This picture gives me the willies. I hope she’s full aware of where she is. One misstep and she’ll be reaching for the “white light.” Nearly 700 people have, as noted in the new edition of “Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon.”

Authors Tom Myers and Michael Ghiglieri, both based in Flagstaff, AZ, say the casualties are related to hiking, boating and environmental factors, which include heat, dehydartion and cold. These risks, of course, can be significantly mitigated if you are properly prepared and use common sense.

More info about this book here…

Bright Angel Point trail goes down to Indian Springs before cutting down to the Colorado River. Before it makes the descent, you have the option to go to Plateau Point, which is located at the edge of the Tonto Platform, about 1.5 miles form Indian Gardens…

Roundtrip from top of the South Rim to Plateau Point is about 12 miles. It’s the final three miles going up where you feel it. Only start this hike in the early morning during summer as the Grand Canyon heats up the deeper you enter the heart.

Someday I’ll research just how many miles you can see into the horizon at Grand Canyon National Park on a clear day. What I do know is that the air is phenomenally inviting during the morning.

That said, news here is reporting the drought my get the better of Arizona, which means wildfires. I’m not excited about this. Seems more and more of our natural forest gets lost to folks who carelessly put out fires in the boonies. Argh!

Meantime, lots of folks have recommended Grand Canyon Day Trips as the place for day tours. I took a look and found the rates quite reasonable.

It’s a great time to visit Grand Canyon National Park. Temperatures are absolutely balmy and the days are clear as a bell. Judging from this great picture of a trio of ladies enjoying Bright Angel Trail, there’s lots of fun to be had….

Bright Angel Trail starts just off the Rim Trail near Kolb Studio. It’s a steep hike until the path flattens out at Indian Gardens. From there, you follow a stream down to the Colorado River, hang a right, and make your way to Phantom Ranch. Reservations are required for Ranch overnights & meals as most of dorm beds and cabins are sold out a year in advance. Is it it worth the haggling? Absolutely!

Because of the fragile desert ecosystem of the inner canyon, minimum impact camping practices are a must. Around 800 people a day will be camping along the river on any given night during peak season. There’s significant potential for damage to everyone’s favorite camps.
But if we all work together, we can help preserve the camps for future visitors.

Indian Artifacts

Humans have left their mark in the canyon, long before we started running the rapids. These pre-historic and historic resource areas are all a part of the canyon record, from ancestral Puebloans to the miners and explorers. Each site is a protected area and every thing from the smallest flake of stone, to pieces of pottery, even more recent historic artifacts are a significant part of the canyons history. All are protected by law and should be left as they’re found.

Permits Required

Remember when you hike on river left, you may be entering the Navajo, Havasupai, or Hualapi Indian Reservations. This includes the Diamond Creek Takeout. If you are planning on visiting these areas, please apply for permits well in advance before entering reservation lands. Consult with the main park office for the specific boundaries of these reservations and any applicable fees.

While exploring areas off the river you’ll discover a wealth of archeological sites. They’re all fragile and serve as a connection to the Canyon’s past as well as a valuable study resource.

Native Americans have been in the canyon for over ten thousand years. Because of the dry desert environment many of the artifacts they left are still intact throughout the canyon. Many are of significant religious importance to today’s tribal people.

Archeological Sites

Archeological sites come in many varieties from walls and foundations to granaries to large areas dotted with ruins and roasting pits. These sites have endured decades and sometimes centuries but with one misstep an area can be damaged or eliminated over time. Always stay on established trails and don’t enter any of the sites. Most of them are very delicate and can be degraded or destroyed very easily. Something as simple as leaning against a wall can cause it to collapse.

Grand Canyon covers over 1.2 million acres, most of this space is open for you to explore. There are certain areas though where you will need to show caution or simply avoid.

Use Caution Here

Stanton’s Cave is at river mile 30. You can hike to the cave opening but are restricted from entering the cave by a gate. This gate was constructed to preserve the archeological site inside and allow a colony of bats to fly in and out of the cave. The artifacts that once were here were excavated by archeologists long ago.

Just down river and in view of Stanton’s Cave is Vasey’s Paradise. Vasey’s is home to the Kanab Amber Snail that live in the vegetation. It’s best to stay 5 feet from any plants for the protection of the snail and yourself; poison ivy abounds at this site. Due to the fragile nature of the remnants of Anasazi Bridge on the cliff face at river mile 42, this archaeological site is closed to all stopping or visitation.

Another area off limits to all stopping is the Sacred Salt Mine just below the confluence of the Little Colorado River. This is a religious site of great value to Hopi and other tribes of the Four Corners and out of respect we ask you not to stop here.

At River Mile 52 you will see the Nankoweap Granaries in a small alcove in the cliff face. Hiking up the stabilized trail is permitted but please stay on the ledge below the actual granaries.

The Furnace Flats area is located at river mile 71 and half. The site has undergone severe erosion, and is closed to any visitation. While the park tries to stabilize the area please don’t stop there.

At river mile 72 is one of the largest archeological sites in the canyon, Unkar Delta is perched on a large shelve above Unkar Rapid. This area covers many acres and was inhabited some 1000 years ago. There are dozens of structures, foundations as well as pottery pieces and other artifacts. Unkar Delta is the only exception to the rule, where you will be permitted to enter the structures so take some time to explore this unique area.

If You Find an Artifact

If you want to examine an artifact more closely you may pick it up but please return it to the exact spot where you picked it up. You’ll notice collectors piles throughout the site where visitors have stacked artifacts for display. It’s far more rewarding for you and those who will follow to make their own discoveries. Please don’t pile artifacts on rocks or walls.

The canyon has been host to several eras of human occupation and activities. The late 1800’s saw a flurry of mining activity. One of the richest minerals taken from the canyon was asbestos, because of the potential health hazard both Hance and Bass mines sites are closed to visitation.

