[Day 3] East Rim Approach

Pumped on endorphins from my first full day, sleep was rare and intermittent last night. A noisy mosquito tried at my face all night, and I found my legs wet from sweat on a few occasions. I did a diligent cleaning of my quilt after the CDT, and the return in loft and accompanying warmth is considerable. I may need to downgrade to a 30°F or 40°F bag. Additionally, the pine needles of my camp deceived me for flat ground, but my head was on a downhill. The whole elevated legs recovery routine has never worked positively for my sleep. I should have taken action, but sometimes there is a point of no return — that is, unless it begins to rain. It didn’t.

Minus some soreness areas, my mind and body remember how to do the mileage. My beefed-out big toe, which I ran on competitively for two months in high school while it was unknowingly broken, pinches a nerve, providing a sensation where the toe itself wants to separate from my foot, loaded like a pressurized pimple. The hips have some tightness. A tingling in my left IT band comes when I stop for the day, but this is an usual feature on all my 20+ mile days. Overall, I expect any ailing soreness to dissipate over the next days.

I continued the rolling plateau walk in exposed, burned-out forest. Around mile five, I got a glimpsing view north into Utah of the edge of the Kaibab Plateau. Based upon my map read, the escarpment of the Kaibab Plateau should merge with the east and north rims of the carvings of the Colorado River, hence why the north rim of the Grand Canyon is a thousand feet or so higher than the south rim.

Eventually, the forests became denser around mile ten, repeatedly transitioning between flat, dry, grassy valleys and forested hills. Today’s primary water source was an open pool, earthen tank, surrounded by cow-trodden tall dry hay. To collect water, I depressed the shoreline grasses and scooped from the puddle I made. The water was heavy with tannins, hay particulate, algae, and dirty. It’s a good thing I didn’t break out a new filter for this trail. Also, there goes my expectation of dry feet for this trail.

You’d have to imagine the cows and other wildlife that use these watering holes are incognizant of where they use the restroom. But, you do not have to imagine, because we know that they don’t know any better. I question how much cow urine I’ve consumed over my southwestern hiking. It’s got to be less than a liter of concentrate… hopefully.

Later in the day, smoke rolled in. The origin appeared to be due east, though I was not aware of any fires burning north of the Grand Canyon last I checked. The smoke only lasted three or four miles before I was well out of its westward trail.

Around mile 23 on the day, I reached a viewpoint of the east rim of the Grand Canyon and north towards the beginning of where the mighty river cuts a deep slit in the Colorado Plateau.

I cameled up for a waterless stretch carrying four liters to camp. Around mile 25, expecting a couple miles left in the day, I threw on some tunes. Just as my earbuds were in, I was prompted to check trail behind me, and I caught a glimpse of a mountain lion darting across the two track. I wonder if the cat was stalking me, and if so, how long.

I reached 27 miles, ready to call it a day. Unfortunately, camping options were abysmal and chilly in the ravine I was tracking. I sent it for another three miles to the boundary of Grand Canyon National Park, making a legal camp right on the fence line.

I head for the ranger station at the north rim tomorrow to acquire a permit for a campground in the canyon (crossing my fingers). Beyond the ranger station, all other services of the north rim are closed for the season. The messy recreation.gov reservation system showed no sites available, but I hear the rangers make accommodations for AZT hikers. Otherwise, my plans are to make rim-to-rim the following day.

Bundled in for a below freezing night, I finished the day with warm chicken teriyaki rice.

Signing off,

Zeppelin

“Freak on a Leash”