Flagstaff to Grand Canyon Village, 132 Miles

Flagstaff to Arizona Snowbowl, 16 Miles

Back on the trail. A tough climb out of Flagstaff on the “urban route of the AZT.” This is a popular route, and we are dodging our fair share of mountain bikers along the way.

Looking forward to seeing the Grand Canyon again. I have whitewater rafted on the Colorado in the canyon twice, but never have had the pleasure of hiking down and out of it, especially on the legendary Bright Angel Trail.

Arizona Snowbowl to Deadman Wash, 17 Miles

What a beautiful day. Started today with a 2,000 ft climb up to 9,000 ft, the highest point on the entire trail, facing the ski slopes of the Arizona Snowbowl. Winter feels like it is fast approaching, as we begin our climb in freezing temperatures, last night’s frost just beginning to thaw around us. 

We passed through the San Francisco Mountains today. This is the first time in my life that I have seen aspen trees, which I thought at first to be birches. Their leaves wore a golden Autumn hue under the morning light.

As we were heading north, we spotted more hikers today then I think I have seen in two seasons on this trail. We were day’s away heading south to Flagstaff, and I could see many a trail weary hiker ready to crash in town. 

5 days from the Grand Canyon, we spotted the Little Colorado out in the distance. I expect that we will be transitioning to the open, dry canyon country over the next few days.

Deadman Wash to Babbitt Lake, 17 Miles

What a spectacular day. Waking up to a cold morning, we set out at 6 AM, per usual. In this section, the trail largely follows two track forest roads through beautiful open wilderness. 

Though I do not have a geologic map to know for sure, I think the topography of this area is basin and range, meaning that at some point in the distant past, a cataclysmic event caused parts of the earth’s thin crust in this region to sink, creating a basin, and the portions that remained at the original elevation are now mountain ranges. 

In addition, the area is dotted with cinder cones, indicating extensive volcanic activity. 

We’re hiking down the road and I say, Riley, doesn’t the light…look off right now?” 

Sure enough, we were hiking through a partial solar eclipse today. Below are the indicative crescent shaped shadows that occur during such an event. 

For the space of about an hour, the light became a dull honey color, and it was far chillier than one expects to find under full sun exposure in Arizona.

Babbitt Lake to the boundary of the Kaibab National Forest, 19 Miles

What an incredible day out here. We hiked through my favorite kind of terrain today. Vast, open prairie. The land feels open with possibility and leads me to be reflective. 

I love this trail, and I love the desert. The high desert even more so. It reinvigorates me, reminds me how precious life is. 

Many times ‘empty’ land often contains more to me than the densest city block. 

I’m so happy that places like this are protected for those that come after me to experience.

My body is weary from a long hike, but my spirit is renewed again after a very difficult year. I’m very appreciative of my friend Riley joining me out here, sharing each other’s company as we head north. 

Kaibab National Forest Boundary to Scott Tank, 18 Miles

What a tough day. Let’s begin by describing the most cursed thing I have made on trail. I have managed to make my water taste like a Mountain Dew Baja Blast soda, and while it tastes good, it fills me with an existential dread that I have manifested this into the world.

This is the second time this has happened on a 2 week hike, and I think whoever oversees fire in Arizona needs to get their shit together. Riley and I are making miles this morning, when about 6 miles in, we see a sign indicating a fire closure for controlled burns. Like last time, we are caught right in the middle of said closure and the controlled burns are starting TODAY. 

There was no signage at the southern boundary of the closure, and they did not indicate any safe detour to move around the fire. We smell smoke, but do not see any haze. We make the decision that we are about 5 miles from the boundary of the closure and we will hike out of it in about an hour and a half. 

This has never been a problem in the past with 3,000 miles of hiking behind me, and there is no posting online about said burns that we can find. This is frankly unacceptable. 

Anyways, we hike at just about the fastest speed our legs will carry us and make it out with no issues. 

Sore and dog tired, I am happy that we are at least able to camp near a water source tonight. 

2 more days, and we reach the Grand Canyon, that greatest of pits.

Scott Tank to the Tusayan Outskirts, 17 Miles.

Beautiful day today. We are tired after some good miles on this leg. 2 weeks, and about 260 miles behind us, we will reach the Grand Canyon tomorrow. 

We’re ready for laundry, a shower, and a hot meal. What an incredible trip.

Our last wild water source today, it was a little spicy.

Tusayan Outskirts to Grand Canyon Village, 11 Miles

And we made it! Couldn’t have asked for better weather on our trip out here. We enter the canyon tomorrow and will hopefully camp a night inside of it. 

I’m always melancholy as we reach the end of these trips, and look forward to the next one. Looking forward to being back home soon next week. These trips give me perspective at points in my life as I need them. 

I’m deeply grateful to my friend Riley for sharing this experience with me.