Salem, Oregon's
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Willamette Valley Road Runners (WVRR)
www.WVRoadrunners.org.

The Deepest Double:
More Adventure Runs
by Eb Engelmann

In a period of just over three weeks, WVRR members Rob Rickard (59), Gary Parcher (56), and I (61), did adventure runs in the two deepest canyons in the United States. At 6:00 AM on March 22^nd, we took a jet sled upstream some 25 miles from Pittsburgh Landing in Hells Canyon on the Snake River and then ran back to our vehicle on the Idaho side. We had been prepared to run up to 31 miles, but the river level dictated that the sled turn back at 25 miles from the Landing. And the run is fully self-contained as there are no aid stations or help along the route.

It was a gorgeous run, as much as 5500 feet deep in the deepest canyon in the U.S. The very narrow but mostly well defined trail traversed gently rolling river terraces but also sometimes clung to very steep, high walls of the inner canyon, providing a stunning mix of yellow, beige, brown, and gray "pillows," ledges, ridges, and outcrops of basaltic rock. All the while, the river coursed anywhere from ten to several hundred feet below the trail—a river of long green pools separated by periodic loud, tumultuous rapids. Very distant upper ridges of the Seven Devils and other peaks were brightly snowcapped, adding further contrast and drama to the scene. Vegetation consisted mostly of grasses, but also of hardy shrubs and bushes, widely scattered ponderosa pine, and even a small variety of prickly pear cactus.

The weather was ideal, despite heavy downpours while driving both to and from the Canyon. We had generally mild weather with overcast, wind, and sprinkles—but nothing unpleasant. Some 34 people took the sled ride up the river—at $45/head, most opting for the shorter 15-mile landing, but a number, including Rob and myself, taking the longer version. (Meanwhile, Gary hiked a 12-mile, round-trip segment up from the landing, handicapped by a miserable head cold.) This run has apparently been "organized" for a decade or more (the boat is scheduled and the specific Saturday coordinated) by the Seaport Striders Running Club in Lewiston, but most of the runners appear to come from Spokane. We, on the other hand, drove over 1000 miles round trip to do the event, but it was well worth the effort.

Then at 3:00 AM on April 14, Rob, Gary, and Rich Hastings (42), a Tucson area runner, dropped over the edge of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on the South Kaibab Trail, while Lee Fields (60), Joe Dana (67), and I went down the Bright Angel Trail at 6:00 AM. We were doing anywhere from our first to our third "double crossing" of the Grand Canyon—also known as Rim to Rim to Rim—depending upon the specific runner’s background.

We all passed through Phantom Ranch on our trek up to the North Rim, while Joe and I also did a little extra exploration at the connection of the Old North Kaibab Trail with the present trail and on the brief Roaring Springs Trail. The first to return to the South Rim was Rich, having turned around with blisters at Ribbon Falls. Next was Gary, who cut his crossing somewhat short at Roaring Springs to be sure of having enough energy to escape the Canyon. Then Rob came back, nursing a sore knee, after turning around at the "upper bridge." Joe was next to turn around, heading back at a predetermined eight hours out (coincidentally at the "red tunnel" on the North Kaibab Trail). Lee, then, was first to "summit" the North Rim, followed by me some 20 minutes later. We returned to Phantom Ranch together, where we regrouped with Joe around 6:30 PM to come out onto the South Rim before or shortly after midnight. We had all come out via the Bright Angel Trail.

The shortest distance done was about 30 miles with over 7500’ each of descent and climb, while the longest was about 46.6 miles and almost 11,000’. We also wore packs containing both warm and cold weather clothing as well as water, water bottles, food, camera, binoculars, head- and/or flashlights, maps, and the like. Temperatures varied between about 30 degrees on the South Rim before dawn to 82 in the afternoon at Phantom Ranch—mild by Grand Canyon standards. Meanwhile, ten to fifteen patches of snow were encountered on the trail just below the North Rim, and 18-24 inches of old snow were found on the North Rim itself.

Joe and I shared a room in Yavapai Lodge on the South Rim, and when we awoke Tuesday morning at about 7:00 we were startled to find about four inches of new snow outside our window, and actively falling, wind-driven snow all around. Had we been coming out of the Canyon just six hours later…! Wow, were we lucky! The Grand Canyon is a legendary place of great extremes: elevation, depth, heat, cold, drought, storms, flash floods, and other severe trysts of nature. It is both harsh and beautiful, and it richly deserves its place among the wonders of the world. We were fortunate indeed to experience both of these great canyons in so short a time.