Hiking out of the canyon is much harder than the hike down. Besides the obvious, uphill requires lots more energy than downhill, you also lose the energy boosting experience of the canyon's amazing views.

Weighted down with a heavy pack, the hike back up tends to focus your gaze on your shoetops as you plod up switchback after switchback. This is where you really pay the penalty for every extra ounce of gear you've elected to take along.

Stop frequently to pace yourself. When you do dtop, turn around and look back into the canyon for more of those amazing views. This hike takes you through a lusher, greener part of the canyon than the South Kaibab trail does and there's lots to see here.

Just like the South Kaibab, this is a well maintained trail. Both trails are wide enough that there's no sensation of vertigo, so even hikers with a modest fear of heights will generally feel safe, especially since most of the trail is carved against one side of the canyon wall.

If you have the time and the physical ability, this hike can be one of the most memorable experiences of your life!

There weren't many people on the trial that day which I think can be explained by the bad weather at the rim. I got to the Colorado just as the sun was starting to set. This was my first trip to the GC and the sun setting along the Colorado at the bottom was probably the highlight. Beautiful.

I ran into some girls from U of Kansas as I was on the bridge crossing the river and they were nice enough to share some of their food and company w/ me that night. My restless night at the Phantom Ranch will be detailed in another entry.

I was off early the next morning for the hike up. A couple hours in, I was coming around a bend when I spotted a mountain sheep, the type with the big curly horns. He was coming down the path toward me. There was a drop off on one edge of the path and solid rock on the other. The path was probably ten feet wide. The sheep continued towards me while I took pictures of him until he was only ten' from me. We stood looking at each other. I was completely unsure of the aggressiveness level of these types of animals and I wondered whether he might consider moving me out of his way by ramming me off the cliff. After 20 seconds or so he simply scrambled by me as I pressed up against the wall. Great close encounter and I got some great pictures which I will try to include.

The dramatic red pinnacles and slot canyons dotted with evergreens are what make this hike so spectacular, no matter what distance you cover. Since the trail is somewhat narrow, most people walk a few feet beyond the zigzagging corners to stop. Looking straight up the sheer vertical walls can be a challenge to your natural balance. I really appreciated these views having seen them from the top on the rim hike. To go from the top to the middle and then the bottom via raft trip was just fabulous.

The California Condors made several appearances, as did swallows with beautiful electric blue colors. Large lizards and horned toads are also native to this area, along with chipmunks and squirrels. Deer and elk can also be glimpsed in the early morning and evenings, but they are quite shy. Rangers continue to advise people not to feed the animals as they become aggressive toward humans that don’t have food for them.

It is so quiet within the canyon, and so beautiful. This is a very crowded trail, but there are still many opportunities to sit on a rock for a few minutes, alone, and feel the peacefulness. It's as though you've walked into a postcard - it is so amazing, it almost doesn't feel real. However, if you want to avoid people, I advise choosing a less traveled trail.

I will someday come back, and plan, and make a reservation at Phantom Ranch or the campground at the bottom of the canyon so that I can hike to the river and back. (It is over 9 miles and 4,500 foot elevation change to the river so can't be done in one day, unless you're crazy).

Don't ignore the signs that urge you to bring water and be prepared. It's hotter as you go further into the canyon. People have died in there. It is so disturbing to see families with little kids and a tiny water bottle for the group, walking down into the canyon like it's a walk around the mall. Please, be considerate to your children and to your own body - and listen to the park rangers!