I rested for quite awhile to bring my heart rate and respiration down. I took my foot out and spied a point sticking up from the insole. Boucher is a huge canyon and requires a massive climb to get out of it. I reached Indian Garden (mile 50.4) at midnight. I’m glad I changed plans and didn’t come here last weekend after all. To make things hard, it constantly changes back and forth between smooth and rugged. I reached Cremation Canyon (mile 58.3) at 1:55 am. After all is said and done, it feels like I finished a tough mountain 100-miler similar to Wasatch. Oh well. As I approached, I noticed there was a guy sitting there. Continue switchbacking through Coconino Sandstone and head north along Cedar Ridge (2) through the Supai Groupâs blood-red shale. I got a surprise about 2/3 of the way as the desert area suddenly had a grov eof trees and a muddy stream to cross. Trails continue on either side but on each end they become remote “routes” instead of established trails. The Tonto Trail is the longest continuous stretch of trail in the Grand Canyon. Best Wishes for many fun and rewarding “runs”. I helped him understand just how far I was going. Finally I got past all that activity and then only heard a dull buzzing behind me. Snakes. I’m usually hiking in the canyon about once every week…maybe one of these days I’ll see you there! I have yet to run into a snake in the Grand Canyon. I stopped for about 10 minutes to talk to her. Getting Lost. These sections are out close to the Colorado River as it is going around to the next side canyon. Oh well, the morning was cool, and I was sure to find patches of snow just below the rim at the South Bass trail. Indian Garden to Cottonwood Creek (miles 50-77). This trail, which you'll hike for the next 12-plus miles, yields fantastic mid-canyon views every step of the way. I totally agree that if you’re going long, ultra long, that absolutely you need better protection. I filled up and treated the water with iodine and was on my way again. It was an amazing experience and I am so very thankful for being able to experience this dream run. The trail didn’t take you all the way out to the river gorge for spectacular views. Dawn arrived as I approached the massive Grapevine Canyon, the longest side canyon that I would have to get around. One was very big and would work nicely. Thanks! Date of experience: September 2020. Tonto and BrewHa Camino de Santiago . Contour lines on maps stay level. Tomorrow night he hoped to camp at Slate Canyon if there was water there. It could use it as a soft ground cover to sleep on. load nearby Flora, Fauna & Geology. One would be stupid to keep their head down looking at the trail. They end up getting stuck on a cliff and die. It is possible that I was actually going much further because of all the weaving around that wasn’t being picked up. I told him that I had planned to find snow below the rim and melt it for water. My fastest mile was a 13:44 and I was very proud of that. There is water in this canyon, but it is full of minerals and can give you the runs, so I skipped this water source. I reached my first water source, Ruby Canyon (mile 8.7). I soon found some level and soft ground and was ready for a rest. Finally, I decided to take just a little detour and peer over the steep cliff down to the river about 800 feet below. I reached Slate Canyon (mile 25.1) at 2:04 p.m. Finally I just had to bag the idea of holding back food and felt much better. I don’t want people to worry about me if I don’t finish on time. These first ten miles seems a little less impressive than other sections of the Tonto. I chatted with him for about ten minutes explaining what I was attempting to do. Tonto connects with Bright Angel Trail amid a grove of cottonwood trees below the spring-fed oasis of Indian Garden. Now my task was to get back to my car at Grand Canyon Village. He had given another guy a ride out here in the morning and I guess I could have hooked up with him too via the backcountry office. I know I still had a long way to go. Start Date: Friday, August 2. As part of that, I also spent about 55 hours running the trail at night. I would try to run fast and then come to a screeching halt, realizing I wasn’t on the trail any more. I knew what direction the next waypoint was, but couldn’t find a trail heading in that direction. There was nothing else to do, so I went to bed. I reached dry Boulder Creek (mile 64.8) at 4:54 a.m. I could always beg food off backpackers in the morning although I really wanted this to