March 28th, 2008
Posted by BRIAN at 3/28/2008 11:35 AM and is filed under uncategorized 
Hermit Road Construction Continues - Road Closes on April 1st
Road improvements have already begun along Hermit Road (also known as the West Rim Drive). The road will be closed to all vehicles on April 1st, 2008. Access to the Hermit Trailhead will be limited - please see the March 18th post for more details or visit http://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/hermit.htm for complete information concerning this closure.
Bright Angel Trail looking down at Indian Garden. (Photo: Brian Lane)
Idaho Man Dies While Hiking Bright Angel Trail
Sadly, we announce that on Wednesday, March 26th, a man identified as seventy-four year old Jack Mayfield of Idaho was found lying unresponsive on Bright Angel Trail approximately a quarter mile from Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse. The Park Service reports that Mr. Mayfield was hiking with a companion and had completed a 4.5 mile day hike to Indian Garden and was hiking back up toward the canyon rim when he collapsed. A passer-by initiated CPR after getting instruction from park dispatch. Park personnel continued CPR after arriving on the scene - but to no avail. The body was carried by litter to Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse and helicoptered out from there. The National Park Service is investigating the incident.
Road improvements have already begun along Hermit Road (also known as the West Rim Drive). The road will be closed to all vehicles on April 1st, 2008. Access to the Hermit Trailhead will be limited - please see the March 18th post for more details or visit http://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/hermit.htm for complete information concerning this closure.
Bright Angel Trail looking down at Indian Garden. (Photo: Brian Lane)
Idaho Man Dies While Hiking Bright Angel Trail
Sadly, we announce that on Wednesday, March 26th, a man identified as seventy-four year old Jack Mayfield of Idaho was found lying unresponsive on Bright Angel Trail approximately a quarter mile from Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse. The Park Service reports that Mr. Mayfield was hiking with a companion and had completed a 4.5 mile day hike to Indian Garden and was hiking back up toward the canyon rim when he collapsed. A passer-by initiated CPR after getting instruction from park dispatch. Park personnel continued CPR after arriving on the scene - but to no avail. The body was carried by litter to Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse and helicoptered out from there. The National Park Service is investigating the incident.
We recently purchased your book and are enjoying it. We are considering doing a rim-to-river- and-back hike, in one day. We want to go down and back up the South Kaibab. It will be in mid May. We are in our mid-40's, in reasonably good shape and are experienced hikers (though not desert hikers). We plan to be as smart as possible about how much food and water we'll need, and what to wear/take--such as wide brimmed hats, hiking poles, the right kind of pack, first aid, etc. We plan to head down no later than 7am, have lunch at the river and then hike back. Is it ill-advised to hike back in the mid-afternoon? We realize we may likely be hiking in the dark for awhile, and will take headlamps. We've been hearing a lot of gloom and doom about this plan. What are your thoughts? Are we insane to try??
Btw--Why do you recommend cotton clothing, as opposed to the synthetic wicking material?
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Hi PJ...Thanks for picking up the book, I appreciate it and hope you are still enjoying it!
Going Rim-to-River and back in one day is not recommended by the Park Service. By mid-May temperatures in the Inner Canyon are an average of about 95 degrees in the shade. South Kaibab Trail has no water and hardly any shade, it would be a 12-13 mile round-trip day hike with a nearly 5,000 foot change in elevation, one way. So, I cannot in good conscience recommend the hike as such. About 240 people must be rescued from the Canyon each year, and I would not want you to be one of them. You could consider a shorter day hike. Just day hiking to Cedar Ridge is a wonderful and exhilarating jaunt.
If you decide to take on the proposed hike I would plan to be on the trail by about 5-6am (at the latest) and be off the trail during the heat of mid-day (between about 10am-4pm). I would not hike in the mid-afternoon. Yes, bring headlamps as you may be hiking in the dark, and I would bring a water filter in case you need to pull water from the river (as well as the other ten essentials I list in the book). Bring salty snacks to eat and a Gatorade type sport drink (or powder to add to your water)... And you'll each need a lot of water. It can take 4-6 hours to get to the river and you need about a quart of water per person for each hour of hiking. Hiking back up to the Rim will take longer (usually double the time it took to go down), and require even more water.
Remember - In the Grand Canyon don't hike down into the Canyon until you start feeling tired (as many people do), since hiking back up the Canyon is when the real work begins.
As far as wearing cotton in lieu of synthetic 'wick-away' type clothing... due to the heat in late spring and summer months you want clothing material that does not dry fast - the longer it stays wet or damp - the longer it will help in keeping you cool.
I hope this helps, and if you have any other questions feel free to ask.
Regards,
Brian
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