03 Aug Roaring Springs/North Rim Trip

This week 6 of the 11 YCC Interp interns, Ranger Amala Posey, her fiancée, and myself went on a weeklong trip to the North Rim with making quick pitstops at Lee’s Ferry and Glen Canyon Dam. This 5 day adventure had its highs and lows, surprises, and its rightful tears. The hike down into Roaring Springs and Pumphouse Residence was very excruciating (for me at least!), but the North Rim offers views and vistas not available at the South Rim or the non-locals. The rugged North Kaibab Trail was nearly 6 miles from the trailhead to the bunkhouse, taking nearly 4 hours going down and 5.5 hours going up. Exhausting! Day 1: On Monday, Independence Day, we trekked out to the North Rim from Grand Canyon Village. The drive is a brisk 212 mile drive, with a minor detour to see Lee’s Ferry. Lee’s Ferry is one of the only two water port of entries on the Colorado River that will go flow into Grand Canyon National Park. The Colorado River can range anywhere from 30 feet to 300 feet! It was a great experience to finally see the Colorado River up close because the Colorado is the main water source for everywhere I have lived: California, New Mexico, and now Arizona. From Lee’s Ferry we went on to the North Rim, though it was too dark to see the canyon, we did get to enjoy the North Rim staff Independence Day celebration and BBQ.

                Day 2: Bright and early at 5:00 AM, we woke up to get ready for our hike down the North Kaibab Trail to Manzanita Bunkhouse, near Roaring Springs. Carrying a 25 pound backpack down into the rugged trail was grueling, but doable since we were going into the canyon. Every mile in the canyon, I kept wondering how insanely difficult the hike out would be. After nearly 4 hours and 6 miles later, we finally reached our destination – we were famished. Once at the bunkhouse, we took our first peek at the Bright Angel Creek, ate our dinner and immediately fell asleep. By far the most difficult hike I had done in my life… that is until Thursday!                 Day 3: On this day, we went to