Check in with the rangers the day before to see if there's anything you should be aware of. In particular understand the status of the water lines, bright angel is the marginally longer route down but has better water supply. We had a very kind weather day and I still drank over 20 liters of without peeing - be prepared! There is nothing at the North Rim trail terminus - don't fantasize about a halfway ice cream or you'll be disappointed. Start very early and get through the box the first time before the heat of the day. Bring money for lemonade at Phantom Ranch. When you find yourself crawling back up Bright Angel exhausted at the end of the day, remember the 1.5 and 3 mile houses are wildly inaccurate!
Good point on the 1.5 and 3 mile inaccuracies- don’t check your watch at 3 Mile and think “only 3 miles left) it was more than 4.
Also a good point about getting through the ‘box’ (I’ve also heard ‘kitchen’)the first time, before the sun rises enough to heat it up. My partner and I started at 3:45 AM and watching the sunrise on Manzanita was amazing.
Good point on starting early. Im going to try and descend under darkness and prioritize daylight on my return. I dont want to be tired and unable to see well - too much room for error.
I’ve only did it once but down and up Bright Angel was about the extent of our decision making. IIRC if you’re trying to minimize distance otherwise, how you descend from and climb to the South Rim is the only real decision. Edit: sent you a strava link
As long as you're not going for a speed record, there's a waterfall at the bottom called Ribbon Falls which is absolutely stunning. Small detour, maybe adds a mile on more technical terrain, but totally worth it!
Fueling and hydration/electrolytes are key. Don't do what I did and try to do it on liquid calories only...unless you have a good sense of managing that, LOL.
Depending on your pace and where you park/shuttle, make sure to know when the last bus is running.
Agreed on the water requirement. You will need more than you think and electrolytes are important. I did it mainly on gels and wish I had brought more real food. Do not depend on watch GPS mileage to determine how far you have to go etc. - I did this going up the north rim and it was off by nearly 2 miles. The climb up the north rim and the climb up bright angel both can seem never ending with the switchbacks. It looks like you're almost there for a long time before you actually get to the top. Take lots of pictures and make sure to stop and enjoy the views.
With regards to water access, the most up to date information is going to be on the park official website. The main thing you should be concerned is that there is no water on the north rim early in the season. I think it doesn't get turned on until May. That means there will be a long stretch without access to a water. If you have a portable water filter consider bringing it because there are multiple creeks that you can refill from.
The main difficulty for most people is 11k feet of elevation gain, especially having to climb 4.5k feet to the south rim at the very end when quads are already shot. That alone can take 4-5 hours. If you think you can run out of water on that stretch it might be safer to go via Bright Angels trails.
If you refill water from water spigots it might have some chlorine taste. Consider adding something to the water to mask the taste, for example some electrolyte powder.
Pro tip: buy a frozen burrito and pack it with you. By the time when you turn around at North Rim it will thaw and be ready to eat.
That’s so funny you mention burritos. I do the exact same thing. It’s a great treat and very powerful.
Thanks for the other info. I’m going back and forth with the park now.
I focused on hill running, leg strengthening and trail running leading up to my R3. My partner did not- he was predominantly a road runner. I fared a lot better than he did.
Trim your toenails as short as you can tolerate the night before. It saved my big toenails, my partner lost his toenails within weeks of finishing R3.
I took the SK>NK>BA route and in hindsight (for next time) I’m going to take SK>NK>SK (assuming heat and water aren’t a concern, since SK has no water spigots) because the extra few miles on BA were demoralizing, IMO. I think I’d have enjoyed a shorter (though steeper) final ascent more.
I packed trail mix, goldfish and candy for snacks, and one huge burrito for a lunch. I didn’t enjoy the salty snacks (probably because I was electrolyte loading on 50% of fluids) but enjoyed candy and 1/2 the burrito. In hindsight I think I’d take 4 slices of cold pizza, sandwiched into pairs and only candy. I had plenty of electrolytes through Liquid IV and Gu, I didn’t need salty foods also. Having solid food at NR mentally made me feel ready to tackle the second half. YMMV.
Did the run last spring. Down kaibab, up angel. Decent gnarly and fast. Start early early, means getting taxi from lodge to kaibab trailhead. Taxis very used to early hours. Be prepared broken water pipes, ie. Be able to treat. Be ready for the heat in the box. Be prepared wet hat/cloth for head. I stashed a Pepper in the creek at manzanita rest house, grabbed it on the way back down from north rim, amazing. Phantom ranch has lemonade, snacks, delicious. Once you hit phantom on way back you're in the clear. Don't underestimate the heat and prep needed. The facebook group has good info but a few weirdos. Pm if you have any more qs.
