Grand Canyon North Rim

Grand Canyon North Rim

Posted to OHE on 18 October 2014 by Doug Walker <kaularock2004@YAHOO.COM>

Hey Dayle! How about a warm and fuzzy feeling. I drove thru your old stompin' grounds of Flagstaff on my way to the north rim of the Grand Canyon last week. Boy, what a haul from Apache Junction, almost 400 miles dead north. (Sorry, only stopped at Fry's for gas tho.)

Yup, threw some food, snacks and beer in a cooler and along with my sleeping bag, headed north west on the back roads thru Payson in my Syncro. I passed Mormon Lake, Flagstaff, The Gap to Lee's Ferry, where I spent the nite at the camp ground.

I arrived in the late afternoon and went to the Lee's Ferry launch ramp where I watched a six raft float trip get ready for a 15 day run down the Colorado River. There were supplies and equipment everywhere, but when I returned in the am the 3 passenger rafts were all set...just waiting for the clients to arrive. It was now officially the off season. The leader mentioned that during the summer months, wave after wave of float companies stage their rafts at the launch site.

I continued on to the north rim the next morning passing along miles and miles of the Vermillion Cliffs before climbing the plateau to Jacob Lake. I showed my senior pass at the park gate and secured a camping site.

I drove to the hotel where I took in the grand view and then walked the quarter mile out to Bright Angel Point...a thin, ridge lookout. I've seen a number of nice views in my 66 years, but few more stunning than this. The hospitality portion of the park was closing for the winter in days only to open again next May. It's a long, rough winter on the north rim. The park was not crowded.

In the afternoon I drove The Walhalla Plateau out to Cape Royal passing many view points along the way. Cape Royal is a multi-view, very civilized area with drop dead scenery. On the way back I stopped at Angels Window, Roosevelt Point, Vista Encantada and Imperial Point. I also hiked the 4 mile Cape Final trail.

The camp ground was very civilized and I took a 6 minute shower for a buck fifty. It got very cold but my surplus Korean war mummy bag keep me nice and warm.

The next morning at about 9 I drove to the Widforss Trail head. This was a ten mile hike along the north rim snaking along the edge in a western direction. I highly recommend this trail and would classify it as an intermediate because of it's length. There is probably an 800 ft elevation gain starting out comprising of moderate switch backs. The rest of the trail is kinda sorta like the Maunawili Demo trail...weaving in & out.

I got another shower, a good nite's sleep and drove back down the plateau to Lee's Ferry where I spent the nite again.

The next morning I drove home via the back roads, arriving back in Apache Junction in the late afternoon.

I'm glad that I finally made it to the north rim and would recommend that it rank high on any hiker's bucket list.