better to have too much than not enough 😄. Best wishes!
My best friend, that's a great video. I will always cheer for you in Korea I'm looking forward to a great video. Have a nice day.
Thank you for the kind comment. Best wishes to you in your travels 😊.
Really enjoyed your video!
Hi Cindy! Thanks for taking the time to reach out to us. Wishing you many happy days of adventure in the future 😊.
Hello Buckeye Drifters! Congrats on completing the Rim to Rim hike! What an amazing & memorable accomplishment! In addition, you did a great job documenting your journey. We loved the well deserved applause that you got when you finished! Way to go! 👏👍
Thank you! It was an AWESOME experience. You guys should put it on your radar. You’d love it. Best wishes!
Sweet. Good job with the video & narration. Enjoyed watching it.
Hello Ashura. Thank you for the kind words. The GC is an amazing place 😍.
What a beautiful sunrise in the morning, the clouds are so beautiful. Just seeing those mountains early in the morning is beautiful to look at before you start your day. The falls are just gorgeous, with the water running over the rocks, awesome looking trail you all went across. I enjoyed the video.
It’s one of the most inspiring places on earth. We’re glad you enjoyed the video 😊.
Great job! I'll be there in October, following in your tracks. Can't wait. Thank you for the wonderful footage.
Hi Scott. Your kind words are very appreciated. You’re going to create a memory of a lifetime. It makes us happy to hear of others excited for the grand adventure. Best of luck!
Another great video. Thanks!
Hi Rick! Appreciate the kind remark 😊👍🇺🇸.
Woww amazing 👏👏 great upload my friend so beautifull scenari 👍
Hello and thank you. We wish we could do it all over again 😊.
I have to say this video is amazing! 👏After watching videos with younger people do it in one day, I stumbled on your video! We are in our late 50's and have a friend in his 60's who want to do the hike, but spend the night before heading out
Thanks for showing signs and telling us how long it took you to get to certain areas! I have learned so much from your video! Can I ask what month you went in? Since this is posted in December, I'm assuming November?
Hi Beverly. Wow, we really appreciate your kind words. It makes us happy to know others find value in our content. Our hike was October 4-5 which is ideal timing, not too hot or too cold. It was a glorious two days. We hope your dream of completing the hike becomes a reality. Best wishes 😊.
So glad I stumbled upon your channel. We are Buckeyes as well! We did a Utah parks/Grand Canyon North Rim trip this summer and are planning a Washington parks trip for this summer. Looking forward to watching your videos from these parks. We're still a bit from retirement age, but would love to do what you're doing when the time comes!
O-H! So glad to hear from you. Isn’t Utah awesome?! Washington was incredible! All 3 parks are top notch. If there’s any questions we can answer, please ask 😊🇺🇸.
Congratulations! We did this hike in one day north Rim to south.we did not have luck with phantom ranch. We will like to do it again but definitely with one night in the bottom of the canyon.
Thank you. Hope you find a way to reserve a cabin at PR. We’re considering challenging ourselves to a one day R2R next time. Best wishes 😊.
Great job!!!!
Thank you!! It was an epic experience. Thanks for the kind remark. Best wishes in your adventures.
👏👏👏👏 well done! Congrat on winning the lottery for the cabin, I am sure it is on the bucket list for a lot of people. Plus, you took great video footage, we can almost feel like we were there, fantastic scenery and great videography! 👍 Just curious, what camara and lenses do you use to film your blog? Much appreciated if you could reply with the info, we are in the market for a travel/hiking hybrid camara. Thanks.
Thanks for the kind words Richard! I’m very much a self taught amateur when it comes to videography. We do have a number of travel videos on our channel so I’ve had some practice. I have a Canon M50 that I purchased for vlogging our travels. It’s a great camera but I hardly use it. I do nearly all our vlogs with my iPhone 11. With the exception of the rainy spell we had on the trail, when I switched over to an old hero 5 GoPro, I used my iPhone for the entire Grand Canyon hike. It’s so lightweight and easy to pull out of my pocket, it just makes recording so simple. I’ve got a mini tripod that is use when recording us walking the trail. If you want a camera, the Canon M50 and G7X are both good and highly rated. Other manufacturers make good lightweight cameras too for hiking. I’m by no means an expert. Best wishes and thanks again for the kind comment😊.
@@BuckeyeDrifters thank you so such for reply. Thats incredible, video was such high quality, I suppose its the person behind the camara, I mean Iphone 👌 that makes the difference. Everytime I watched your video, especialy from the west coast, I wanted to go there. Thank you so much for sharing, your videos deserved more views, YT algorithm must be messed up somehow.
@@richardlee9207 thank you😊.
it seems late September-early October is better choice than May because of heat condition through the trail. in May the temperature at the bottom reaches 100-110 degrees.
We went the first week of October and the temperatures were perfect. If you ever hike it, we wish you the best! Happy hiking!
Congratulations! Awesome hike!
Thank you very much. It was a wonderful experience that we could see ourselves doing again someday 😊.