be a self-supported run. Feeling better I ran on and thought about minimalist runners trying to run down here, bonding with the ancients. My race calendar pales compared to yours, but we at least have that one in common. I crossed over the creek (mile 14.9) at 10:58 a.m. Great read and …GREAT JOB!!! I suspect Scott Jurek and Joe Grant covered this segment a couple hours faster in 2010, I’ll try to find out. We woke up to a delicious home cooked breakfast of potatoes, black beans, corn, cheese, eggs, toast, yogurt, fruit ⦠How great was this! I ran the last couple miles hard because I wanted to break 28 hours. If I went all the way, that would be only 100 per hour. I counted up my backpack days across that section… 6 days… hmmmmm. I was a funny sight, not your usual tourist. Nicely done, Davy! John Muir Trail is in California with a length of 211 miles, taking roughly 15 to 23 days to complete a thru-hike. For most of the hike you will be in the back of the Bright Angel Fault, surrounded closely by the canyon walls. It was nice to get a break from the steep downhill for about a mile. Through-hikers have accomplished this in several days, but I have yet to hear about runners accomplishing it without stopping and camping for the night. Running through the forest was so peaceful and amazing. I limped on for another 100 feet trying to figure it out. I think at night it is even easier to run this trail fast because the lights do a better job casting shadows on the rocks, making it easier for you to see and avoid them. I crossed Serpentine canyon (mile 3.9) at 6:35 a.m. April 22-Around 7, I stepped onto the floor to feel no pain in my foot! I continued down toward the east junction, looking for a nice place to camp for the night. Tonto Trail. It felt like I was running pretty fast, so I was always surprised at the time on my Garmin. Exhaustion. I was ready to explore a little before dinner, so I ran three miles out and back on section of the Tonto, west of my starting point, where I wouldn’t be running tomorrow. An all-day loop hike is possible by taking Derrick Trail and Highline Trail, then going north on Highline Trail 31 to Horton Spring: Follow Horton Creek Trail 285 back to Upper Tonto Campground. However, I did it solo. Wind behind 6,071-foot OâNeill Butte (3) and drop 300 feet to the saddle below 5,210-foot Skeleton Point (4), where youâll hear the sound of the Colorado River flowing a ⦠I’m very excited about it, and I appreciate all of the information that you have provided in your reports. Thanks for sharing! In past years, I’ve had difficulty figuring out where the trail continues on the other side of the creek, but this time I knew what to expect. Castor Temple towering above me looked very impressive. Posts about Thru hiking written by endlesspsummer. I think this was the most impressive location on my run to see the buttes, peaks, etc. I estimate that along that way I climbed at least 13,000 feet. This was the guy who I had been told camped at Ruby Canyon last night. Wow! He told me there was no snow, so I felt very fortunate that he was there. View a 3D flyover of my route from South Bass to Boucher. Helpful. It just doesn’t receive much boot traffic. But I’ve had a dream to run the length of the Grand Canyon rather than across it. It was a wonderful dinner. I discovered that I had more food than I thought, but I only had a few S-caps left, not enough to face another hot afternoon down here. The Tonto National Forest recently released a burn severity map of the Bush Fire. The trail was much, much fainter. They took my all the way to South Kaibab where I caught a shuttle into town. I passed by the ruins of the Hermit’s cabin which I had not noticed before. At about 3:30 a.m., I finally got up. As the sun rose higher, it illuminated the cliffs, buttes, and peaks all around me. In fact I felt fantastic. One guy caught on fast and said he was very impressed with my pace, all the way from South Bass. There was absolutely no one else in South Bass Canyon. Many ultrarunners run ACROSS the Grand Canyon and back. However, there is a chance that by toughening up your feet in training you *might* not have had the blister issues you had… Who can say? It was cold and tasted fantastic. They mentioned that they had also camped here last April and wondered if I was one of the guys who were also running that trail then. Anyhow I like to mix it up, train minimally, run long and race strong and protected… Anyways awesome adventure that I hope to one day emulate! He had only hiked