A Month Later

One month ago 4 tired men were trekking the last leg of their ascent up the Bright Angel Trail. I was one of those hikers, and I wanted to make the hike drag out as long as I could, making more stops than usual to gaze down from where we had come, to take photos, but mostly because the air was becoming thinner as we rose in altitude.

I am not used to 5,000 foot altitude; as you recall, I hail from Sitka, Alaska which is at sea level (and yes-- we get tourists asking the altitude of Sitka even as they're disembarking from their cruise ships in the Sitka harbor!). I was in better than "good enough" shape for this hike, and I was glad I took the advise on the FSG website to train in advance. The training DID in fact, increase my enjoyment factor. I loved ever minute!

All of us in our group were in our 50's but everyone was in good physical shape, so you didn't hear anyone complaining. The other two, Steve and Jim, were actually in their late 50's, and came from St. Louis area so they were fairly comfortable with the temperatures and altitude. Our guide was Scott Victor, also born and raised in St. Louis -- remarkably close to the same locale as Steve and Jim.

A good guide can make a world of difference in the quality of a hike, I'm sure. I enjoyed every day in the canyon, thanks to Scott. I would guess all the FSG Guides are as capable, educated and able to make any of their hikes as memorable an experience as mine was for me, however.

Hiking Boots

FSG strongly suggests training in the hiking shoes that you will be wearing. This gives them a good break-in time. They don't promote any one specific brand, but do suggest a well broken in boot with ankle support.

I wanted to get my boots on sale at Campmor, but my wife thought I should buy them locally so I could try them on and start wearing them on my hikes. The pair I bought here in Sitka cost $150.00, and I saw the same pair at Campmor for $120.00, so I didn't feel too bad.

The Vasque Breeze GTX XCR Airmesh leather uppers make these lightweight boots exceptionally breathable and comfortable. No kidding! These shoes have got to be THE most COMFORTABLE hiking shoes I've ever owned. They've got nylon lining, "DryTech" footbed, molded EVA midsole for shock absorption, and Vibram® Contact outsole for traction.
They ARE lightweight: 2 lbs. 7 oz.

I'm very happy with these, but the proof will be in how they treat my feet, both hiking down the canyon, and up. I've been told by a woman who did the same hike, that NO ONE escapes BLISTERS! She loaned me a CD of pictures of her hike, and there were some gruesome pictures of her feet with blisters and black toenails, which eventually fell off! UGH!
Of course, I'm taking my Smartwool socks in two different weights: heavy cushion and medium. I've also got some low cut Smartwool socks.

For blister remedy, I'm taking a couple sheets of Moleskin, some of my mother's corn pads (remember those?), and some devil's club salve which my sister makes. It's our Tlingit Indian medicine, which I trust over other blister medicines.

Good Hiking Pants

Some important notes about specific items from Campmor:

HIKING BOOTS deserve an entirely separate post, so I'll attack that later.

LIGHTWEIGHT LONG PANTS
TREKMOR 2/1 PANT
Details: These versatile pants are constructed of quick drying 100 percent nylon with moisture management treatment to keep you dry and comfortable. Sun protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays. 9 in. gusset calf opening with Velcro® closure for easy removal of pants leg when converting to shorts. Quarter front pockets. Zip front fly has a button through closure. Rear inset welt pockets with Velcro® closure. Double pleat front has fixed front waistband and half back elastic waistband. Five 1.25 in. wide tunnel belt loops. Bellows cargo pocket on right thigh has reverse box pleat. Velcro® closure flap.
Avg. wt. 11 oz.

I've worn mine in 30 degree weather. They're comfy!
My hike will probably be in 80 degree weather, so I'm sure the zip-off pant legs will be very handy. If it's cool in the morning, I'll wear the pant legs, and unzip them on the way down. How neat is that?

This satisfies two items on Four Seasons Guides packing list; the pants and one of the two pairs of shorts!

