Grand Canyon - Can't hike in/out

Mike Walker wrote:

Hey folx;

Just setting off on a trip that will get us the Grand Canyon in about
2 weeks. My wife and I are seniors and out-of-shape enough (with
significant medical "challenges") that preclude even thinking about
hiking down into the canyon. Any suggestions for decrepid old foggies
(other than watching while all the fit young hikers march off? :-) TIA

Depending on your condition, you could do what we did: hike down into
the canyon for 15 minutes, then turn around and hike back up (30
minutes). This gives you at least some chance to look *up* at the walls.

There are also rim trails that are level and paved.

--
Evelyn C. Leeper
http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper
Discovery consists of seeing what everyone else has seen
and thinking what no one else has thought. -Albert Szent-Gyorgi

I'm not sure I'd publicly admit to your description but it probably
fits us, or at least me.

Things to do start with leaving your car wherever you are staying and
taking the park shuttle. Check out the Visitors' Center. One group of
things to do are Ranger Activities. Many are wheel chair accessible.
One I remember was on the geology of the Canyon and another on the
Lure of the Canyon (or similar title) and one was about the history of
the Canyon (i.e., early Native Americans and first explorers et al).
And there is or was an evening Ranger program. Also, there was an IMAX
film on the Canyon that was definitely worth seening some evening.

You can easily and unforgettably spend a good portion of a day on the
park shuttle on the West Rim. If you are a photographer, you could do
this twice -- once early in the day and again late in the afternoon.
The shadows are dramatic (at midday everything is flat). The Park
Service conducts a bus tour along the West Rim Drive, which is closed
to autos. Busses leave every 15 minutes from just below Bright Angel
Lodge, making stops at eight major overlook points along the way.
Unless you rush, you get off, make your way to the overlook, take some
pictures, and catch the 2nd bus. Be sure to plan time for Yavapai
Point. It is pretty awesome. The drivers we had were also guides and
that was worth a zillion.

We took a Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopter tour from rand Canyon
National Park Airport. Do this early or late but not midday if you
have a choice. We chose them because they have the low impact (i.e.,
least disturbing) planes.

Another day, pack your camera and picnic and drive east on route 54 as
it runs along the Canyon and Colorado River. It is 26 miles from Grand
Canyon Village to Desert View. There are a half dozen or so major
observations points along the way. Some views are merely spectacular,
while others are more spectacular. Be sure to save time for Desert
View -- it has an unforgettable view.

That is three days or maybe four.

Best, Brian

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 01:44:04 -0400, Mike Walker
wrote:

Hey folx;

Just setting off on a trip that will get us the Grand Canyon in about
2 weeks. My wife and I are seniors and out-of-shape enough (with
significant medical "challenges") that preclude even thinking about
hiking down into the canyon. Any suggestions for decrepid old foggies
(other than watching while all the fit young hikers march off? :-) TIA
. . . . Mike
-----------------------------------------------------
'Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful
and the powerless means to side with the powerful,
not to be neutral.' Paolo Freire

I'm not sure I'd publicly admit to your description but it probably
fits us, or at least me.

Things to do start with leaving your car wherever you are staying and
taking the park shuttle. Check out the Visitors' Center. One group of
things to do are Ranger Activities. Many are wheel chair accessible.
One I remember was on the geology of the Canyon and another on the
Lure of the Canyon (or similar title) and one was about the history of
the Canyon (i.e., early Native Americans and first explorers et al).
And there is or was an evening Ranger program. Also, there was an IMAX
film on the Canyon that was definitely worth seening some evening.

You can easily and unforgettably spend a good portion of a day on the
park shuttle on the West Rim. If you are a photographer, you could do
this twice -- once early in the day and again late in the afternoon.
The shadows are dramatic (at midday everything is flat). The Park
Service conducts a bus tour along the West Rim Drive, which is closed
to autos. Busses leave every 15 minutes from just below Bright Angel
Lodge, making stops at eight major overlook points along the way.
Unless you rush, you get off, make your way to the overlook, take some
pictures, and catch the 2nd bus. Be sure to plan time for Yavapai
Point. It is pretty awesome. The drivers we had were also guides and
that was worth a zillion.