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You’ll be traveling through what to most of you will be a remote and unfamiliar environment, but there are many inhabitants of the canyon that call it home.

For the most part the wildlife of the canyon are tolerant of your presence.

Two of the animals to be aware of are scorpions and rattlesnakes.

While these creatures are not particularly dangerous while left alone, they can deliver a vicious sting or bite if provoked

Scorpions like dark, damp and cool environments. Clothes left on the beach or the underside of table taps are favorite resting places. Be sure to shake out clothing, sleeping bags and life jackets and look before you reach for anything.

Rattlesnakes are for the most part very docile and would rather avoid you. Snake bites usually occur when people try to pick up the snake.
Keep in mind that all wildlife in the canyon is protected by law. Even if the more prickly types may get your skin crawling, that doesn’t mean you should harm them in any way. The only ones to make note of are Africanized bees. If you happen to see abnormally aggressive bee behavior please report the location to the Park Service.

You’ll become aware of the birds that inhabit the canyon. Sightings of Osprey, blue heron, and Peregrine Falcons may become daily occurrences.

If you are extremely lucky you may see one of the California Condor that were released near the Grand Canyon These birds are endangered species and you should keep you’re distance even if they visit you in camp. Keep going downstream if you encounter them along a shoreline while on the river. These birds are easily habituated to humans and their food. This is one reason for their near extinction.

Two other birds , the Common Raven and the Boattailed Grackle will he constant visitors to your camp as they see humans as two legged vending machines. Any food left unattended on your boats as well as in camp will quickly vanish.

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One overall safety precaution each of us need to carry with us relates to our own egos. We need to consider our location when taking chances and realize that if we take personal risks, deep in the canyon, the outcome can affect everyone else in the group.

GC Ranger Pam Cox
“You know that running the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon has its risks. Some of those risks might surprise you. For instance: most injuries don’t happen in thundering rapids like these. In fact 90% of all accidents happen off the river. For example: getting on or off the boats or hiking up one of the many side canyons. You need to be careful and plan ahead whenever you venture away from the river. We recommend hiking with a buddy or in a group. One of the leading contributers to injuries in the back country is hiking alone.”

Statistically, given time…accidents do happen.

If for any reason you find yourself in an emergency situation you can’t handle yourself the Park Service is here to lend a hand. But first you need to contact us. There are many different ways to do so. Hiking out is the least desirable method in that it subjects you to the rigors of the canyon.

If you are anywhere near Phantom Ranch, a ranger is usually on duty and there is a pay phone to contact 9-1-1.

All commercial river trips are required to carry satellite phones. So if you can find a commercial trip, or another private with a satellite phone, they might be able to help you with communications. SAT phones with fresh batteries are the best of all contact tools. Call the Park Service dispatch number that is in your permit packet.

However you communicate, what the Park Service needs to know is:

-Exact location of the incident including river mile and side of river.
-Whether the patient is stable or critical.
-If the problem is trauma or medical.
-Whether the incident involves a: private river trip, commercial river trip, or a hiker.

If the problem is serious it may require a helicopter evacuation. If this is the case there are certain things you’ll need to do to keep yourself and the helicopter crew safe.

The orange panels you carry are used to mark a landing zone. First, wet the landing zone down with buckets of water, the more you wet the area, the less the sand blows. Place a landing marker on the beach so that the helicopter crew can find you. A safe landing area is 75 feet across. Before the pilot lands, remove the marker panels. Be sure to secure anything that might blow away when the helicopter lands.. Keep your group together and at least 100 feet from the landing zone.

The pilot may or may not use your particular landing zone. That’s up to the pilot’s discretion.
When the helicopter lands, don’t approach it. A crew member will come to you. They’ll help you go through the next steps to get the situation in hand. In an emergency its always best to respond with aggressive self rescue first, but sometimes the circumstances become too great to deal with alone, and that’s when we can try to assist.
Lists of rules won’t really ensure a safe trip. Your good judgment will. Its one of the best tools you can bring along.

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The Grand Canyon offers a variety of temperature extremes from the very cold river to extremely hot and dry days. Since you‘ll be traveling through a desert, the summer temperatures will be very hot. They’re equal to Phoenix or Las Vegas. It can and often does get up around 120 degrees.

When you’re hot you really don’t feel like eating much, but food is just as important as water to keep you going. Simply munching on food throughout the day is one of the best things you can do.

Hydration on this trip is a primary goal every day. Good liquids like water, sports drinks and fruit juices will keep you hydrated. Everyone needs to drink at least a gallon of these every day. More if its really hot.

Other drinks like coffee, soda, and alcohol are diuretics and actually lead to dehydration. If you’re going to consume diuretics, please do so in moderation.

Eating frequently and drinking good liquids every 15 to 30 minutes will keep you in good shape to enjoy the trip.

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Some of the most common problems I see on the trail are fatigue, nausea and leg cramps. Many times these problems are caused by the early stages of hyponatremia, or too little salt, along with too few calories for a high level of exertion. This hiker has done several things right. When he got tired he sat down in the shade to rest, and he has tried to eat and drink this morning. Although he’s feeling sick right now, many times these problems can be resolved with rest, salty food, water and electrolytes.

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Before we start down the trail though, there are a few more things to consider. First and foremost, are you in good physical condition? If you have any medical problems talk to your doctor before visiting the Grand Canyon to make sure you are healthy enough to hike steep and difficult trails. You can see beautiful views of the Canyon from the Rim Trail, or you may want to limit your hike to 15-30 minutes down trail. Remember it takes most hikers one and a half to two times the amount of time it took to hike down to hike back up. So a 30 minute hike down the trail may take 1 hour to come back up.

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