The week of homecoming was also the week I went on my second Grand Canyon Ladies trip where we hiked Rim to Rim to Rim. I started pulling all my stuff together a week or two before so I made sure I had everything. Last year I was invited last minute when someone in the group couldn't go, so I had zero time to plan and look forward to it and I borrowed things like a hiking backpack and went without things like hiking poles and hiking shoes (just used my running shoes with the hardest bottoms, which was fine). That was spontaneous and fun, but I think I like this better.
This year I got a hiking backpack for my birthday, poles once they were at Costco (and another set I inherited from mom), hiking boots from an REI garage sale, hiking socks and cooling hoodie. Some snacks I especially liked were the blackberry chia seed gels (chia is good because it helps you retain water which you want when you're hiking so you don't need quite as much water), a salty nut mix (during endurance sports like grand canyon hiking or running or biking you lose a lot of sweat and salt and you need to be sure to replenish it and it's better absorbed through food rather than through salt pills), my RX bars which aren't melty and are a good source of protein, and my whole grain bagels and almond butter packets which I ate for lunch both days.
This was taken at a gas and restroom stop on the way to Grand Canyon. It's a 6 hour drive to the North Rim. We had 12 people from our group going North to South, 8 of those 12 went both ways, North to South rim then back to North Rim again. Then we also had a few other smaller groups of friends we'd hiked with ocassionally that live in a neighboring city that mostly went South to North. Because we started on opposite ends and had cars at both ends, this year we didn't have to hike with all our gear. We just sent a bag ahead with our friends from the neighboring city that had our pjs and clothes for the next day and hygiene and food items, and then we just had to hike with our food and water for the day which was nice.
Before we got to the North Rim, we stopped off in Jacobs Lake for dinner (this is also where we stayed the night on the way home).
The menu was limited because of Covid, and there was only 1 or 2 vegetarian items, no salads, so I was grateful I found a grilled cheese and veggie sandwich.
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Me, Tiffany and Renell
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| Beautiful Sunset in the Grand Canyon |
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| L to R, back to front: Brooke, Dawn, Shari, Shauna, Jen, Jamie, Don, Tiffany, Me, Renell, Catherine and Mary Ellen |
The four of us were in a cabin together on the first night...not at the north rim, but about 15 minutes away from the trailhead. Tiffany and I shared a bed and Shauna and Danielle had their own beds the first night.
We got up and moving around 330 in the morning and were on the road by 430(I think).
It was SO stinkin hot! Not at the start, the rims are not hot, they were more like in the 60's, but down in the canyon it was over 100 degrees and in the sun it was 110 degrees while we walked through 'the box'. I was SO grateful for my cooling hoodie that I dipped in cool streams, falls and water stations any time we saw one.
I brought Scott's dollar flip flops to wear when we crossed the small bit of water to get to Ribbon Falls. I learned that you should not bring such cheap flip flops because they will do you no good. They literally had a chunk taken out of the side when I stepped in mud and then the middle piece came out and would not stay in making them useless.
After day one's heat I decided I'd go back with the 4 ladies who were going to drive home that day and not make the returning trip to hike to the North Rim. I told my roommates that night that I'd probably not hike with them again in the morning. The next morning I woke up with everyone and said my prayers, praying about my decision to go back. Then I got up and started getting dressed. I didn't feel good about my decision anymore. I felt confused. Why would it not feel like a good idea to go back? That seems like the safer and cooler option for me. So I kneeled down and prayed again. Still confusion. Still I didn't feel right. And then the thought came to me that 'it's not about you and what you want. You need to go and be a strengh and a support to the others." So with that answer I changed my mindset. I decided I would go and be watchful and aware of others in our group, and that today I would hang with whoever was in the back instead of leading out like I had the day before. Here we are starting out on day 2, hiking back from South to North.
Everyone felt pretty good in the morning. Though a few of us (myself included) weren't feeling great as we climbed out of the south rim the night before, I think because of the heat. So we suggested everyone drink more water.
Little did we know that drinking more water would later cause a problem. Here we are at the Painters Cabin just before we began our climb out of the North Rim (another 5 miles and 5,000 feet elevation gain). We had passed through the hottest part, just barely. Once we got to Phantom Ranch and after was when it had been it's worst in heat and that was a couple of hours ago. Here at the painters cabin we rested for longer as Jamie wasn't feeling well at all. She was feeling nauseous and so sick. We ended up hanging here for an hour and half. Someone from the other group of our friends came by and had Zofran which they gave to Jamie and which helped with her nausea for a time; at least long enough to get her going again.
Shauna, Renell and I stayed with Jamie. We started our climb. It was slow and we stopped a lot for Jamie who kept throwing up. After awhile she got disoriented and so we had shauna and renell carry her pack and fanny pack, and then I fell into step with Jamie and always kept her on the inside of me(making her switch sides at every switchback) so she was never near the canyon edge.
Here I am walking right near Jamie during the climb up the north canyon.
Once we got within a couple of miles to the top we called search and rescue. After asking several questions they said to stop giving her water and to give her salty foods. She had hyponatremia which is when you have too much water which flushes out the sodium and you're not replacing it with salts. They asked if we had a top ramen packet. Shauna was prompted to bring top ramen last minute and had one in her car, so as soon as we got out of the canyon she gave her one before the ambulance arrived. The ambulance didn't take her anywhere but instead had her sit in the car and gave her iv zofran and more ramen packets and had her wait until her blood sugar and sodium levels were more normal and she was herself again, which took about an hour.
We slept at Jacob's Lake that night, I shared a bed with Danielle, as I had the night before on the south rim. The next day we drove back home. We stopped in Beaver at the creamery for lunch. Tiffany and I were twinners.
And Jen and I wore rival shirts :).
Overall it was a great trip. Even though parts were hard and scary, I felt the love of the Lord through it all and witnessed several tender mercies along the way. I'm grateful for prayer and the power of prayer. I'm grateful for a loving heavenly father who knows all and uses us to help and bless others.