Hope everything is ok for you both. Patiently waiting for your next video.
Very cool video 💪 So beautiful!
Thank you! It was an awesome experience!
We were there! Awesome place.
Hard to beat that view looking across the canyon! After we completed the hike we looked over the canyon and said, “did we really just hike that”🤣
Did you see any rafters? It was so green in comparison to times I've been. Well done. All those hikes this year really got you guys in shape!
Hi Lynette! We did not see any rafters. The water was so muddy as you saw from the video. We contemplated a dip but decided against it. Yes, our training was all the hiking we did during the summer. We didn’t think the hike was all that hard. We’ve talked about doing it in one day in the future and I’m sure that would be much more challenging. Thanks for watching!
Congrats on finishing R2R. On my bucket list too
Hello! It’s well worth the effort to experience its greatness. Hope you’re able to do it someday!
My friend just did in one day but it’s super exhausting. Sounds like overnight at Phantom Ranch is the way to go. I was planning to do rim to river (down S Kaibab and up Bright Angel) in one day this Christmas but my wife wanted to do Maui. Guess who won :). Will do it another day
@@ruggedland Maui is not a bad replacement, lol. Maybe next year it will be the GC hike!
Your video is amazing!!! My husband and I are planning to do the similar hike for our 30th bdays. Any tips to book phantom ranch?
Hello and thanks for the kind comment 😊. Please see our tips below.
1-Read everything on the links provided below to understand the lottery submission process.
2-Create an account (both of you). In the upper right corner on the links you will see “login” create account there.
3-Both of you apply separately. For example: Jane applies for 2 people under her name and her husband Joe applies for 2 people under his name.
4-You will each be given 3 choices of dates. Pick all of them to better your chances. Example
Choice 1-September 1-7.
Choice 2-September 8-21
Choice 3-September 22-30
It’s really difficult to be drawn. All 4 of us applied separately (as a group of 4) for the entire month of Oct and only one of us were drawn. We were lucky. So again, being flexible is important if you can swing it. Let us know if you have additional questions. Best of luck!
www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/phantom-ranch/
secure.phantomranchlottery.com/phantom-ranch-lottery?&_ga=2.45583585.412619755.1661980912-84059326.1661448707
@@BuckeyeDrifters thank you so much for the tips!!! I guess there is no other way than this to get a cabin right? Hopefully we get some in 2023!!
We’re not aware of any other way. Best of luck! It’s a memory of a lifetime hike 🥾👍😊🇺🇸.
I've been following you guys for a while, really looking forward to watching more new videos. Everything OK?
Hi Xiaoyue! We’re just great. We just finished our winter stay in Florida and are back on the road. More videos will be coming this summer. Thanks for checking in on us 😊.
@@BuckeyeDrifters Glad to hear, we just finished our trip to Arches and Canyonlands and your video gave us lots of idea, thank you so much
We love the Moab area. Happy we helped with your visit.
What month of the year did you take this hike? Interested, because I was planning this as a hike.
We went the first week of October. It was perfect. Best of luck to you if you decide to embark on the adventure.
Thanks for taking me along. I want to do this hike. Is it good for a beginner hiker who walks a lot? How much did it cost for the Bunk house? Do you know how much the mule rides are?
I would not recommend this hike for a beginner hiker. It’s quite strenuous unless you’re an avid hiker used to long distances on uneven terrain and significant elevation change. If you are serious about doing this hike, I would look up a training routine on the internet for hiking the Grand Canyon. The couple that went on the hike with us are not avid hikers but they were in good shape from using a training routine. The Phantom Ranch cabin ran us around $200 for the 4 of us. I’m not sure how much a mule ride is but I’m sure you could find that out by going to the national park page for the Grand Canyon. Thanks for watching the video, thanks for the kind comment, and best wishes to you😊🇺🇸.
Truly an amazing experience for you all. What kind of physical fitness/endurance level did you attain prior to your hike?
We hiked 3-5 days a week all spring/summer as we visited 21 NP’s. We never hiked more than 12 miles at one time but we did a lot in the 6-10 mile range. We also were hiking in elevations from 7,000-10,000 feet much of the late summer so we were acclimated to altitude. We found the 2 day GC hike to be just moderately hard. It wasn’t steep like many trails we hiked in California, Oregon and Washington. We think we’ll try a one day R2R in our future. Our family that joined us used a R2R training program they found online. They mostly walked flat ground at low elevation but did big miles working up to 18 miles. They were very prepared and did well on the hike.
@@BuckeyeDrifters Thank you.
What time of year did you go? We’re going this October great video
Hi Jenny! Thanks for watching and the kind comment😊. We started our hike on October 4th and it was glorious. Best wishes to you on your adventure 👍🇺🇸.
