Big Hole, Bloody Toe

cbass
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Big Hole, Bloody Toe

I call it the big hole, but others may know it by its more common name: Grand Canyon.

I hiked down to the bottom starting at the South Kaibab Trail and came back up the Bright Angel Trail.

All I have from that experience is some pictures like this one and a black toe from blood pooling. It hasn't fallen off for a few months now, so the good news is I get to keep it. The bad news is it takes about a year for a toenail to fully grow and push the blood out. You can produce a baby in less time.

Edited on Sep 16, 2023 at 04:18 PM · View previous versions

Sep 15, 2023 at 06:26 PM

AZHeaven
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Big Hole, Bloody Toe

Voted! Just for the effort and suffering!
I had 3 friends go down South Kaibab and back up Bright Angel. Stopped at Phamton Ranch for a beer and snack. The one guy who seems to have a mission in life to just go as fast as one possibly can go and not enjoy the views paid dearly for his sins. He couldn't walk for several days after. I've done one hike with him and this is his way. Doesn't pause to take in the beauty of nature. Just go as fast as you can go.

On that same day? I only went a little bit past Cedar Ridge. I knew my limits and knew I would never have been able to make that hike. Especially another friend that did that hike is a rim to rim to rim in one day person. Which he and his wife (an ironman person) have done several times.

I'm going to start training to head down Bright Angel to the river next late October or early November. In my 53 times at the Canyon I've only been down to Cedar Ridge twice. All the other times I've had family or friends with me.

Sep 16, 2023 at 10:06 AM

cbass
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Big Hole, Bloody Toe

AZHeaven wrote:
Voted! Just for the effort and suffering!
I had 3 friends go down South Kaibab and back up Bright Angel. Stopped at Phamton Ranch for a beer and snack. The one guy who seems to have a mission in life to just go as fast as one possibly can go and not enjoy the views paid dearly for his sins. He couldn't walk for several days after. I've done one hike with him and this is his way. Doesn't pause to take in the beauty of nature. Just go as fast as you can go.

On that same day? I only went...Show more →

I didn't think anybody would vote for it. Thank you for the vote, and in that case, I may as well add a few more from that hike. I have seen people post a series of photographs in a thread.

The last picture I am not quite happy with. It seems my processing skills fall short of my memory of the conditions.

My hiking group was like that one guy you mentioned who has a mission. I am more about the photos and experience. We had two people that set out to do rim to rim to rim the same day. They were not able to accomplish it because the trail was closed, but they still did the 50 something miles they would have done if the trail was open. I can only shake my head at that as it is beyond my abilities. I am in good shape, but not to that level.

This group even told me that taking a camera would be unnecessary weight and it would make the trek back to the rim harder. I was not going to do this hike without a camera. There were also some nice photo opportunities when ascending, but at some point, I just reached a limit and wanted to just get out of that giant hole.

Sep 16, 2023 at 04:32 PM

AZHeaven
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Big Hole, Bloody Toe

I didn't think anybody would vote for it. Thank you for the vote, and in that case, I may as well add a few more from that hike. I have seen people post a series of photographs in a thread.

The last picture I am not quite happy with. It seems my processing skills fall short of my memory of the conditions.

My hiking group was like that one guy you mentioned who has a mission. I am more about the photos and experience. We had two people that set out to do rim to rim to rim the same day. They were not able to accomplish it because the trail was closed, but they still did the 50 something miles they would have done if the trail was open. I can only shake my head at that as it is beyond my abilities. I am in good shape, but not to that level.

This group even told me that taking a camera would be unnecessary weight and it would make the trek back to the rim harder. I was not going to do this hike without a camera. There were also some nice photo opportunities when ascending, but at some point, I just reached a limit and wanted to just get out of that giant hole.

My friends that do (or used to, they moved to WI) rim to rim to rim? Start at 2am and get back around 3 or 4 pm. They start at Bright Angel and end at Bright Angel.

It takes me a while to get to Cedar Ridge. Another friend and hiking buddy taught me to stop every once in a while and stretch your legs. Going down and back up. And that made a big difference. At least in my case. My goal is to go down Bright Angel and get to the Colorado River then back up. But I would start early like around 3 or 4am and in late October early November when its cooler by the river.

Many don't realize when you get below the rim the temps go up. And the bottom of the Canyon temps are nearly the same as Phoenix.

Oh, and what I've seen on the South Kaibab and Bright Angel trails?! People hiking in flip flops or sandals. No water. Going down ice covered trails with shear drop offs with no crampons. The list is long!!

Sep 17, 2023 at 08:25 AM

Chuck Eklund
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Big Hole, Bloody Toe

Nice series. I like them all. South Kaibab down and the Bright Angel up, a good way to go. I have only seen the flip flops and no water on the Bright Angel. I know the Rangers try to talk them out of it, but ignorance provides potent fuel for stupidity.

Chuck

Sep 18, 2023 at 01:30 PM

cbass
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Big Hole, Bloody Toe

I have seen people hiking in all sorts of gear and water quantity. I don't know if they are going down a bit to take a peek or if they planned a longer hike. I saw one guy walking down wearing full leathers. I don't think he was going to do any trail and I hope he was just taking a look. I have also seen prepared people get in trouble while ascending because they aren't prioritizing hydrating while exerting a lot of effort and sweating out water quickly.

Rim to rim to rim is a serious hike. It does take around 24 hrs more or less and you start in the dark and finish in the dark. Talking with people that have done it before it becomes harder as you need to bring more supplies which makes everything heavier. You need to balance bringing too much with bringing too little. I am in it for the pictures, so I don't think I will ever attempt that one. If I am to do it, then better sooner than later. My knees aren't what they used to be. Currently, I have no aspirations. After ascending we had a conversation with two ladies that were runners and they planned to run rim to rim to rim. I guess walking is too slow for some. After hearing that I just went home to process my pictures and drink beer.

The conditions were interesting because there was rain during portions of the hike. The rain cleared out most of the dust. Much of the day was overcast so there was the benefit of no harsh shadows, but that also meant flat light and the images lack brilliance. The first image is about as good as the light became during the hike. There were plenty of clouds for natural diffusion, but the sun managed to shine through saturating the colors.

Sep 18, 2023 at 02:48 PM


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