TripleP
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 p.1 #12 · Grand Canyon Trip and Kit Change Opinions | |
I was just down at the Grand Canyon over Christmas/New Years and here are some of my thoughts. I don't know how fit you are and your experience hiking, so take my advice with a little grain of salt (I hike pretty regularily and have been on a couple mountaineering trips).
1) If you can fit it in and are in good enough shape, hike the Havasupai reservation. It's not as well known, but the waterfalls there are gorgeous. It's NOTHING like the Grand Canyon National Park. However, the hike down is not very fun or especially scenic, though they do have helo transportation available.
2) In case you don't remember, the S. Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails, marked steep, are really quite nicely kept up and VERY easy (IMO). They have very different views; the S. Kaibab is a mostly exposed trail with more visibility. No water, though. The Bright Angel Trail only really looked down the side canyon it was on. However, you could see all the way down to the side canyon the Phantom Ranch is in. I liked the views from the S. Kaibab better.
There is one somewhat steep section on the S. Kaibab (I went down that way), but the Bright Angel trail was easy, though long (I went up that way), so I wouldn't worry too much about weight. Normally, when hiking/climbing, I try to pack light. However, the Phantom Ranch makes things quite a bit easier, and I'd feel comfortable taking all the gear you have listed w/o any second thoughts. I wouldn't spend any money to save weight with the exception of your tripod - at 8# it seems rather heavy.
3) The trails are quite narrow in places (maybe a 1/2). It's hard to take off your pack and dig around for things, much less set up a tripod. If the weather is nice, expect a good number of people and mule trains to keep you on your toes. If you have an extra day or two at the Ranch to do some dayhiking, you'll have more time and flexibility than if you are only taking photos on one the way down and up like I was.
When I'm hiking with a pack, I like to carry my camera and most used lens in a small bag on my chest strapped to my backpack shoulder straps. Below the chest strap. Occasionally I keep an extra lens, like a telephoto, on the top of the pack in a padded case. This allows easy access w/o digging when I have a wide on the camera. I had a 10-22 on camera in the small bag on my chest. The 10-22 is alot smaller (and the main reason I upgraded from a 10D), than my next most wide brick, er, lens, the 28-70L.
4) I didn't spend much time in Grand Canyon National Park, but I did head north of the Phantom Ranch for a couple of miles after we hiked down. Not too exciting, imo. I don't know what it's like as you get nearer the North Rim. The suspension bridges on the Colorado were a treat.
5) You will definitely want a tripod. The light at the bottom of the canyon is not that good for very long.
Patrick
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