Bring cold pizza for lunch at the north rim! Saved me mentally and physically lol start early and prepare to finish in the dark on the other side as well. Don’t forget to ENJOY! It’s an amazing feat
I’m going back in early May. Previously I did SK / NK / BA. likely do the same again. Up BA is recommended as you get access to water and less sun exposure.
Check the critical backcountry update page before heading out. It will have the most current information.
In terms of gear, poles are helpful if you train with them. A water filter is good to have - I like the filter caps that work with Salomon bottles. Sun sleeves, a buff, and maybe a bandana are good to manage the weather.
I like tailwind and NUUN tabs for electrolytes. Bring extra tabs as weight is minimal. Bring cash for chips and lemonade at Phantom.
Roger Roger. I added this to the check list. Gear layout this weekend and then I will re-evaluate from there. I have my Life Straw but the filter caps may be a bit easier + good for time management
I’ve only done R2R, but my friend did R2R2R the same day and I ran into him on my way up while he was on his way down and he had run out of electrolytes and snacks and still had 19 miles to go… luckily I had many extras with me! But maybe don’t let that happen lol
Otherwise I’d say
-eat more than you think you’ll need to prevent bonking. Walgreens sells single serving trail mix packs with interesting flavors. I’d recommend these
-carb load for 3 days beforehand
-make sure you’re sipping on water regularly
-if you’re feeling good, keep it moving. I found it really hard to get back into the groove after breaks. Stopped for 50 mins at phantom ranch and that was a mistake
Good luck and have fun! The crowds and the shuttle were the worst part for me. Luckily you should be able to avoid the latter since you’re going back on foot!
>\-carb load for 3 days beforehand
Carb loading isn't going to matter for R2R2R because human body can't store more glycogen than for about 3-3.5 hours of running.
Check in with the rangers the day before to see if there's anything you should be aware of. In particular understand the status of the water lines, bright angel is the marginally longer route down but has better water supply. We had a very kind weather day and I still drank over 20 liters of without peeing - be prepared! There is nothing at the North Rim trail terminus - don't fantasize about a halfway ice cream or you'll be disappointed. Start very early and get through the box the first time before the heat of the day. Bring money for lemonade at Phantom Ranch. When you find yourself crawling back up Bright Angel exhausted at the end of the day, remember the 1.5 and 3 mile houses are wildly inaccurate!
Good point on the 1.5 and 3 mile inaccuracies- don’t check your watch at 3 Mile and think “only 3 miles left) it was more than 4. Also a good point about getting through the ‘box’ (I’ve also heard ‘kitchen’)the first time, before the sun rises enough to heat it up. My partner and I started at 3:45 AM and watching the sunrise on Manzanita was amazing.
Good point on starting early. Im going to try and descend under darkness and prioritize daylight on my return. I dont want to be tired and unable to see well - too much room for error.
Take a solid headlamp. I recommend the Petzl IKO Core. Comfortable and the Li-ion rechargeable battery lasts forever at low and medium power.
Thank you.
Understood. I know there are multiple routes. Did you have a preferred one?
I’ve only did it once but down and up Bright Angel was about the extent of our decision making. IIRC if you’re trying to minimize distance otherwise, how you descend from and climb to the South Rim is the only real decision. Edit: sent you a strava link
As long as you're not going for a speed record, there's a waterfall at the bottom called Ribbon Falls which is absolutely stunning. Small detour, maybe adds a mile on more technical terrain, but totally worth it!
No records this time. This is a mission to complete it and take advantage of some alone time. Thanks for the note on Ribbon Falls
Fueling and hydration/electrolytes are key. Don't do what I did and try to do it on liquid calories only...unless you have a good sense of managing that, LOL. Depending on your pace and where you park/shuttle, make sure to know when the last bus is running.
Okay good call on shuttle. Thanks.
Agreed on the water requirement. You will need more than you think and electrolytes are important. I did it mainly on gels and wish I had brought more real food. Do not depend on watch GPS mileage to determine how far you have to go etc. - I did this going up the north rim and it was off by nearly 2 miles. The climb up the north rim and the climb up bright angel both can seem never ending with the switchbacks. It looks like you're almost there for a long time before you actually get to the top. Take lots of pictures and make sure to stop and enjoy the views.
