Grand Canyon: Tanner Trail - October 14-16, 2016

Here is a view from just below the rim. The trail drops down to the butte just left of center (Escalante Butte) then contours around it to continue beyond it and down to the river.

The Tanner trail descends over a distance of 9 miles from the south rim of the Grand Cayon at 7350 feet to the Colorado River at an elevation of 2700 feet. The trail is no longer maintained (although there is evidence that the park service is intending to do some minimal work on the upper section). It is recommended for experienced hikers only.

This was a 3 day, 2 night trip, hiking alone. I started down the trail about noon on Friday and made dry camp below the Redwall. The next day I reached the river at 10:30 AM and headed back up, camping at the Tanner - Seventyfive mile canyon saddle. The final day I hiked up through the Coconino and reached my vehicle at 10:20 AM

The trail in my opinion is "just fine". It is certainly as good as any of the trails that are used on a regular basis without comment in the Tucson area. The descriptions I had read had me expecting much worse conditions, but these descriptions are written to keep neophytes from getting themselves in trouble. The trail gets regular daily traffic (at least in the months when people ought to be using it) and is nowhere difficult to find or follow. It is certainly strenuous and long (as any trail desceding in and out of the canyon must be) and in places is rocky and loose. There is no water whatsoever available anywhere along the 9 mile distance.

Here is a view looking west down Seventyfive mile canyon from where I camped on the second night.

water and pack

Weather was fine, perhaps a bit on the hot side for mid October. Wind picked up the second night and blew like a hurricane all night. I was camped at the saddle, which is a natural wind channel, but not right in the saddle, as I could sense the wind starting up at sunset. I camped about 100 yards below the saddle nestled between a juniper tree and a boulder in a nice spot. The wind overhead sounded like a jet airplane all night. I began carrying 6 liters of water (stashing 2 liters above the Redwall for the return). I collected a liter at the river, so I consumed 7 liters in all. My starting pack, including 12 pounds of water weighed 30.5 pounds. On exit my pack weighed 15.5 pounds (so I consumed 12 pounds of water and 3 pounds of food).

In mid-October, temperatures were reaching 92 near the river. I was keeping my pace down to avoid building excessive heat, but I was still sweating a lot. My shirt had salt stains and my pack was wet with sweat when I took it off. All this in "mere" 90 degree temperatures. Imagine the insanity of being here in summer months! People do it, not realizing how it is "in the canyon" and pay with their lives. Even in 90 degree temperatures I was consuming almost the recommended 1 gallon per person per day. Summer heat would demand 2 gallons per day and an extremely well adapted person in fine health, and even then would be very unwise. Sobering!

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I need to either find a good CSS file or start using Word Press and add more photos.

Here is a view at sunset looking west from Seventyfive mile saddle. The wind is putting a lot of dust in the air,

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Tom's hiking pages / [email protected]