My Purchases

I followed Four Season Guide's Grand Canyon packlist as closely as possible, researching other sites about specifics. I read long and hard before deciding on a pair of hiking shoes, for example. Here's FSG's recommendations:

Personal clothing should include:
We recommend that your clothing be made from wicking materials (Under
Armour®) and/or Coolmax. Cotton OK May-September

Each person is limited to 15 pounds
for all of the above listed personal equipment. Their season runs year
round, so keep in mind the season of your trip when packing, not all of
this list will apply to your trip.

FSG Recommends	I Got	Price
Hiking boots – well broken in!!	Vasque Breeze GTX XCR	$150.00
Sandals (something supportive w/ heel strap)	Tiva	free
Light weight long pants (Convertible zip-offs)	TREKMOR 2/1 PANT	$50.00
2 pairs of shorts (quick dry)	Trekmor 2/1 Loose nylon swim trunks	(above) Free
2 T-shirts (preferably synthetic, but can be cotton)	Northface™ Vaporwick Tee Duofold Thermax® Tee	$30.00 $10.00
Good synthetic socks (i.e. Smartwool®)	Smartwool® med. weight Smartwool® heavy weight Smartwool® Mini-Crew	$19.00 $15.00 $15.00
Pack Towel – small lightweight face clothv	MSR Ultralight™	$10.00
Warm jacket or warm shirt in summer*	Outdoor Research Razor Jacket™	$89.00
Rain jacket or poncho	Jacket Above	n/a
Wide brim hat	Hecho en Mexico!	200 pesos
Sunglasses	n/a	n/a
Spring/Fall/Winter (Mid October – April)
1 wool hat or tuke	n/a	n/a
1 pair of wool gloves/mittens	n/a	n/a
1 long sleeve synthetic shirt	Trekmor Travel Shirt	$50.00
1 heavy long sleeve synthetic shirt	above	n/a
1 pair of mid-weight long synthetic bottoms	Trekmor 2/1 Pants above	n/a
Waterproof pants	Trekmor 2/1 Pants above	n/a
Waterproof Jacket	Razor Jacket (above)	n/a
Personal toiletries:
Toothbrush and paste (travel size)
Strong sunscreen (SPF 35 and up)
Personal medication (ibuprofen, Benadryl, Tums, Epi Pen)	Ibuprophen 400mg Tums
Other items:
Hydrations system (Camelbak)	CamelBak Omega Reservoir (70 oz.)	$22.99
Camera – batteries	Nikon Coolpix 4300
Lip balm	Devil's Club lip balm	free, made by sister
Bandanna
Flashlight or headlamp	Clip-on LED	$12.00
Knee brace (if you have knee problems)

The desert is a hard place to figure the weather out. Especially in the early spring
or late fall, the day time temperatures can be very warm, reaching into the 70's or
even the 80's, with the night time temperatures dropping near freezing. It's best
to be prepared for both warm days and cool nights.

The Ongoing (?) Exercise Regimen

The Four Season Guides has Training Information (pdf) for the backpacking hiking trips. In it, they point out:

"The best way to train for your trip is to go on numerous hikes. The steeper these hikes are the better. Elevation gain/loss of most of the trails in the Grand Canyon is over 4,400 feet. If hiking is not an option, we recommend running up and down stadium bleachers or stairways of tall buildings. It is strongly recommended for those going on a backpacking trip with us, to wear a backpack (a day pack or school backpack will work) carrying some substantial weight inside (about 30-35lbs.). An example would be a bag of dog food, kitty litter, or 3 gallons of water. Going to the gym or using a stair climbing machine will not prepare you nearly as well as hiking. Overall, any form of training that gets your heart pumping is better than none."

When my wife and I went to Mexico in January, we asked for a 9th floor room, and I made sure to use the stairs and not the elevator. This is what my stair climbs looked like:

Day	Number of Flights	Extra
1	14 flights	6 mile walk
2	35 flights!
3	9 flights
4	13 flights	Gym workout
5	12 flights
6	12 flights	6 mile walk
7	35 flights!
8	36 flights!
9	18 flights
10	9 flights
11
12	18 flights	Gym workout
13	36 flights!	Gym workout
14	45 flights!

