Date of Event: August 9-10 2008
Attendance: 2 adults, 3 scouts
Trip report written by: Chris
Cropley
On August 9 & 10, five members of
our Troop went on an overnight backpack trip to the Indian Garden
campground in the Grand Canyon. The campground is 4.5 miles down
into the canyon on the plateau that can be seen from the rim.
This was only my second backpacking
trip and my first time hiking into the canyon. I was concerned that
I would not be physically prepared for such a grand adventure. Two
months before the trip I started hiking the hills of Thunderbird
Park every day. Once I was able to hike it 2-3 times without
trouble, I moved up to hiking North Mountain. I was able to hike the
mountain twice in a row before the Grand Canyon trip. I was as ready
as I was going to be.
The Grand Canyon looks spectacular
from the rim, but it looks even grander from the within the canyon.
The view changes as you descend deeper into the canyon. The bright
angel trail is rocky and uneven from the wear and tear of the mules.
I was constantly watching where I was stepping to avoid twisting an
ankle or falling off the edge. I had to occasionally remind myself
to stop and look around to admire the view.
After 2 hours of hiking we arrive
at the campground. It is an oasis in the middle of the barren
desert. There were large green cottonwood trees providing much
appreciated shade. Green shrubs and bushes provide a little privacy
between campsites. A variety of cactus reminds us that we are still
in the desert. Each campsite has a picnic table, ramada and food
storage boxes. The local wildlife will not waste any time getting to
your food if left unattended for even a minute.
The afternoon temperature at
Indian Garden peaked at 103 degrees. Everyone spent the afternoon
napping in the shade, regaining our strength from the mornings
hike. Later in the day we explored the area, played in the creek
and talked with other hikers. In the evening, a park ranger gave a
talk on how the local wildlife survives in the wilderness. That
night I slept on top of one of the picnic tables. A spotted skunk
paid a visit to eat the few chocolate covered raisins that were left
under my table (thanks, Vinnie).
We woke before dawn the next
morning to get an early start on our hike out of the canyon. The
sun had come up by the time everyone had eaten breakfast and packed
up their gear. Not long after leaving the campground, the scouts
started hiking in high gear and left Bud and I in the dust. We
stopped many times to rest and catch our breath. It took us twice as
long to get out of the canyon as it took to get in.
It was a
fantastic experience and I will definitely do it again. The Boy
Scout motto played a major part in my enjoyment of the trip. If you
are prepared with proper training, hydration, food and equipment,
you will have a pleasant experience. There are many stories of
people who were not prepared and suffered for it. If you are
planning on hiking the canyon for the first time, do you homework.
Get advice from someone who has hiked it before and be prepared!