We took a Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopter tour from rand Canyon
National Park Airport. Do this early or late but not midday if you
have a choice. We chose them because they have the low impact (i.e.,
least disturbing) planes.

Another day, pack your camera and picnic and drive east on route 54 as
it runs along the Canyon and Colorado River. It is 26 miles from Grand
Canyon Village to Desert View. There are a half dozen or so major
observations points along the way. Some views are merely spectacular,
while others are more spectacular. Be sure to save time for Desert
View -- it has an unforgettable view.

That is three days or maybe four.

Best, Brian

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 01:44:04 -0400, Mike Walker
wrote:

Hey folx;

Just setting off on a trip that will get us the Grand Canyon in about
2 weeks. My wife and I are seniors and out-of-shape enough (with
significant medical "challenges") that preclude even thinking about
hiking down into the canyon. Any suggestions for decrepid old foggies
(other than watching while all the fit young hikers march off? :-) TIA
. . . . Mike
-----------------------------------------------------
'Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful
and the powerless means to side with the powerful,
not to be neutral.' Paolo Freire

Keith W wrote:

Walk some of the west rim trail rather than just driving along and
stopping at overlook points. Its mostly paved and fairly level and even
a few hundred yards from the bus stop you escape the worst of the
crowds.

I second this suggestion. You could start at the Lodge area and within
minutes you're away from the crowd; it's you, a few mule deer, some
other walkers and, especially, the view. If you're able, I also second
the suggestion of going just a short way down a trail and back (Bright
Angel Trail is handy; you could walk down to the arch near the top,
e.g.).

Evelyn Leeper wrote:
Depending on your condition, you could do what we did: hike down into
the canyon for 15 minutes, then turn around and hike back up (30
minutes). This gives you at least some chance to look *up* at the
walls.

Excellent advice. However, I also think that if this is too much, go
down the trail a short way (50 vertical feet?), find a shady spot and
sit for an hour admiring the view and quiet. It's a whole different
world than the nearby overlook and you are now "in" the canyon..

George

Evelyn Leeper wrote:
Depending on your condition, you could do what we did: hike down into
the canyon for 15 minutes, then turn around and hike back up (30
minutes). This gives you at least some chance to look *up* at the
walls.

Excellent advice. However, I also think that if this is too much, go
down the trail a short way (50 vertical feet?), find a shady spot and
sit for an hour admiring the view and quiet. It's a whole different
world than the nearby overlook and you are now "in" the canyon..

George

wrote:

Any suggestions for decrepid old foggies
(other than watching while all the fit young hikers march off? :-) TIA

If you really want to go down there....many, many folks, all ages, ride
mules down and back. I don't know the cost, but am sure you can find it
online somewhere. Probly you can even make reservations online.

And I understand that the mule ride can be hard on the body in different ways.

The Rim tours are probably the best thing for this couple.

--
Julie
**********
I could be wrong. My experience is limited to my experience.

Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

Nile wrote:
Keith W wrote:

Walk some of the west rim trail rather than just driving along and
stopping at overlook points. Its mostly paved and fairly level and even
a few hundred yards from the bus stop you escape the worst of the
crowds.

There is also a significant historical trail that most visitors miss in the
Bright Angel Lodge/El Tovar area.

--
Julie
**********
I could be wrong. My experience is limited to my experience.

Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:24:05 -0400,
wrote:


Any suggestions for decrepid old foggies
(other than watching while all the fit young hikers march off? :-) TIA

If you really want to go down there....many, many folks, all ages, ride
mules down and back. I don't know the cost, but am sure you can find it
online somewhere. Probly you can even make reservations online.

If you are "out of shape" like I am, mules may be ruled out. There is
a weight limit, I think of 200-220 lbs to ride the mules. Good thing
the reservations are so far out. If I ever planned to do it I would
need the time to lose the weight!

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:24:05 -0400,
wrote:


Any suggestions for decrepid old foggies
(other than watching while all the fit young hikers march off? :-) TIA

If you really want to go down there....many, many folks, all ages, ride
mules down and back. I don't know the cost, but am sure you can find it
online somewhere. Probly you can even make reservations online.

If you are "out of shape" like I am, mules may be ruled out. There is
a weight limit, I think of 200-220 lbs to ride the mules. Good thing
the reservations are so far out. If I ever planned to do it I would
need the time to lose the weight!