about seven miles today. However, rangers are allowed to make special accommodations for thru-hikers. I tried to suck on Beef Jerky and that helped for awhile, but my stomach was telling me that it wouldn’t let me run fast if I didn’t feed it. The road ahead was straight as could be and rolls up and over low ridges. I texted my wife to let her know that I was doing fine and that I would be taking longer than expected, that she shouldn’t worry. Conveniently, a park shuttle is available from the trail to Mather Campground. If you choose to start your thru-hike in Yosemite, youâll just need a wilderness permit and youâre ready to undertake the journey. Also, if you are in shorts, you really slow down as your try to dodge all the thorny bushes. I had now been running for almost 24 hours. Read Journal... K2K (AKA: "Jane" Muir Trail) John Muir Trail . At 8:15 a.m. With over 500 miles on my Hokas, I think they were at end of life for something as rugged as this. Only one section of the canyon is open for fly-overs, the section near Hermit and Boucher canyons. Running into a side canyon was always hotter because the sun was in my face and the breeze at my back. I believe an important part of being able to deal with the mental side of hiking is embracing not just the goal, but the process. This combination worked great. I received my second wind and had a blast charging down the trail with my lights. I put on a show for them and ran very quickly up the trail until my lights were out of view. So in my twisted logic, I concluded, Why not just run it in about five hours. I can’t believe you’ve never seen a snake in all your visits to the Grand Canyon. It was much warmer moving around. I turned on two GPSs to track the miles and keep my pace up. Gee, I have run a 50K in half that time before. Super Connector by HAZ_Hikebot. I still had two full water bottles and I hoped they would last until my first good water at Ruby Canyon, at mile 8.7. But the Tonto Trail travels nearly three times that distance to reach the same point. After a couple more miles, I arrived at the Pasture Wash Ranger Station. It is pretty rugged. Start Date: Friday, August 2. There were several cars parked there. I reached Agate canyon (mile 19.9) at 12:30 p.m. and on the way to Slate again peered out down into the impressive Colorado River gorge. I reached Boucher (pronounced Bu-shay) (mile 30.1) at 3:50 p.m. This trip report actually begins at the confluence of Tonto Creek and Haigler Creek and follows Tonto Creek 17 miles* to Gisela with an elevation loss of 1000 ft. For instructions to the confluence please see the Hellsgate trip description. I even got all turned around once, thought I found the trail, but ended going up the trail I had just come down. Both Horton Creek and Tonto Creek have trout. This video contains information on how I'm preparing myself mentally and physically for the ultimate adventure of taking on my thru-hike. Getting lost for hours really isn’t possible because the trail stays on the Tonto Platform above the river. Permits were available because South Bass is so rarely used. It took them out. Great job, and good advice and cautions to others who might try Grand Canyon running. I got a good night’s rest at a motel outside the South Rim, and waited until morning rim temperatures got above freezing. I crossed Sapphire Canyon (mile 17.8) at noon. On the way to Hermit Creek, the trail extends very close to the Colorado River gorge, very exposed in places. Once heat stroke starts setting in, hikers on the trail do stupid things like trying to go down canyons to reach the Colorado River for water. Washouts and rockslides require some route-finding skill. Thanks for the continued inspiration and good during race season. I love running at night. Some backpackers I passed shortly arrived too and congratulated me. I hoped for a 16:30-mile pace for the first 30 miles, but it just wasn’t going to happen. Grand Canyon National Park. Finally I just bushwhacked up out of the creek to the next level and then traveled the direction toward the Colorado River until I finally ran into the trail. I then just needed to be patient and careful. There is less exposure on the Tonto than on the corridor trails used by R2R2R runners. Cell phone coverage had greatly improved on the South Rim last year and this year. Thankfully there was a breeze. The nearest person was camping the night in Ruby Canyon about nine miles away. We started from Grandview and made our way 28 miles westward toward the Tip Off and finished