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[gore range]

....in all fairness it was a generic slip of the term "Gatorade" as I actually packed the Powerade as such was on sale for 55 cent a quart , though on the canyon treks I do pack powdered Gatorade to save weight....

....a few handfuls of nuts is always good, but I think I chomped 7 bags, plus a couple dozen or so of Keebler Pecan Sandies- now there's the commercial; fueled by elves....

....I'm thinkin' I'll be really surprised if the knees are still around if I make 70 ....

[NightmarePatrol]

Gatoraid is pretty much the defacto standard for rehydration and electrolyte replacement. It works very well. So Gore, got a Trader Joes out your way?

[TiFeMb]

Powerade for me. Less sweet.
Nice job there Gore, I will check out the pics at home (blocked here in the gulag)

[Zipper]

Watch this.

[Puffin]

Happy Birthday Gore. Congratulations on the hike. For a large proportion of those who reach that age milestone, long hikes in the wilderness are not an option. The best they can manage is a trip to the Scooter store to check out the new fat tire models.   And to arrive at that timeline with all your marbles, albiet maybe  a loose one may be sometimes evident, just proves they don't make em like they used to.  
 

[NightmarePatrol]

Boob and Butts in the news again.  Now, get your minds out of the gutter.

[gore range]

........

....well, it was just a matter of time until that one showed up in reality....

....Puff, I suspect the consensus is there is more than one marble loose ....

....though I do count my blessings...

....and with the positive issue-free descent of the peak with the new hiking poles, in light of the knee issues in the canyon in July, I'm already thinking about another canyon adventure; and, have pondered the coolness of dropping the social security application in the Phantom Ranchmail box at the bottom of the canyon to be sent out via mule train ; time will tell....

....Night- no Trader Joe's in the hood, but I've seen them in Arizona and California. What do they have that I might like??

[NightmarePatrol]

Bulk nuts, dried fruit, off beat products. Some are excellent and some are just so-so. It's a quirky little chain with a very loyal following. Looks like the closest ones to you are in NM.

[gore range]

....thanks, Night....though, being in Colorado we have more than our fair share of quirky food markets and chains, in addition to the plethora of outdoors/sports supply stores (to include the largest REI store in the chain) that are seemingly endemic, from which to choose whatever strikes one's 'roughing-it' fancy....

....Though, no surprise when I look for my back country needs, I usually end buying a little at a time over at the Commissary on base when I'm over there grocery shopping as even the military Commissary here feeds into the mile-high outdoors mind set .... 
[/]

[bluebomber]

Gore,
Made reservations for family next August at the phantom ranch. Any ideas for a day hike from the ranch and where can I get a hat like yours, as a brimmed hat is mandatory for the mule ride down and back?

[gore range]

Most excellent!    An adventure of a life time for most folks!

Do you know yet which trail you’re be riding on? Have you signed up for the meals at the Phantom Ranch Cantina? It’s pricey, but,  I’ve had the steak diner and its was a most excellent huge slab of prime meat with an outstanding full home-style belly-filling family pass-the-salad-please diner !!! The stew is good, too, but it ain't a top quality steak at the bottom of the world....

….you’ll have several options for a day hike at the bottom-

http://www.hitthetrail.com/phantom_hikes.php

….however, do keep in mind the pic below is pretty much the August norm/reality down at Phantom Ranch :

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2860700590103758887NQbaBI

….the River Loop will involve some climbing up and down, across the bridges on the south  side of the river. However, if your mule train descends the Bright Angel Trail, you’ll ride along this trail any way up river past Phantom Ranch to cross the second Black Bridge as the mules can‘t cross the open grating on the first bridge Silver Bridge.

….the Clear Creek trail climbs a 1,000 feet or so up to the top of the inner gorge plateau and over looking the inner canyon just climbed. Click on the NPS trail description link at the bottom of the blurb in the phantom_hikes link above to read the numbers….

