Nine years ago, in 2006, I accomplished a quad crossing of the Grand Canyon (R2R2R2R2R). This has only been accomplished by six runners and no one has accomplished it twice. I was interested in trying to do it again. The total distance is about 88 miles and involves about 25,000 feet of climbing along the way.
It had been two years since I had run in the canyon. I typically enjoy running there on Thanksgiving weekend when temperatures are cool (and some years it is pretty frigid). But for this long run I decided to go a week earlier when it would be a bit warmer.
After staying overnight in Kanab, I headed to the North Rim. As I drove through the meadows near the park entrance the temperature dipped to 16 degrees but at the trailhead it was a “warmer” 23 degrees. I made my preparations, and was on that trail at 6:03 a.m., running down the very familiar trail in the dark. This was my 31st time on the North Kaibab trail (going in either direction) so I knew every section and turn very well. There was some slick snow/ice for the first mile but nothing dangerous because that section doesn’t have cliffs to the side. I did trip and fall three times during that first couple miles but the falls were minor. I was frustrated that as I get older, my balance and skill seems to be decreasing, but as dawn arrived, the increased light helped.