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Grand Canyon Double Crossing #15

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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.

I love being in the Grand Canyon when morning arrives.  The colors come alive as the light shifts against the cliffs.  I was the only one on the trail so the peace and quiet is amazing until the sound of Roaring Spring starts to be detected in the distance.

For the past several weeks I have had issues with my problem right leg and knee, so I had no idea how far I would really end up going, but as I ran down Roaring Spring Canyon the leg seemed to be holding up well.  I reached the Roaring Spring caretaker cabin (5.5 miles) at the 1:15 mark which is moving pretty well on that steep trail.  The water was not on as usual there because of pipe repair going on, but with the cool temperatures my two water bottles would be plenty to get to Phantom Ranch.

From that point, the North Kaibab trail runs along Bright Angel Creek and is less steep and much more runnable.  I quickly noticed the massive erosion in places due to some pretty bad flooding a month or so ago. I ran through Cottonwood Campground and waved at the backpacking groups waking up for the day, all giving me curious looks.

My pace increased as the trail smoothed out making its way to “The Box”, a narrow winding section of the side canyon.  I tried to predict the point when I would see the first R2R2R runners coming from the other direction.  Sure enough the first one appeared at about the 11-mile mark, the half-way point.  Two others came later, the only three that I would see on the trail.  Soon hikers from Phantom Ranch appeared and they gave friendly greetings.  With the recent rains, the canyon was still moist and a bit colder than the trail above.  I was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt and gloves.  As long as I kept my pace up, I was staying warm.  The hikers were all bundled up in warm coats.

I reached Phantom Ranch (mile 14) at the 2:30 mark which is a solid time.  My PR to this point is 2:16.  Phantom Ranch looked like a disaster area with caution tape all over the place closing sections washed out from the flooding.  Teams were getting to working replacing sections of the pipeline.  I filled up my bottles at the faucet in front of the Canteen (store).

Continuing on, the trail was closed on the east side of the creek and I had to run through the campground, waving to campers eating breakfast.   After crossing back over, I ran along the Colorado River, over Black Bridge and then started the tough steep climb up South Kaibab Trail.  I’ve only used this trail a few times, and chose it this time because it is shorter and quicker if I would be doing a quad crossing.

I kept the pace strong going up the “stair-step-like” trail up to the Tonto Platform at “The Tipoff.”  I reached there (mile 16.7) at 3:37.  The first of the day hikers coming down from the South Rim were there, resting.  A mule train had just left The Tipoff heading up.   I groaned, knowing that it would hold me up.  I caught up to the mules and the guy at the rear kindly offered to let me pass which I did very quickly to continue on.

As I climbed higher and higher, I greeted more hikers who looked at me curiously as I was going up faster than they were going down.  Snow appeared in places and the wind increased as the top of the rim approached. I looked at my watch a little too late.  My PR for a single crossing is 5:26 and I could have easily broken that.  I reached the top at 5:29, not too speedy but solid.  I was pleased with the time at my advanced age.

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I stayed at the top for 18 minutes, re-stuffing my pockets with food from my little pack, and searching around for the water faucet which I finally found and filled my bottles.

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On the trail again, the downhill felt great after all the uphill.   I kept a steady pace all the way down, getting funny comments from hikers who realized that I was heading back down.  At one point a rim-to-river-and-back runner flew by me and I realized that I was being pretty lazy and kicked the pace back up and tried to keep him in my sights.

I returned back to Phantom Ranch (mile 29) at 7:30 (1:33 p.m.).  That was slower than I hoped for.  I had wanted to return back to the North Rim before dusk and that would now be tough.  I stayed at the ranch, eating, filling bottles, and re-stuffing pockets for nine minutes and then was on my way.

I really enjoyed the run back through the box and was pretty amazed how well my legs felt.  I again crossed paths with the three other R2R2R runners coming back down from the North Rim.  I returned to Cottonwood Campground and discovered that actually the water was on near the ranger cabin.  I drank well and filled my bottles back up. Many of the same people were still in the campground and I waved again as I ran by.

I returned to the Roaring Spring cabin (mile 37.5) at 10:04.  As the trail turned up steeper, I knew the drill well.  I just pushed a constant pace and tried not to feel anxious about reaching the top.  Darkness came and I turned my light on at Supai Tunnel. I was feeling great and still was very determined about continuing on and doing another double crossing.  I returned back to the top and my car at 12:32 which was a PR for me for a R2R2R by 15 minutes and my best north-south-north R2R2R by 24 minutes. It was my 15th career double crossing.

I got back into my car and turned on the heat.  I hoped to be back on the trail within 30 minutes but needed to warm back up and eat well.  I decided to drive to the North Rim overlook to see if I could get a cell phone signal to let my wife know that I was continuing on.  But within five minutes in the warm car, my determination turned off like a light switch. No, I was cold and the next crossing would take more than six hours, arriving back to the cold south rim at 3:00 a.m.  Instead, I could be sleeping in a warm motel bed at that time in Kanab.  So, I quit and was happy.  But it felt exactly like a couple of my 100-mile race DNFs when I quit for no valid reason.

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As I drove away, I contemplated how I could accomplish a quad in the future and get beyond the mental challenge of continuing.  1. Do the first double-crossing at night when I feel fresh and can handle the cold temperatures better.  The third crossing would then be during the morning when the canyon comes to life and my spirits are always higher.  2. To really make it happen, leave something down near the bottom that I have to go retrieve anyway. I’m sure I’ll try to do a quad again in the future.  The ideal time for a North Rim start is October or November.

The next morning, as I drove back home, I stopped to run 10 miles below the White Cliffs near Mount Carmel Junction, running in slot canyons and washes.  It had been a great quick trip.

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1 thought on “Grand Canyon Double Crossing #15

  1. Allen Day

    You have a great talent for writing, as well as running.

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