Hiking rim to rim
GABE LICHT
Editor
About 6 million people visit the Grand Canyon an-
nually.
About 1 percent of them hike to the bottom, David
Krause said.
He and his daughter, Lindsay, are now in the latter
group, as they hiked “rim to rim” in early October.
“That felt pretty good that we were able to do some-
thing not all people are able to do,” David said.
The Krauses joined three other friends, ranging in
age from late 20s to 70s, to hike the canyon.
They drove from Las Vegas to the south rim and
took a fi ve-hour shuttle ride to the north rim. After
spending the night, they began their descent at 4 a.m.
They did so because they were worried about the heat
at the bottom of the canyon. It started out at 32 degrees
at the top and rose to 90 degrees at the bottom of the
canyon. Some portions of the canyon can be as hot as
140 degrees, he said.
It took about nine hours to hike the North Kaibab
Trail, which measures about 14 miles and has a 6,000-
foot elevation change. It was not a cakewalk.
“The fi rst three hours were pretty tough because it’s
basically straight down,” David said. “Going down was
harder than going up. Most people think it’s the oppo-
site way. It’s harder on the legs. There is sand, gravel,
and hard rocks. The surface is constantly changing,
so you have to be careful with your footing. It wears
people out.”
Just three miles in, David started struggling, and he
attributed part of that struggle to not eating breakfast
before beginning.
“I got wobbly legs at mile three,” he said. “Once I
was able to take a break, drink some electrolytes, and
eat something, I was fi ne. It was amazing how it went
after I ate. We took 15-minute breaks every couple
hours.”
They had to balance taking in the beauty of the can-
yon with being safe.
“Do you look up to see the beauty or down at where
you’re going? You have to stop to take in the beauty of
the canyon. The views are unbelievable,” David said.
At the bottom, they were able to stay two nights at
the Phantom Ranch to recuperate.
“It’s a 13-month lottery process,” David said. “You
have to plan for the next year. We were awarded our
spot at about the one-year mark.”
While there, they spent time near the Colorado River,
and taking in the rustic nature of their surroundings.
“There was no Wi-Fi, no cell access,” David said.
“You really are just connected to nature. It’s fun to sit
and let nature come to you. Watching the stars was
unbelievable.”
He also spent time watching the mules, who carried
items in and out of the canyon.
“It’s how things have been done since the 1920s,”
David said. “There is a lot of nostalgia.”
After their stay, they started their seven-mile excur-
6
Senior
sion back up the canyon.
“We went up the Bright An-
gel Trail,” David said. “The el-
evation change was 4,500 feet.
Most of that took place in the
last three miles.”
They saw their fair share of
wildlife, including a California
Condor, mule deer, and goats.
There was a social aspect to
the hike, as well.
“We met a lot of great peo-
ple, including Minnesotans,”
David said.
Trail runners especially im-
pressed him.
“I’ve run six marathons,”
David said. “This is totally dif-
ferent because of the elevation
changes and the terrain being
so different from sidewalks
and streets.”
He encourages others to try
the hike.
“If you think you’re physi-
cally able, I recommend you
do it,” David said.
Connections Jan/Feb 2020
David and Lindsay Krause recently hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Senior Connections HJ.COM