Nevada, River Mountains Loop Trail, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon

When my son, Matt, graduated from college, I proposed a father-son backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon which he readily accepted.  We flew into Las Vegas and on the way to the canyon we stopped for a bike ride -- and what better way to acclimate to the desert climate than a bike ride.

Boulder City, NV is just south of Las Vegas and has easy access to the River Mountains Loop Trail which runs through the hills and along Lake Mead.

Trail head

Matt surveying our route

Off the main loop, a spur trail runs to Hoover Dam along the old right-of-way the railway used to move materials to the dam during construction.

Power infrastructure for the Hoover Dam generators

Just above the Visitor's Center is a bike rack where we locked up our rental bikes and walked down to the dam.

Angel Statues

Hoover Dam intake towers

Hoover Dam spur trail tunnel

Feels pretty hot here for Midwestern boys

Grand Canyon South Rim (the "before" picture)

Our backpacking itinerary was the classic "Rim-to-Rim" route.  It started with a 5-hour shuttle from the south rim to the north rim.  From there we would descend to camp at the Cottonwood Campground.  Then down to the Bright Angel Campground/Phantom Ranch for two nights at the bottom of the canyon.  One day up to Indian Garden and then climb out of the canyon on the last day.  

We arrived at the north rim to find the ranger station closed for the night.  I had understood that backpackers with a permit didn't need reservations for the first night at the north rim campground, but now I had no idea where to camp.  Fortunately, a another pair of backpackers had sympathy on us and allowed us to share their campsite.  It turned out they were also father and son, also celebrating the son's recent graduation from a Big Ten school (Wisconsin), and also an engineering major.

Grand Canyon North Rim

North Kaibab Trail

Interestingly, the park's South Rim is supplied with water by an antiquated and leaky pipeline that runs from the North Rim down to the canyon bottom and up the other side.  The pipeline breaks often enough that backpackers are cautioned to bring a water filter.  At the Cottonwood Campground, we learned the pipeline had burst and there was no water.  I had followed the park's recommendation, but not everyone was as prepared.  We watched a rim-to-rim runner scaling the canyon wall by Roaring Springs with his water bottle to fill up with the cleanest water possible. 

Words of wisdom

Later we saw the source of the problem, a water geyser gushing 50-feet in the air from the partially buried pipeline along the river.  Apparently, turning water off at the below-the-rim campgrounds maintains enough pressure to provide water to the South Rim's six million annual visitors.  Another fun fact: the heaviest-use restrooms at the South Rim go through more than a mile of toilet paper each day.

That's not a suntan, it's a dust tan

Ribbon Falls, North Kaibab Trail

On day two, we were passed a group of backpackers sporting ultralight backpacks.  I don't understand why, but ultralight backpackers can't hide their sense of superiority.  "Those are mighty big backpacks you got there," one cracked as he walked by.

"You're just jealous," I retorted.  "Of my big package!" I should have added.  My response must of prickled because he sneered at me when we passed them on the trail later on.  Really, you're giving me a hard time because I packed too much?  This encounter was the genesis for an article I would later write for the Sierra Club (Hoarder, Foodie, Loose Cannon -- Which Backpacker Are You?).

Bark scorpions glow bright green under a UV light!  Really

Matt and I feasted on a steak dinner at the Phantom Ranch.

After dinner we joined the ranger in a scorpion hunt.  The ranger produced handheld black light and scanned the rock posts by the mule corral.  The scorpions hangout at the corral because their prey eats mule dug.  Sure enough, hiding in the various nooks and crannies were scorpions glowing bright green in the shine of the black light -- amazing.  

Tonto Platform, Clear Creek Trail

115 degrees!

Grand Canyon South Rim (the "after" picture)

-- Frizbo

State:	Nevada
Date:	2012-05-23
Route:	River Mountains Loop Trail
Distance:	20 miles