Our one full day in the inner canyon was planned a year in advance -- a long hike within the inner canyon and beyond, from Phantom Ranch to Ribbon Falls. Three of us extended the hike to Roaring Springs. Total of 14 miles there and back. The steak supper that night at Phantom Ranch tasted great.
First part of this video is some shots of Phantom Ranch and the Colorado River. The next section is hiking to Ribbon Falls and beyond. The first part of that section goes through "The Box" -- an area with steep canyon walls of Vishnu Schist, several long miles, an area known to be dangerously hot in the summer...10 to 25 degrees hotter than outside the box. That can mean 120 degrees or more. Not an area to be trifled with. We were here in October and the weather could not have been nicer for us lucky hikers -- it was comfortably cool at night and in the morning, and it was pleasantly warm in the afternoon (80 degrees.)
The return hike from Roaring Springs to Phantom Ranch through this area seemed to take forever...you expect the canyon wall that you see in the distance to be the last and Phantom Ranch to appear around the bend, but it goes on and on, series after series of canyon walls that the Bright Angel created. If you were hiking from the North Rim this is where you might be tired, 10 miles in and 4 miles to go.
The highlight of the hike was Ribbon Falls, a little piece of paradise in the deep desert canyons, complete with young women under the waterfalls.
Phantom Ranch
They say less than 1% of the people who visit the Grand Canyon ever get to the Phantom Ranch, which is at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. And the few who do go are oftentimes repeaters -- many people you meet at the ranch have been there many times. I met more than a few who had made the trip 10 times or more. Phantom Ranch, the canyon, and the people you meet (everyone at the ranch is friendly) make the experience something to remember. It can take a full year in advance to get reservations, so everyone there has a keen interest in appreciating their stay and making the most of it.
I called on Sept 1 2010 at 10am to inquire about reservations for the next year -- September of 2011. They told me they had 55,000 calls by that time. So on the following first of October I called again, only this time at at 8am sharp. To my surprise, they answered right away. They told me I was the luckiest man in the world, I was their very first call for October reservations, and then they politely asked me what days in October of 2011 were wanted, and how many people were going! My lucky day. The place offers physical hikes with spectacular sights, followed by good food and beer. Yes folks, beer. Beer is offered for $5/can after 8pm every night. Dinners are: stew and cornbread one night, followed by steak and potatoes the next. Thats it. It never changes. Been that way since 1946. Phantom Ranch breakfast, served family style in the canteen, has bacon, scrambled eggs, canned peaches, hot coffee, orange juice, pancakes with butter and syrup. Pre-bagged lunches for your day hike can be reserved ahead of time. Other info: Towels and showers (we knew of 3 mens and 3 womens showers, for the entire camp) are provided. Each cabin/dorm room has toilet facilities.
Phantom Ranch on Flickr.
The Phantom Ranch complex is a collection of private camp facilities (a canteen, showers, cabins, small dorms, corrals), park service buildings, a park service campground and ancient native American historical sites. It is bounded on its west side by Bright Angel Creek, which is fed by Roaring Springs, 8 miles up the North Kaibab Trail. The creek was named by John Wesley Powell when his crew came through the Grand canyon in 1869. He wrote: "The little affluent which we have discovered here is a clear, beautiful creek” His crew were happy to have the creek -- the water they had was the warm and silty Colorado River water.
During the summer months the Colorado River has many rafting groups that stop at the Phantom Ranch to mail their letters and get passengers...or let passengers leave -- the river after this point has its largest and most challenging rapids.
Two unusual women
| These two women were at Phantom ranch, relaxing and having their lunch before their hike up to the South Rim via the South Kaibab Trail. They had just hiked down the South Rim on the Bright Angel Trail that morning -- they were celebrating their 50th birthdays' by hiking down the south rim on the Bright Angel Trial and back up the Kaibab on the same day. They seemed to be in good shape, not a sign of exhaustion or stress. Besides the multi-colored clothing and hair pieces, they were both wearing fancy embroidered stockings, as if they were Paris bordello dancers. They said they dressed this way because they did it last year and had such a good time, that they had to do it again. One figured they easily got a lot of attention. What a way to spend your 50th birthday. |