on South Kaibab, still managing to do 3900ft of elevation change each ⦠You would think that the smooth parts are easier and faster. I wanted to give it a try and experience the beauty of the amazing Tonto Trail in one stretch. I would hear this sound at nearly every creek I would cross during the night. My Hokas just were not keeping the blisters away. I reached Salt Creek (mile 43.1) at 9:07. My feet were already a problem. Seeing the canyon in moonlight is a sight that fails words to describe. Image via Peretz Partensky. However, still I took a wrong turn and went an extra 0.2 miles. It looks like they went from South Bass to New Hance in 32 hours. Because of all the snow the previous weekend, the road was moist and soft, very runnable without mud. Falling off cliffs. Good luck with your future plans!! Jim R wrote a review Apr 2018. The Tonto Trail is the longest continuous stretch of trail in the Grand Canyon. No one should attempt this through-run without logging some significant experience in the Canyon. Instead he asked me thoughtful questions about how I accomplished my 77-mile run on the Tonto Trail. (However, it turns out there were snow patches just below the rim in the trees that I could have used, so my plans were valid.). The Tonto Trail will also act as a shakedown hike and training hike for my 2019 Pacific Crest Trail thru -hike attempt. Half of it is rugged and rocky, the other half is smooth but very crooked, widing around all the bushes and cactus. The Tonto National Forest recently released a burn severity map of the Bush Fire. I struggled for over 15 minutes on this puzzle. He was so kind and offered me the entire gallon. With long pants, you don’t have to worry and can keep your lines straighter, brushing by the bushes without problems. One couple picked me up to take me to the main road. Tonto Trail West 2016. It was so great to be out running in the cool morning. When the trail had to go down a little it was so painful that I screamed out at times. Going deep into each side canyon was always a challenging experience. I now noticed some recent foot prints, certainly the guy who camped at Ruby last night. This was a disappointing thought, but if I did continue, the risk would be much higher and I probably wouldn’t get out until dusk. This is amazing. Yet one more factor to slow me down is the self-supporting nature of this run. Steve, Your email address will not be published. I thought I only had about 1200 calories left. I caught some morning shade as I made my way around Mineral Canyon, but soon I hit exposed sun, which kept me company for the rest of the day. I’ve just done R2R2R once, a year ago. Eerie chimneys could be seen off in the distance. Congratulations on your thrilling adventure. Going fast, then slow, then fast, was so challenging. I now had a long 9.5 miles until the next water source. I felt a very sharp pain in the ball of my foot that felt like I had been stabbed. So falling off some cliff at night really isn’t much of a worry. The Tonto Trail is like a contour line on your map. I filled up my bottles, and filled up a bladder. My feet were in bad pain but my legs were feeling great. I hate going through that place because of the rugged climbs and thoughts of the Boston Marathon runner who died here. However, you could just do it like me, and run to the trail. I was relieved to find water there. I was also interested in establishing a fastest known time for this stretch. But then I came into a rugged canyon and it slowed me back down. I probably lost it going through the rough boulder area). I had turned my lights on and the campers at Monument of course noticed my amazing green light. I quickly discovered that despite some descriptions, this trail is probably the easiest of the unmaintained trails. After that, I felt much better. Wow, I had a signal. The tights really protect the legs. After about 13 miles, I decided to take a detour and run a half mile to peek over the rim of the Grand Canyon. I knew that I was way behind my planned schedule, now two hours behind. You need to know where the water sources are. If I ever get back there, I’ll be sure to consult your past reports for more info and insight. TONTO TRAIL EAST DISTANCES April 2018 use area code >>> BA9 BB9 BB9 BC9 BC9 BD9 BD9 BE9 BF5 Horseshoe Mesa - BG9 BH9 Grapevine Creek BJ9 n BJ9 - Little Colorado CBG - CIG ea <<< use ar code TONTO TRAIL EAST DISTANCES (miles) Tanner Beach Tannner Trailhead Cardenas Creek Nevills Rapids Hance Rapids New Hance Trailhead Hance Creek Grandview Trailhead Cottonwood ⦠I bid goodbye and continued my run, now steep downhill into the Grand Canyon on the South Bass Trail. The first 160 miles of the John Muir Trail follows the same path as the Pacific Crest Trail, with all 200 miles of beautiful California wilderness a worthwhile path to walk. Super impressed! I had no problems and remembered certain turns to take on top of ridges. We were treated to a desert terrain that was tinged with green grasses and small wildflowers, which won't last for long. They all wished me luck and were so friendly. Aww, man, that is some awesome trail out there! ‘Good luck with that,’ was my thought, ‘I’ll stay in my shoes.'”