This is my 4 mile walking/jogging route I try to do daily, as a replacement for the forest trail I mentioned earlier:

I know... Four Seasons Guides suggests hiking up steep hills with a backpack!
Yesterday, after a period of inactivity (I did a fresh install of Windows XP that has taken 2 days -- and I'm still not finished!) I felt guilty and thought I would make up for my laziness. I put my backpack in the car, drove over the bridge (above) to the stairclimb, and I climbed up and down the stairs 8 times!
I really exerted myself. On an empty stomach. Without having drunk water.
BAD!
Did I feel sick afterward!
Today I jogged the route on that map above, and included 3 stair climbs. I love to exhaust myself. This time I ate a triple decker peanut butter sandwich and drank good amounts of water before hand. It felt WONDERFUL!
I decided to rotate my regimen -- one day jogging, to work on endurance; the next day stairclimbing, to work on strength. I'll figure out how to get those back woods hikes in there too. I miss the woods. There's nothing like our Sitka forests to clear the head.

Expenses To Date

Started keeping a spreadsheet to track expenses on this trip.

Looking like this so far:

TOUR:

Item	Cost
Four Seasons Guides 1/2 pmt.	$400.00
TOTAL TOUR	$400.00

TRAVEL:

Item	Cost
Alaska Airlines -- Round Trip Sitka to Phoenix *mileage rewards	$10.00
Greyhound Phoenix to Flagstaff R/T	$0.00
Greylines Bus Sea-Tac Airport to Downtown R/T	$22.00
Seattle Metro 3 Day Pass	$15.00
TOTAL TRAVEL	$47.00

LODGING:

Item	Cost
Phoenix 2 nights	$185.60
Flagstaff 1 night	$54.08
Flagstaff 1 night	$54.08
Phoenix 1 night	$79.85
Seattle 2 nights	$211.62
TOTAL LODGING	$585.27

SUPPLIES AND INCIDENTALS:

Item	Cost
Campmor - Hiking clothes, boots, supplies	$196.73
Local Sporting Goods Store (Hiking Boots)	$204.12
TOTAL SUPPLIES	$400.85

My total trip expenses only came up to $1,433.12!!!
*This is mostly due to the fact that I used my Alaska Airlines Mileage Rewards.

My Itinerary

Okay. My wife has this trip she loves to make every year to New York City, made easy by the fact that Alaska Airlines flies Seattle to Newark now. She returns April 11, and I'll spend a few days with her before I leave on my hiking trip.

ARRIVING
I leave Sitka on April 15 (we've already filed our taxes!), switch flights in Seattle, get to Phoenix in the evening where I'll head straight to my airport hotel till the 17th. On the 17th I catch the morning Greyhound to Flagstaff (3 hr. ride) where I'll stay at a hotel walking distance to the Four Seasons Guides. We have a 4pm Orientation meeting the night before the hike.

THE HIKE
We depart Flagstaff at 6am on the 18th, a scenic drive to the head of the S. Kaibab trail which begins at Yaki Point, where we'll begin our 7 mi. hike down the steepest trail in the Grand Canyon. Thank goodness we're taking 2 days for the return! We get back to Flagstaff about 4pm on the 20th. I thought I might appreciate recuperating in a hotel room for the night, rather than catching a Greyhound to Phoenix. Maybe I'll have some time to scout around downtown Flagstaff, which is right on historic Route 66.

RETURNING
I catch the morning Greyhound back to Phoenix on the 21st, and spend the day there. I fly out of Phoenix to Seattle on the 22nd, and spend the 23rd in Seattle. I fly home on the evening of the 24th, and arrive back in Sitka very late. But I'll have achieved this "heroic" thing in my book of life!

