Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim

We will start as two groups. One group leaves from the north rim and one group leaves from the south rim. We exchange cars for the return trip. The plan is to do the entire hike in one day. There are two big advantages to this approach. First, we can travel lighter without overnight gear. Second, we do not need backcountry permits.

This site was developed for a hike that we did in 2003 and has been updated for our hike on May 21, 2005. Each group will travel by car to their side of the canyon. Check the driving information. (Hotel data on that page is from 2003.) The hike starts in the morning. A prompt start is helpful, but less important than in October. The two groups will meet in the bottom of the canyon, then each group makes their own way home.

The best overall resource that I have found for Grand Canyon hiking is at GrandCanyonHiker.com. In particular, we should all look at their Weather Planner and the weather data for the Danger Months, which include May. The temperatures in the inner canyon can already be quite warm, but the North Rim doesn't open until mid-May. Normally not a problem, but safety is first. No one will hike alone, and we'll agree in advance what conditions cause us to abort. This is one of the advantages of the one-day hike. The costs of aborting can be made small.

On May 21, 2005, sunrise is at 5:18 and sunset is at 7:32. There are about 30 minutes of "civil twilight" on each end, too. In any case, we have over fifteen daylight hours to hike the 21 to 24 miles (depending on choice of route). We will have a waxing, nearly full moon that will be above the horizon at sunset. There'll be good moonlight until well after midnight. (data from USNO) My personal experience is that finishing the hike after dark is not too bad. It is a good and wise choice to wait out the afternoon in some shade if it's too hot.

I'll post more information as we firm up our plans. I've compiled some carefully chosen links that you might find useful. If you want more information, send e-mail to me at . We have five confirmed participants for the 2005 hike. There's room for more.