@@BuckeyeDrifters we are planning for late October. Do you think that’s a good idea? I have a few questions if you don’t mind? First we are planning to hike south kaibab to phantom up to bright angel and end at the other side of rim. I’m wanting to know where do we go to get the shuttle bus and what time? Is it too late for us to book a cabin at phantom and if so where can we camp for the night? Lastly once we get to the other side how do we get back to our vehicle ? Is there another shuttle? Sorry for all questions but I’ve never actually had the chance to talk to anyone who’s done this hike. Lol wish I could speak with you in person! Thank you so much and I’ve watched a 100 videos on this hike and yours is my favorite! God bless! You all are an inspiration! I quit smoking so this hike is my reward and prize!
I would think late October would be a good time to hike it. You’d need to just keep a close eye on the weather forecast.
1-South Rim does have some free shuttle services: Hiker Express Shuttle. Please go to GC National Park website to get up to date bus schedule. We parked our car at the backcountry parking lot. It’s free to hikers. Also check in with the backcountry office to get any updated info on the trail, water etc. the day before you hike. There is no parking allowed at south Kaibab trailhead unless you have a backpacking permit.
2-Right now there is no water at 3 mile rest stop or 1 mile rest stop on Bright Angel. Again, check GC NP website to get updated info.
3-You have to apply 15 months ahead of time to book Phantom Ranch as it is a lottery system. Go to: grandcanyonlodges.com to get updated info. We’re not sure about the campgrounds as we were not interested in doing that. I know Bright Angel Trail is being closed in 2023 for repairs.
Good luck!
@@BuckeyeDrifters you are awesome!! Thank you 😊
Maybe I missed it, but what time of year did you do this hike?
Leaving camp on the morning of day 2, how long did it take you to get to the top of the South rim? You all seem to be about my age and I'm wondering if you made it before the shuttle back to the North rim left at 1:30pm, not that you all were needing it.
Great video.
Hello and thanks for watching. Our hike was October 4-5. The temps were ideal for us. Our day 2 hike from Phantom Ranch to the South Rim took 6 hours. We stopped at each rest area (3 total) for about 15 minutes each. Thanks again for the kindness.
What do you think about going in late October?
@@Leeofthedesert About a month after I made my comment above, some friends and I that met on the Colorado trail a few years ago put in a few itineraries to be considered in the lotto draw. Lucked out and got one drawn for starting from the North and hiking to the South rim. Taking 3 days, 2 nights, the last week of October. I doubt we'll be dealing with high temps. The thing about October is, the later in the year, the more unknown what the weather is going to be. And the North rim amenities shut down. So planning details are a little more tricky. We're leaving our vehicles at the South Rim parking, hiring an Uber, or the like, to shuttle us to the North rim to spend the night there before starting our hike the next morning. Night 1 we'll camp at Cottonwood, night 2 at Indian Garden. Reserved a sack lunch at Phantom Ranch as we pass by, so our packs will be a little lighter not having to carry food for a meal or two. And with 3 days, no rush. Plenty of time for side trips like Ribbon Falls etc., video and picture taking and just enjoying being there. That's the plan anyway.
P.S. Where did you get your hat? My husband needs one 😀
Bought it from Amazon. It’s called an Outdoor Research Sun Runner Cap Khaki.
@@BuckeyeDrifters thank you so much!
can I ask what you did to train for this hike? i am from Wisconsin and there aren't many opportunities for elevation hiking!!
Hi Brian. We’re fortunate being retired and living a lifestyle of full time RV travel. Our passion is hiking so we usually hike April - September every year. Leading up to the GC R2R we spent all summer hiking in California, Oregon and Washington. A fair amount of our hiking was in elevations similar to or greater than the GC so our bodies were acclimated to elevation. The furthest we hiked in a day leading up to the R2R was 14 miles. If you’re unable to get elevation training I’d just suggest putting in the miles. If your doing it one day that would require more miles but if your splitting up into 2 days like we did, maybe being able to walk 15 miles would be a good target. I also suggest getting to an elevated location of 7,000 feet or more 2-3 days in advance so your body can adjust. We hung out in Williams, AZ a few days before our hike. It’s only an hour away and sits at 7,000 feet. Sorry I can’t be more specific but our lifestyle of hiking multiple times a week is unique as compared to most but that’s what had us in shape. We did not find the hike too difficult. Best wishes and I hope you’re able to complete the incredible journey someday 😊.
@@BuckeyeDrifters Great tip 😊
Where did you park your car when you're hiking down there?
We parked our car at parking lot D on the south rim. We caught the shuttle nearby at the Bright Angel Lodge which took us to the north rim. We spent the night there and began our hike the next morning. When we finished the hike at the Bright Angel trailhead on the south rim we had a short walk back to parking lot D to pick up our car.
@@BuckeyeDrifters Thanks. Staying in Phantom Ranch for one night is a good choice. I'll do same way next year.
what camera are you using ?
Hello Maricar. I used an iPhone 11 for everything except when we had some rain. During the rain I used a GoPro Hero 5 Session.
How far in advance did you have to reserve the phantom ranch?
13 months. Hope you can reference the link below.
www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/phantom-ranch-lottery-faqs/