So... all this booking of flights, hotels, and buses probably sounds quite complicated, right? Nope. It was made easy by this remarkable (and FREE) website, Trip It I read about in PC magazine. All you do is forward your confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com after you create an account, and they parse the email and enter the information in your trips. What I ended up with was a printout of my intinerary, with all the hotels + check-in/check-outs, AND maps! HOW CONVENIENT IS THAT?

I booked all my hotels using Alaska Airlines hotel finder, so I had confirmation emails that I just forwarded to Trip It. I could have entered my Greyhound trips, but I didn't want to have those "set in stone." But now I have my entire trip laid out in front of me!

Initial Costs

My $755 cost for Four Seasons Guides (FSG), and the initial 1/2 down payment was my first solid commitment to this Life's Dream. I had determined a good date for the 3 day hike using the FSG Calendar, basing it on seasonal temperatures and giving me enough time for TRAINING.

I'm a self-employed artist (see Tlingit Tribal Art), so I had to be creative in my financing. I made all purchases on a 0% interest credit card, and figured out a way to deal with the balance when it would come due in July. It's easier to keep track of expenses this way too.

Because FSG provides all the camping gear, my expenses only fell into a couple categories:

• Travel
• Lodging
• Hiking Clothes
• Supplies and Incidentals

TRAVEL AND LODGING
Alaska Airlines is the only airlines to fly out of Alaska, and I didn't want to take the slower alternative, the Alaska Marine Highway -- which would have added 4 extra days on each end of the trip. Although it is a wonderful and cheap way to travel and see the beautiful scenery.
Life in Alaska is expensive! Getting in and out of Alaska ain't cheap either. Most folks casually drive to the nearest city or airport, and travel is fairly reasonable. Here in Sitka, on Baranof Island, we call it "Getting off the Rock."

Since it's so expensive traveling in and out of Alaska, I added a few extra days on each end of my trip. That way I get to see the Heard Museum in Phoenix, and the Burke Museum in Seattle to see the Northwest Coast Native art collections. I ended up booking a 9 day trip, with 7 of those days in 5 different hotels. Sound complicated? It wasn't. See "My Itinerary" next.

Establishing a Training Regimen

My wife and I took a vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in January. We stayed on the 9th floor at the Grand Mayan, and I walked up and down the stairs, rather than taking the elevator. I started working out in their gym, using all the different machines that exercised mostly my legs. The sauna and hot tub were wonderful afterward!

We've been having record snowfall in Sitka this year! When we got back from Mexico, the snow did impede my hiking regimen when it got too deep. But now I'm back to the routine.

I've been hiking Sitka's Cross Trail behind town. The trailhead is actually walking distance from our house. It's about a 3 mile hike, moderately easy, little elevation gain. I packed an old backpack with a 20 pound bag of rice for weight, so I'm hiking with 25 pounds for now.

My wife and I go for a 3 mile, 1 hour walk around Sitka nearly every day. We walk over the bridge, around Japonski Island (past the University, up a long stairway, past the Mount Edgecumbe High School, and back over the bridge. Back in town, we hike up the historic Castle Hill, including another stair climb, and then a roundabout walk back home. Quite a nice walk. Sometimes we see otters in the channel, usually we see eagles either diving at the water or perched in the trees. It's the same walk, but we always see something different. Getting out makes us appreciate the scenic beauty we seem to take for granted. But I'm digressing from my exercise regimen.

I read, and try to incorporate the suggestions Four Seasons Guides gives for Training for Backpacking in the Grand Canyon (pdf). Their suggestions are to go for numerous hikes, the steeper the better. For training, they suggest running up and down stairs or gym bleachers preferably with about a backpack with about 10 - 15 lb. of weight. If you don't train with a backpack, you won't get proper training. That's why I bought the 20 lb. bag of rice. Okay, I have to admit: I have a bear-phobia. There, I said it. I'm afraid of bears, even though I've lived in Alaska almost all my life! So IF one of those brown bears wakes up in a crappy mood because he hasn't eaten all winter, and thinks I might do for lunch, I'll offer him 20 lb. of rice!