….the hike up to Ribbon Falls, though relatively flat, is a bit long at 11 miles round trip, and in August, I can attest from personal first hand experiences in transiting THE BOX (read about THE BOX in the phantom_hikes link above) that it can be most problematic for those thinking it’s just a walk in the park, as it quickly turns into literally a walk in a micro wave oven. It’s no lie/exageration-

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2707603560103758887HcIahx

….then, if your mule ride is only going down & up the South Kaibab Trail, which is the much more scenic of the two as it is pretty much follows the tops of ridge lines with wide vista which you don‘t get on the Bright Angel Trail, there’s the two mile hike across the Silver Bridge and down stream along the river cliffs on the RIVER TRAIL-

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2034927210103758887QyDZXi


to the River Rest House -

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2918421020103758887DfpZkA

.…located where the bottom of the Bright Angel Trail meets the river.  There is a privy there, though no drinking water, but a cooling soak in Pipe Creek-

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2145582720103758887tlNczC

....pack some powdered Gatorade to mix in your water bottles down there if you hike about, as drinking only water doesn't do jack for your electrolytes, the absence of which can screw royally with nerve synapses in a not such a good way-

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2475674620103758887WzMUto

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2816386380103758887asOsMB

....it ain't remotely like a day at the beach....

 

….the Phantom Ranch rangers will have an afternoon and evening presentation at Phantom Ranch- check the schedule when you get down there, and see if they are conducting the after dark Scorpion Tour. You might want to take a small star chart for later in the evening as when you move away from the few resort lights, in the depths of the canyon you’ll likely see more stars than you ever knew existed….

….I got the hat at Walmart, a $10 Panama Jack hat that I’ve liberally applied a couple tubes of DuPont Duco plastic cement all over the top and bottom of the brim  to get it to hold it’s current broad shape; and yet to incur any sunburn. And, I can’t endorse enough the cooling benefits of draping a dripping soaked bandanna over the chrome dome, under the hat-

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2090030720103758887PYDTAG

….as the heat can be brutal down there particularly for the unaccustomed to such,; don’t hesitate to keep the shirt and bandanna (get big light-colored ones!)  fully soaked and dripping wet at  any and every opportunity, or drop it in Bright Angel Creek. You might be able to drop it in the Colorado if it’s not too silted, other wise the silt will rub on you not so nicely in places where gravity will take it.  You’ll notice the alumni of the Royal Saudi Air Force Desert Survival School is usually decked out in a long sleeve white shirt that is usually wet; DO NOT WEAR ANY TONE OF DARK COLORS….

….you can fish down there, but it does require an Arizona license that you need to get outside the park....

....those cheap Dollar Store pocket umbrellas are well worth the $5 when out in the killer bottom-canyon sun.

....you’ll be lucky if it gets down to 90 by dawn.  The family doing a cabin or using the dorms?

....the Cantina is stocked nicely-

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2518317860103758887zETldW

wth a fair selection of table games for the kiddies that might be not conducive to the heat. Bright Angel Creek is about 65 degrees and kids seem to relish it even though its on the shallow side and a little rocky. You can hike down to the boat beach on the Colorado, but swimming is prohibited due to the canyon-carving currents, and, besides which, the cold temp of the river becomes quickly painful....

….oh,….and take extra, extra camera batteries….

[bluebomber]

Thanks Gore this info is much appreciated. Not sure which trail yet, we are staying in a cabin and are being fed at the ranch and am already looking forward to that steak. Didn't know about the scorpion hunt, my daughter will love it. Was in Flagstaff for business last Dec. and drove up one morning and ended up making it to the 3 mi shelter on Bright Angel. Was my first time and knew after 5 seconds that the wife and kids had to experience in person. Thanks again for the info.

[Amidala]

Remember, it's a dry heat.....   

[gore range]

  ....I suspect most have no idea just how dry of a heat....

....blue- you are most welcome; your tax dollars at work ....

[Puffin]

these guys were in the yard just after dinner today.