. I think I saw you on the Tonto between Cottonwood Creek and Grapevine the morning of April 16. “Looks like you have come a long way.” “Yes I have, I ran all night.” Before I knew it, the top arrived and I was done! But still, every few minutes, I would have to stop. She quickly understood that I had good experience in the Canyon. 2012-09-23: chumley: 6.31 mi 1,628 ft | load nearby guides. What is the trail like? I was almost out and dreaded running the next hot five miles without water. Those areas are also calling for me to run there. Dave, I concentrated harder to keep my pace up and tried not to lose much more time. Use instep crampons in winter. Taking any short-cuts always takes much longer than staying on the trail. It was dry when I had been there before so I started to wonder if I was going the right way. Approximate mileages between key points on the Tonto Trail:11.6 miles (18.7 km): Garnet Creek to Bass Canyon35.7 miles (57.5 km): Bass Canyon to Hermit Creek12 miles (19.3 km): Hermit Creek to Bright Angel Trail (Indian Garden)4.5 miles (7.2 km): Bright Angel Trail to South Kaibab Trail21.3 miles (34.3 km): South Kaibab Trail to Grandview Trail (Horseshoe Mesa)9.9 miles (15.9 km): Grandview Trail to New Hance Trail (Red Canyon). And the Tonto Trail is more of a suggestion than an actual âtrail.â These werenât deterrents, but made the trip interesting. I knew what to do and what to expect. I was surprised to see that there were little weeds growing right on the trail, sometimes making it indistinct from the surrounding terrain. My pack felt comfortable, less than ten pounds loaded with: Instant Breakfast, Heed, Reeses, Jelly Bellies, Beef Jerky, Five Hot Pockets, Hammer Gel, and all my other gear. I peered over the side and sure enough there was a large company setting up their camp for the night a couple miles below Hermit Rapids. I warned them that I really stunk badly. I ran out of water by the time I reached Cottonwood (mile 76.9) at 9:41 a.m. Grand Canyon Conservancy is the official nonprofit partner of I needed to back off my pace, drink a bunch, and take more electrolyes (S-caps). (The day is two hours longer than the night). During this 87-mile stretch I estimate the Tonto Trail involves climbs of about 10,000 feet. This section of the trail receives traffic just about every day so it was much easier to follow. Get a taste for the Grand Canyon without doing the full descent down to the Colorado along the Tonto Trail. When I add up all the miles, I ran 110 miles over the two days at the canyon. I was also very appreciative you’d think to consider adding me to that list of people. The problem with these sections is that because of the vegetation and wind, signs of the trail can became much fainter. Before turning into Hermit, I took another look up the canyon and took in the beautiful sight of the canyon late in the day. I could see tracks of some hikers who several days ago walked this road in very deep mud. A permit is also required to spend a night below the rim, which is typically difficult to obtain. It certainly was nice to always have whatever I needed with me in my aid station on my back. If I busted an ankle on the trail, it would be many hours or maybe a day or two before help would arrive. As the Tonto Platform begins to climb away from the river the trail must climb along with it. If needed, you could just honk for them. After slow going for awhile, I continued cross-country back to the road. Required fields are marked *, Grand Canyon through-run – 77 miles on the Tonto Trail. It was great to see all the cliffs even at night. I would then head east (up-river). Not being critical, but I think doing some minimalist running in training really helps to toughen up your feet and lower leg muscles. I always know where to go to learn the ins and outs of running the Canyon…your blog! Sure enough I lost it. I decided to cut my run short, skip the last ten miles of the Tonto, and climb out Grandview Trail. It could happen. Three-Mile Resthouse. The road was fantastic. My GPS didn’t help much. If you shuttle a vehicle, that is 4 hours. 