Narmada:

Thank you so much for your valuable suggestions. I just wanted to pick a cooler time of year to do it, without hazard of snow on the trail. I was thinking that springtime rain might keep the temps down below at bay, however, Thanksgiving sounds great!  The route you took sounds a little too hard core for us though... although I'd like to keep it in mind for the future!

Best to you in 2007!

Chris

> Chris - This is a fun route and also a challenging
> one. We have done it before but during December. Of
> course when we did it we started from the south rim
> and hiked down bright angle (day 1) next day we went
> up to cottonwood (day 2) day 3 we were up in the north
> rim...it was a ghost town as it is closed during
> winter...we had about 6 inches of snow that night day
> 4 we hiked all the way down to the phantom ranch...it
> is not a bad hike. Day 5 we hiked to salt creek and
> day 6 to monument creek and day 7 hiked out through
> hermits rest ( a tough hike out)
>
> The trails are very well marked...so no worries....
>
> As regards permits...you don't have to book it in
> advance...we usually do it about 3 to 4 weeks before.
> Once you fax it in call the back-country office the
> next day and they will let you know if you got the
> permit. If you do not have a permit...u can get one
> if you go to GC...but not for more than 2 days permit.
>
> The spring time is a little unpredictable because of
> rain...fall may be better...summer is really bad. The
> water source on this route is not bad. If you are
> strapped for time you could do this...fly into las
> veges...get a bus to the north rim...start the hike
> and go down to phantom ranch day 1 and day 2 you could
> hike out through kaibab rather than bright angle... it
> is a slow hike as it is steep....
>
> If you have more time you can check the route we did.
> well...if you need more info ples email and i will try
> to help.
>
> The grand canyon is absolutely fabulous...we go there
> every year during thanksgiving and have been doing so
> for the last 8 years.
>
> Happy hiking
>
> Narmada
>
>
>
> --- Chris Bechard wrote:
>
>> Hello:
>>
>> Myself and three other very experienced hikers are
>> planning a rim-to-
>> rim hike from the North Rim via the North Kaibab
>> trail, staying
>> overnight at the Phantom Ranch (to avoid having to
>> haul camping
>> gear), then up Bright Angel to the South Rim. We
>> wish to do this the
>> weekend before Memorial Day (5/19-5/20/07).
>>
>> I have been told to seek permits/reservations for
>> this hike six or
>> more months in advance, but when I go to the
>> Backcountry Office site,
>> they say permits can only be made 4 months in
>> advance.
>>
>> Any recommendations as to how to proceed to have our
>> best chance at
>> success in securing a permit? Any recommendations as
>> to how to get
>> back to the North Rim? Anywhere else to stay at the
>> South Rim other
>> than El Tovar (heard this was very hard to get a
>> reservation at.)
>>
>> Do you think it would be better to go in the early
>> fall than in the
>> spring?
>>
>> Any and all assistance would be most appreciated! I
>> live right next
>> to Rocky Mountain National Park and would be more
>> than happy to help
>> anyone out with logistics in this area.
>>
>> Many thanks!
>>
>> Chris Bechard
>> Estes Park, Colorado
>>
>>
>
>
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