Grand Canyon Hike

I know that it's strenuous and hot and long. It's worth it.



The Grand Canyon is an absolutely beautiful hike. The gorgeous red rock, the sparkling Colorado river, the lush greenery and wildlife at the bottom. It's no surprise that the canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world.



There are many hikes to choose from once you reach. The most popular are the Bright Angel, South Kaibab, and the Rim Trail. My family and I went down the Bright Angel and came up the South Kaibab on a day trip in August. The only problems we had were self-inflicted; we had not packed lunch, and neither Usha nor I had trained. (Before you laugh me, you should know that we were planning to hike a smaller trail in Flagstaff, but it was closed, so we headed to the canyon.)



However, the Grand Canyon is a dangerous hike for many. Back country hiker Micheal Gliglieri says, "Over the last decade, proportionally more people have been dying from environmental problems -- mainly heat -- while hiking. This is despite everything the park has tried to do via educational signs and via preventative search and rescue (PSAR) work, both of which are pretty good. There were also proportionally more people dying from falls within the Canyon (as opposed to from the rims)."

There were 15 "environmental deaths" (related to heat, dehydration, cold) from 2007 to 2011 alone. Traveling without water or sun protection can be fatal, so be careful. If you plan to hike it, pack plenty of water, salty snacks, and sunblock.

Also, if you don't want to hike all the way down and up, plan a two day hike and rest at the bottom. You can camp or book a room at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. The Ranch is packed, so book in advance. To look at lodging, visit www.grandcanyonlodges.com.

The Grand Canyon is definitely something you need to conquer before dying. Start planning and get to it.