Backpacking the Grand Canyon - Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa
So I've backpacked the Grand Canyon before. But Tina hasn't. So I wanted her to see this amazing place herself and fall in love with it like I have. Except the thing about the Grand Canyon is it's deep. There's a lot of elevation loss for the pay off, then you have to climb back out. Tina and elevation disagree.
I didn't want her to go there and suffer. If you do that, it takes away the joy and can make you dislike (or even hate) something you otherwise might love. So I did my typical research (also known as winging it) and found a route into the Grand Canyon that only went partway in. I figured that would be a great introduction; it would show the beauty without requiring the entire climb out. That route was the Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa.
As with many plans, things fell apart immediately. Firstly, I lucked out and got Phantom Ranch two weeks earlier than our trip to the Grandview Trail. If you know anything about Phantom Ranch, you know that you do not turn down reservations to Phantom Ranch if you're able to get them. So Tina's actual first trip was an entire rim to rim hike in two days. It was actually an incredible experience, but it was also hard. Really hard. We made it, but turning around to hike the canyon again only two weeks later was a bit soon.
But she decided to go anyway.
On the drive there, I decided it might be wise to read about the conditions on the Grandview Trail. If you know anything about researching hikes, you're rolling your eyes about now. On the drive to the hike is not the time to research a hike. Review after review kept talking about how rugged, washed out and steep the trail was. It was rated as difficult by about everyone.
This was not going to be the easy introduction to the canyon I'd expected.
It was, however, short and absolutely gorgeous. It was tough, but we were at camp quickly. And that night, the Grand Canyon treated us to an incredible light show thanks to some thunderstorms on the north rim. It was pretty much perfect.
The following day it was time to pay the price and the steep climb up the Grandview Trail began. But we put our heads down and focused on one foot in front of the other and soon enough we were out.
And that was that. It was a great experience. It was also nice to know we could leave our house at 10AM and be at camp in the Grand Canyon by 5PM, then home the following afternoon. All in all, while not easy, it is hard not to recommend the Grandview Trail.
As a side note; we are both more sore from this than hiking the entire Rim to Rim trail. Still worth it.
Music by Artlist:
Nocturne in Eb Op. 9 No. 2 - Birraj (bonus points if you relate this song to Bad Santa)
We Found Each Other - Birraj
Suite No. 1 - Ardie Son
Yearning - ANBR
Greig Morning
Years - The Hunts