03 November 2018

Grand Canyon - rim to rim trek

Looking to do the Rim to Rim trek in the Grand Canyon - aiming for mid October, when it's not too hot.

First company we tried was Wild Land Trekking - their trips look great, but unfortunately they don't have any space on their Rim to Rim trip, and just a single space on their 7 day Kanab Creek Adventure had just a single space

www.wildlandtrekking.com


Discovery Treks only have single spaces left

www.discoverytreks.com


Pygmy Guides - have chased as they didn't answer initial query.  They replied to say that permits for Rim to Rim are sold out.

www.pygmyguides.com/grand-canyon-overnight-backpacks/


Four Seasons Guides - have chased as they didn't answer initial query.  The replied to say that their only October Rim to Rim trip with availability is at the very start of the month.

fsguides.com/rim-to-rim/


All Star Grand Canyon Tours - unfortunately don't have any availability on their Rim to Rim hikes in 2018

www.allstargrandcanyontours.com/grand-canyon-group-backpacking-trips.shtml


Grand Canyon Field Institute
 - unclear from their website if they do Rim to Rim trips.  They replied to my email saying that their last Rim to Rim trip is at the start of October.

www.grandcanyon.org/classes-tours/contact-the-field-institute/


Rubicon Outdoors - unfortunately don't have Rim to Rim hikes

rubiconoutdoors.com/destinations/


Backroads - unfortunately don't have Rim to Rim hikes

www.backroads.com


Just Rough In It - they will rent equipment for self guided trips (they have had their Grand Canyon NP commercial license suspended for three years, so won't be able to run trips for some time).

www.justroughinit.com



Postscript:

We ended up doing a "Packraft Rim to Rim" - where you can a little inflatable with you down from the North Rim (together with a lifejacket and paddles) ... blow it up at the bottom, and paddle across.  Then deflate it and hike out to the South Rim.

It was an amazing trip - and for a National Park that gets around six million visitors a year, it allowed us to hike in a remote location, where we only actually bumped into one person in the whole five days of hiking.

The packraft was very small (and a bit flimsy), and having to dig a hole each morning in which to defecate, wouldn't be to everybody's tastes - but this trip really does give you so much more solitude than any of the "corridor" trips that most people do.

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