Commitment: Reserving the Trip/Date

After I did my research, and I knew I'd be going with Four Seasons Guides (www.fsguides.com) , I was committed to the hike. I was no longer on the fence. It was no longer just a "wish list" item. I had begun to "Make It So."

I chose a hike and a date. The Grand Canyon Hikes:

• Deer Creek/Thunder River Loop
• Grandview Trail/Horseshoe Mesa
• Hermit Trail/Loop Hike
• South Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop
• Indian Garden/Bright Angel Trail
• Rim to Rim
• Havasu Falls Hiking/Whitewater Excursion
• Havasu Falls Hiking/Havasupai Indian Reservation

I knew I didn't want to settle for a day hike. It cost enough for my plane ticket from Sitka to Phoenix! I chose a 3 day hike, and for the life of me, I can't remember how I chose the South Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop trip. But I did.

The South Kaibab Trail

It's one of the shortest, steepest trails to the bottom of the canyon. A 7 mile hike with an elevation gain loss of 4,400 feet. Here's some details from FSG site:
Type of Trip: Backpacking/Camping
Dates: Year Round
Number of Days: 3 – 5 Days
Total Miles: 20 (3 Days)
Elevation Gain Loss: 4400ft
Difficultly: Strenuous
Orientation Time: 4pm the day before
Orientation Location: Flagstaff – at our store (107 W. Phoenix Ave)
Trip Departure: 6am
Trip Return: 4pm

So I sat there with my curser over the Reserve Now! link on the FSG Calendar for a minute. I hollared into the next room that I was about to book my hike. My wife's response was, "DO IT!" And then she cheered when I

I based my Trip Date (April 18-21) on these averages:

South Rim					North Rim				The Bottom
Month	Hi	Lo	Precip		Hi	Lo	Precip		Hi	Lo	Precip
January	41	18	1.32		37	16	3.17		56	36	.68
February	45	21	1.55		39	18	3.22		62	42	.75
March	51	25	1.38		44	21	2.63		71	48	.79
April	60	32	.93		53	29	1.73		82	56	.47
May	70	39	.66		62	34	1.17		92	63	.36
June	84	54	1.81		77	46	1.93		106	78	.84
July	84	54	1.81		77	46	1.93		115	78	.84
August	82	53	2.25		75	45	2.85		108	75	1.4
September	76	47	1.56		69	39	1.99		97	69	.97
October	65	36	1.1		59	31	1.38		84	58	.65
November	52	27	.94		46	24	1.48		68	46	.43
December	43	20	1.62		40	20	2.83		57	37	.87

That was my first EXPENDITURE:
The trip cost $755 and the reservation requires 50% down. So that part was done.
I realized I would now need to start keeping an itinerary, and a record of my expenditures.
But I was on my way!

Decision 3: I Am Physically Capable?

I have to admit, from the time I began to dream of doing this hike, I wondered about my physical condition. I've had chronic back pain for the past 25 yr. and my past employment led to a fairly sedentary lifestyle. Once I get home from work, I turn into a couch potato.

We made conscious effort to go for evening walks, enjoying a 2 mile loop that includes 2 stair ways. We increased vegetables and fruit to our diets, decreasing junk foods. We're not the epitome of health, but for a 50 yr. old couple, we we're in decent shape.

"Decent shape" is not good enough, considering the hike I chose is rated "STRENUOUS". I stepped up my exercise regimen, including more extreme leg exercises, and hikes in which I wore a backpack with the approximate weight we'd carry on the hike I signed up for -- the South Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop 3-day hike.

I chose the April 18th trip, after studying the average temperatures that I'd be most comfortable with. I'm born and raised in Southeast Alaska, so my April averages look more like 50° High and 34° Low, compared to the April South Rim averages of 79° High and 39°

Fortunately, Four Seasons Guide supplied me with Training Information for Backpacking Trips. I have 2 months to prepare.