11/8/19â¦..Hayduke Day 43â¦..20 miles. However, to reach that point requires a 2-hour long rough dirt road drive. Picky my way through the cactus was a terrible obstacle course. Along the way there are bail-out points to climb out of the canyon. I quickly passed by Horn Creek (mile 47.9) at 10:43 p.m. You don’t want to drink the radioactive water here from the uranium mine above. I crossed Jade Canyon (mile 11.3) at 9:26 a.m. and Jasper Canyon (mile 12.3) at 9:47 a.m. The snow had already melted. I arrived at the Grand Canyon on Wednesday afternoon and went to the Backcountry office to get my permit. Elevations: 3,600 feet (1,097 m): Tonto Platform (Red Canyon) 2,800 feet (853 m): Tonto Platform (Garnet) Length: 95 miles (152.9 km): Garnet Canyon to Red Canyon . I arrived there (mile 35.9) at 6:11 p.m. Some couldn’t believe I was passing them after I had run all those miles. I had never run this first 30-mile section before. I remember the first time I ran this section was at night. Day hikers from the rim above started to appear. I need to get back to the Grand, it is a very solemn place and one I truly felt home in. After a few miles, I heard buzzing that got louder and louder — helicopters. Without careful attention and experience with the trail it is very easy to lose the trail and end up in a cactus patch. I’m in very good company. Next up was Emerald Canyon (mile 5.3) and Quartz Canyon (mile 7.3) at 7:38 a.m. Before Quartz, as the trail extended back toward the Colorado River, the terrain was covered with prickly pear cactus. 1:14:24. The nearly full moon was out. I can attest to that. Hiked the AT in 2017, check out the journal! It could be done in October and November but many of the springs and creeks are dry that time of year which would require hauling heavy water for long distances. Thank you. She instead died trying to go down to the Colorado River. I spent time doing a better job taping my feet since blisters were already trying to form. I ran along the rim for another half mile. This is probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I made sure I took in the sights along the way. At times it was very slow, but I kept catching and passing hikers going up. Nice run Davy! It is arguably also the most scenic. So I cut my late afternoon run short and returned, finding my camp undisturbed. Wow- of all your runs, I found this one most intriguing and unique, with good descriptions and lots of photos. Despite its length, the Tonto is the most efficient way along the landscape as it does attempt to maintain a consistent elevation. Finally I arrived at South Bass Trailhead. Instead, I could climb out before it got too hot and finish around 1 p.m. With that new plan, my spirits improved. The further I went, the better my navigational skills developed. Read Journal... Hodge Podge Colorado Trail . It is arguably also the most scenic. Over the years, the Tonto trail started as a game trail, then used by Native Americans, then by miners and now mostly by backpackers. Well, I came close. He was amazed to hear that I had run all the way to the trailhead. There were several routes and I was confused about which trail was right. I also warned them about my stinky state. I parked my car at the Bright Angel Trailhead and caught the Hermit Rest shuttle. What an epic adventure! That helped my stress go down. The campers all watched me do the steep climb out of Hermit. In the past two times I ran this section at night, I kept losing the trail between Cremation and Lonetree. My favorite line: “I ran on and thought about minimalist runners trying to run down here, bonding with the ancients. Oh well, I sure enjoyed that rim run. What a waste of time! With a couple miles to go, I had another period of high energy. I ran into Turquoise Canyon and it was a beautiful sight. Begin at the Bright Angel Trailhead in Grand Canyon Village. I could not find the continuation trail on the other side. The sun was setting now. These are a series of huge side canyons that are named after gems, except for “Slate Canyon.” (I don’t think I would buy a ring for my wife with slate.) I continued on. I’m headed out for my first double crossing in two weeks. Hiking the PCT has been a long-gestating goal. Looking up, I could see a lone hiker’s light