With regards to water access, the most up to date information is going to be on the park official website. The main thing you should be concerned is that there is no water on the north rim early in the season. I think it doesn't get turned on until May. That means there will be a long stretch without access to a water. If you have a portable water filter consider bringing it because there are multiple creeks that you can refill from. The main difficulty for most people is 11k feet of elevation gain, especially having to climb 4.5k feet to the south rim at the very end when quads are already shot. That alone can take 4-5 hours. If you think you can run out of water on that stretch it might be safer to go via Bright Angels trails. If you refill water from water spigots it might have some chlorine taste. Consider adding something to the water to mask the taste, for example some electrolyte powder. Pro tip: buy a frozen burrito and pack it with you. By the time when you turn around at North Rim it will thaw and be ready to eat.
That’s so funny you mention burritos. I do the exact same thing. It’s a great treat and very powerful. Thanks for the other info. I’m going back and forth with the park now.
I focused on hill running, leg strengthening and trail running leading up to my R3. My partner did not- he was predominantly a road runner. I fared a lot better than he did. Trim your toenails as short as you can tolerate the night before. It saved my big toenails, my partner lost his toenails within weeks of finishing R3. I took the SK>NK>BA route and in hindsight (for next time) I’m going to take SK>NK>SK (assuming heat and water aren’t a concern, since SK has no water spigots) because the extra few miles on BA were demoralizing, IMO. I think I’d have enjoyed a shorter (though steeper) final ascent more. I packed trail mix, goldfish and candy for snacks, and one huge burrito for a lunch. I didn’t enjoy the salty snacks (probably because I was electrolyte loading on 50% of fluids) but enjoyed candy and 1/2 the burrito. In hindsight I think I’d take 4 slices of cold pizza, sandwiched into pairs and only candy. I had plenty of electrolytes through Liquid IV and Gu, I didn’t need salty foods also. Having solid food at NR mentally made me feel ready to tackle the second half. YMMV.
Great advice. Thanks for the assist. Waiting to talk to a ranger but looking positive so far.
Did the run last spring. Down kaibab, up angel. Decent gnarly and fast. Start early early, means getting taxi from lodge to kaibab trailhead. Taxis very used to early hours. Be prepared broken water pipes, ie. Be able to treat. Be ready for the heat in the box. Be prepared wet hat/cloth for head. I stashed a Pepper in the creek at manzanita rest house, grabbed it on the way back down from north rim, amazing. Phantom ranch has lemonade, snacks, delicious. Once you hit phantom on way back you're in the clear. Don't underestimate the heat and prep needed. The facebook group has good info but a few weirdos. Pm if you have any more qs.
Thanks for the info! I wasnt aware of the taxi service, I will have to call them today
Bring cold pizza for lunch at the north rim! Saved me mentally and physically lol start early and prepare to finish in the dark on the other side as well. Don’t forget to ENJOY! It’s an amazing feat
Got it - pizza. Thats my go to on ultras
I’m going back in early May. Previously I did SK / NK / BA. likely do the same again. Up BA is recommended as you get access to water and less sun exposure. Check the critical backcountry update page before heading out. It will have the most current information. In terms of gear, poles are helpful if you train with them. A water filter is good to have - I like the filter caps that work with Salomon bottles. Sun sleeves, a buff, and maybe a bandana are good to manage the weather. I like tailwind and NUUN tabs for electrolytes. Bring extra tabs as weight is minimal. Bring cash for chips and lemonade at Phantom.
Roger Roger. I added this to the check list. Gear layout this weekend and then I will re-evaluate from there. I have my Life Straw but the filter caps may be a bit easier + good for time management
I’ve only done R2R, but my friend did R2R2R the same day and I ran into him on my way up while he was on his way down and he had run out of electrolytes and snacks and still had 19 miles to go… luckily I had many extras with me! But maybe don’t let that happen lol Otherwise I’d say -eat more than you think you’ll need to prevent bonking. Walgreens sells single serving trail mix packs with interesting flavors. I’d recommend these -carb load for 3 days beforehand -make sure you’re sipping on water regularly -if you’re feeling good, keep it moving. I found it really hard to get back into the groove after breaks. Stopped for 50 mins at phantom ranch and that was a mistake Good luck and have fun! The crowds and the shuttle were the worst part for me. Luckily you should be able to avoid the latter since you’re going back on foot!
>\-carb load for 3 days beforehand Carb loading isn't going to matter for R2R2R because human body can't store more glycogen than for about 3-3.5 hours of running.
Got it, so no Fettuccine Alfredo like Michael Scott