Grand Canyon - Rim2Rim2Rim in Summer

Hi guys

I'm coming over to the States in June and I plan to attempt a R2R2R run of the Grand Canyon. I've read lots of R2R2R reports and most are (sensibly) run early Spring or late Fall. I'd like to get some advice from someone who has done this (or a R2R) in the height of Summer just to get some tips, and I'm posting here on the off chance that someone here has done this, or knows someone who has.

I've hiked for the past 2 years Rim-Rim in the height of summer and I know that the heat in the canyon is going to be dangerously hot. My plan is to start around 3am and run from South Rim to North Rim then to Bright Angel Campground and rest in the creek for the afternoon to stay out of the heat. Then run back up to South rim as the sun goes down.

All of the reports I have read so far have been very helpful but, as I say, the one thing missing from them is the experience of the heat being a complicating factor and I think I really need to hear first hand what to expect before feeling confident about doing this.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Hi there,

If you've already hiked a R2R in the summer, you've got a decent idea of how intense and potentially dangerous the heat is. I have extensive Canyon experience (hiking, trail running and backpacking on most of the named trails and some routes), and I can honestly say I wouldn't personally attempt or recommend doing this as a run in the summer; I have hiked there in the middle of the summer at times, and it was brutal. After that, I stuck to the mountains for trail running during the summer when I lived in AZ. I've done 4 R2R's (hike and run combo...I'm not much of a hill runner), but they were always done on the 1st or 2nd weekend of October, right before the north rim closes for the season. Even then, we tried to start at 5 a.m. or so to avoid much of the heat.

That being said, if you're going to do it, starting at 3 a.m. is probably fine, depending upon how fast your pace is. If you are well past The Box by the time the sun is really up (like 8 a.m.), you should be okay, because it will get hot quickly after that point. If you could be closer to Cottonwood campground, that would be ideal.

The only other recommendation I'd make is to go down the SK on your south-north leg and come up BA on your north-south leg; it's a bit longer, but at least you'll have water stops available and won't have to worry about a shuttle. Since you're familiar with the R2R trails, I'm sure you already were planning on doing that. Otherwise, just common sense about not pushing it, making sure you bring enough salty foods along (hyponatrimia is probably more of a danger than dehydration is for most people), and being on the lookout for signs of heat stroke/heat exhaustion. Hanging out during the heat of the day is the *only* way you could even consider doing this safely.

To me, there is no place on this earth I'd rather be than in the Grand Canyon, and running there is a religious experience for me. I never wanted to spoil that by trying to run in the summer [hiking was bad enough], so I hope it doesn't prove to be an unpleasant, at best, or dangerous, at worst, experience for you.

Good luck!

-Sonya

Thanks Sonya

I've just had a couple of similar opinions. I thought that it may have been manageable starting early and resting in the heat of the day but perhaps not.

Would you recommend a rim-river-rim (South Kaibab-Bright Angel) or perhaps Hermit Trail-Boucher Trail?

Any other good running trails on south rim you could recommend?

Thanks

Hi Barin7,

The SK-BA loop (17 mi.) is doable in the summer, if you leave early enough. I've done that, or the shorter version (13 mi), across via the Tonto trail, when it was a bit hot. I've also done a dayhike down SK to the river, hung out all day, and hiked out in the evening in the middle of summer (July)....and wanted to die. Only reason we did it was because the forests were closed that summer because of extreme fire danger and we were going stir-crazy.

Hermit, except for certain areas along the Supai traverse section, is not really runnable. It is considered a "threshold" level trail (vs "corridor" for BA-SK-NK), as pertains to the condition of the trail, water (none, except at Hermit creek) and contact with other people. It's rough and the two cliff breaks (through the Coconino/Toroweap and later through the redwall section, known as "cathedral stairs") are quite rough and unrelentingly steep. It will beat up your knees something fierce.

Boucher - fugeddaboutit. It's not trail running or even day hiking material past the upper Supai traverse. Lots of exposed areas and lots of climbing as it drops through the Esplanade section of the Supai group.

[The Supai group is the large red cliff/slope formation that is below the tan sandstone cliff layers and on top of the redwall limestone (grey or red sheer cliff 800' high)].

My recommendation to you, since you aren't acclimated to the heat/climate, is to have a more modest goal of the SK-BA loop. You'll still get a helluva workout and it will probably be enjoyable vs. a really unpleasant death march ;-).

-Sonya