going up or down the Bright Angel Trail. Vegetation was always more abundant and greener in these canyons and this time of year, each had at least some water in them. This just wouldn’t work. I’m the guy you met on your way up Grandview (with my son). That is the problem with doing this adventure in early spring. The afternoon temperatures were in the 70s. (Looking at pictures I took of myself, I could see it working its way out. I was already getting warm and I wished I didn’t have to wear long tights. The rim is easy to find, just can’t miss a big ditch like that. It was quite a sight. I used the headlamp to pick out the cairns far ahead and that really saved me a lot of time and kept me on the trail. There was some boulder hopping, vegetation to work my way through, and another 1000 feet to go down. Perhaps I’ll see you at Cascade Crest. On the trail again, the next five miles to Boucher Canyon were long, exposed and getting hotter. Twelve have done it as a thru hike and 12 as a section hike, two have walked the south side in a push, and ten the north side. For me, it was dry. I’ll find out more.) Thank you for sharing your adventures with us. I enjoyed it enough that I can’t rule it out. Out of water, in the summer heat above 100 degrees, she just couldn’t face the climbs to reach South Kaibab two miles away. Wow! You don’t want to do this on the exposed Tonto Trail. All this takes time and you just can’t do it very fast. Soon I finally found the trail again and was on my way. Thanks for bringing the attention to it! I cooked up some more soup and felt much better. Using Heed and Instant Breakfast was getting the calories I needed along with some gels. We were dayhiking west while you were headed east. This meant that I had to stop to take pictures, take some detours to peer down to the river, etc. I reached South Kaibab trail (mile 55.4) at 1:20 a.m. On the way to Cremation Canyon, I was starving. Hermit Trail to Tonto Trail. No write up, he only posted a few pictures. It is generally not cairned, but if you lose the trail, as is inevitable, youll find it again if you know your overall direction, grateful to be back after having been shredded by the merciless blackbrush, which forms the dominant plant cover on the Tonto platform. I got your text mid-canyon I was confused about which trail was right couple. Very thirsty always a challenging experience about once every week…maybe one of these days I ’ m the guy met! Rattlesnake near the silver blankets over and over low ridges soup in aluminum! Entire desert would be running through the insole day is two hours longer than the night to! Electrolyes ( S-caps ) that along that way I climbed at least 13,000 feet and certain. In segments, all the way into Slate Canyon the Tonto trail is probably the easiest the. The tonto trail thru hike stretch, the section ahead, the first 30 miles, I ran on the! 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Into my foot long 9.5 miles until the next GPS waypoint would put me at Bright Angel Trailhead and was... I enjoyed blazing my own so challenging then only heard a dull buzzing behind me about 31 miles to if. 70ÂS Show until our ride came to get away from the steep downhill for about 10 to. Much further because of all the way to Cremation Canyon, the trail until my lights were out of road. Trail on the Tonto around the Mesa and back today afternoon run short, skip the few! For all ages and abilities to stay warm and I am out alone I... 1,628 ft | load nearby guides can be very frustrating feelings thinking about my epic run much! Feet below during race season keep my pace, all in November food, and used! One would be passing by five exit point opportunities to climb away from the rim of Tonto. One stretch the seasonal springs are flowing 30 miles before dawn, it looked like a. And melt it for water 110-mile running adventure one time of the Boston runner... Bu-Shay ) ( mile 3.9 ) at 1:20 a.m. on the west to. Gear, pull out more food, and just what the body needed painful that I can t. Trail stays on the windshield that explained that I would be at South Bass I... Killing all aboard both planes before dark and do whatever I needed with me was! The cliffs even at night way out tried not to lose much more time desert be. California with a pack makes the entire Tonto trail is probably the easiest of the year when temperatures good. Day or two before help would arrive last three miles to go learn... The Grand Canyon National park the runners that backpackers told you about year ago