The need to “scratch an itch” can sometimes lead to unexpected activities.
In my 60+ years, I have been to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon many times. Each time I have been fascinated by the collage of indescribable colors and shapes that unfold throughout the canyon.
One thing that always stood out to me was a distant trail that seemed to lead to the end of a cliff. It was the trail to Plateau Point. Every time I saw this man-made trail in the vastness of the Grand Canyon, I was drawn to it.
My wife Marcia and I set out to hike the trail in November 2020. 8 inches of snow at the edge created an icy trail that took too long to navigate, even with crampons. We had to turn back.
In September 2022, Marcia and I got another chance. We had just finished a rafting trip through the entire canyon. Our friends Tom and Dana joined us on the South Rim for a few days of hiking. Plateau Point was at the top of our list.
The four of us set out on a 12-mile round-trip adventure on the Bright Angel Trail. By the way, it was 3,000 feet down and then 3,000 feet back up. We were treated to a breathtaking view of the Colorado River when we reached Plateau Point. It was incredible to look back at the edge and retrace our steps. We enjoyed the view and made it back up without incident.
As we were relaxing by the lake, Tom became interested in a group of women who were screaming and hugging each other. They had just completed a two-day hike from one side of the lake to the other. It took Tom about 5 minutes to put such a hike high on his bucket list.
How could we hike 24 miles through the Grand Canyon in one day? How could we descend 6,000 feet and ascend 5,000 feet in one day?
That evening, I began to think that we had just hiked halfway from one side to the other without any training. The four of us were there to continue Tom's hike.
A friend, Chris, and Tom and Dana’s son, Matthew, rounded out our hiking party of six. Our support team of Delle, Kim, and Kynan agreed to transport the cars from the North Rim to the South Rim.
We had a year to train for this hike. We ran, took fitness classes, climbed stairs, played tennis, and did strength training. A trial hike in August on the toughest trail in Arkansas was a learning experience. The high heat and humidity taught us about gear, hydration, and nutrition. The shadow of doubt also reared its ugly head.
Soon we were all gathered at the north rim of the Grand Canyon, which was at 4 degrees and bathed in a full moon at 4 a.m. Each of us moved at our own pace in the darkness, with headlamps pointing the way. Matthew, Tom, and Dana took a detour to Ribbon Falls. The rest of us continued on and arrived at Phantom Ranch.
That stop at the bottom of the canyon was special to me. My dad told me about hiking there 75 years ago with some high school friends. They were unprepared and relied on the kindness of others for food and shelter that night. His spirit was still there all these years later.
We rested before starting the climb. Each of us had our own challenges. Marcia didn’t like the long mile-and-a-half walk through loose sand before starting the climb. I relied on praying the rosary to help me get up the trail. Dana found the dead weight of a water-soaked shirt in her pack. Tom was the hydration and nutrition expert on the climb. Chris wondered why he hadn’t heard about the steep, corkscrew section of the trail. Matthew knew his training plan and his youth would eventually get him to the top.
We all completed the trail from start to finish! It took us between 14 and 16 hours; some had to use headlamps for the last few kilometres. The scenery we saw along the way will remain etched in our memories, and the bonds we created will also last. When Tom mentioned doing it again, we all ran away. We didn't want to do it again!
– Weger lives in Baton Rouge.
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