Decision 2: Tour Guide or Self-planned?

Next I needed to either get other (experienced) hiker's interested in coming along, or start researching tour guides. Since my trip was 2 months away, I didn't think I could find someone with experience, and still make a safe, well-planned trip.

I researched different guided tours in which the equipment and permits were all provided. That would take care of a huge expense, and I could rely on their experience. I felt relieved once I decided I was going on a guided tour.

My choice turned out to be Four Season Guides based on these criteria:

• Cost
• Reputation
• Group Sizes
• Initial Helpfulness of the Company

I have been extremely pleased so far.
That took care of item #2.

Decision 1: Can I Afford It?

I was laid off from work this year when the historic Sheldon Jackson College closed, where I worked for the past 5 years. Now I was worried that I the trip I'd been planning for so long was beyond my means.

Meanwhile, I've been eking out a living as an artist since. (See my artwork at Tlingit Tribal Art). I also do website work and illustrations for a children's book, Raven House Mouse, for Jan Steinbright, the author.

I'll say again, how my wife has encouraged me to make this dream come true. She persuaded me to "just do it" and worry about money later.
That took care of Decision #1

Make It So

I began visiting websites about various hikes, guided tours, and articles by people who had done the hikes. That's what's proven the most useful to me. If I see pictures of ordinary looking people making the same hike that I dream of doing, it makes it seem possible. So I started making my To Do lists.
I needed to make some initial decisions:

1. Whether I could afford the trip

2. Whether to go with another friend or with a guided tour

3. Whether I was physically fit to make the trip

Life's Dreams and Serendipity

I never thought I would to actualize any of my Life's Dreams list. I thought they were great fantasies; just a way to while away idle time, or to read about and wish. It was my Wish List.

My wife, on the other hand, has an uncanny knack of wishing for things, and then they just seem to come to her! Case in point: she's always wanted to be part of Cirque du Soleil, so what do you imagine would happen when she went to one of their shows in Las Vegas? Right! She was called from the audience, whisked backstage, and dressed in a costume so fast that she didn't even know what character she was! (She ended up being "Mama" to a "child" searching the audience for her Mama.) That's only one of many instances. So I took a lesson from her.

I never saw the same kinds of serendipity in my own life. That is, not until I started taking my Life's Dreams list more seriously than a mere wish list.

One item that's been a life's dream has been to hike down into the Grand Canyon. It formulated back in 2001, on a 6-week road trip throughout Arizona and New Mexico. I fell in love with Arizona, and when I stood at the rim of the Grand Canyon, I had a remarkable spiritual experience. The sheer immensity of that canyon took my breath away! It made me painfully aware of my own insignificance. With that awareness I imagined myself shooting away from planet Earth, watching even this vast canyon become miniscule, and then even Earth became a grain against all the cosmos. Then I became aware of myself again, thinking that -- as seemingly insignificant as I am, I get to have this experience; an experience in which I was overcome with emotion, awe, and gratitude.

Ever since that experience, I've so wanted to hike the canyon. When I stood on the rim, far below I could make out specks that were hikers on the trails. I wished that I could do that someday, but I canceled out that wish by believing that it would be impossible for someone with back problems like mine, or that I just didn't have time and money for such things.

One day, I mentioned this life's dream to my wife and, lo and behold, shortly thereafter I came across a MAP OF THE TRAILS IN THE GRAND CANYON in a giveaway book pile! That's when I started to change my attitude about my life's dreams. I had experienced serendipity, but that meant my next step would require ACTION, not fantasy.

You see, a wish remains a wish only if you do nothing to make it start coming true. My wife, for example, had to SHOW UP at Cirque du Soleil to even be chosen from the crowd! My journey began far before I took my first step into the canyon.

ser·en·dip·i·ty: the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for