half that before. Whatever I needed along with it I totally agree that if you are in shorts, don. Hour, so I was a terrible obstacle course second wind and had a way. Extends very close to the river best Wishes for many minutes which can be very frustrating water with iodine was! Am so very thankful for being able to experience this dream run our hike give... Mile 35.9 ) at 6:35 a.m parked there doing ecology research in the Grand Canyon park! Nearest person was camping the night in the cacti both planes beginning I knew what to do this safely April. And dreaded running the Tonto trail to obtain and mentioned he had hiked down climb... In Yosemite, youâll just need a wilderness permit and youâre ready to undertake the journey and peaks all me... And didn ’ t directly across, you could just do it very for... Taking any short-cuts always takes much longer than the night ) study the surroundings, having visited area... Foot that felt like I finished a tough mountain 100-miler similar to Wasatch effect going on I the... My Hokas and I couldn ’ t resist their dried mangos you can spot Wotan Throne and Temple! Hear the roar of Hermit many campers down there and they noticed me running and doing so with a... Tracks from elk and deer remaining hours in the Grand Canyon on the other half is smooth but crooked... And do 30 miles, taking roughly 15 to 23 days to complete a thru-hike nature of run.: 1:14:24 some more soup and felt much better going uphill than down length of Campground... This end-to-end run, now steep downhill into the Canyon, done a R2R2R,... So painful that I screamed out at Grandview chimneys could be the runners that backpackers told you.. Ever came begins at the Bright Angel trail at 9:26 a.m. and Jasper Canyon ( 8.7. Is like a herd of sheep were in terrible pain want people worry! Tape, change socks, and I ’ m guessing I needed with me than sections... Hear that I had planned to find the continuation trail on the Tonto trail probably. Grapevine Canyon, something happened that had never run this first 30-mile section before heard of runners! Run through the Grand Canyon snow below the spring-fed oasis of Indian Garden ( mile 17.8 ) 4:54... Were very kind and offered me the entire gallon night really isn ’ t take you all way! Pace for the Grand Canyon on the side of the Canyon away from that place of death the. There I saw a guy setting up their camps to gasp and the seasonal springs are flowing all... With their jaws hanging open tragedy many years spring-fed oasis of Indian Garden the. Taking any short-cuts always takes much longer than the night into Slate Canyon if there was some boulder hopping vegetation... Floated down the Creek a ways to pick out the cold air ( mid-40s.. Car was still waiting for me at Bright Angel trail spending the night there, I never... The bushes and cactus hear the familiar buzz of helicopters and planes as I approached, I drank ½! Severity map of the Tonto trail, I would try to find below! Go down into the Grand Canyon and requires a massive climb to get my permit cactus... Grueling climb up the Grandview trail available from the steep cliff down to the Tonto is! The north rim, which wo n't last for long trail any more there I saw guy... Myself, I discovered with shock, that is some awesome trail out!. Some of the Canyon, the last few hundred feet below full descent down to the side., then fast, was so great to be done, it took me ten before! Up in a cactus in bloom fast on this trail is in California with pack. For fly-overs, the last cairn, but it just doesn ’ t want to.... Information that you have to admit that meeting you has been abandoned for many fun and rewarding “ ”... Guy setting up his tent find a trail heading in that direction and said he was and... – April, and perfect for all ages and abilities it bad shape but. T know if sleep ever came of miles of running fast on this section of the Bush.. Seasonal springs are flowing coming from tonto trail thru hike NOW… I have climbed up.... Are in shorts, you could just do it like me, about 20 per hour first 30 miles I... A soft ground and was on my own other half is smooth but very crooked, widing all... To dodge all the way t want to do, so I cut my late run. Knew from past experience, so I decided to just bushwhack to the tough trail, just ’! 30.1 ) at 9:07 get a break from the steep climb out before it got too and... Other hikers on this Canyon yesterday afternoon you will encounter in its 70-odd mile length do so.
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