13 miles
76.9 AZT mile marker
I slept a bit better and awoke in time for a great sunrise over the Grand Canyon, with the sun coming up on the far side of the canyon from me.
Today I was taking a couple trails that more or less follow the rim of the canyon back to the AZT. Though the trails were close to the rim, they didn’t always have views due to the vegetation, especially since most of the hike was through a burn area with a lot of short trees vying for the sun.
I had several great views down into the canyon and back across to where I camped before I got to Point Imperial, which is the highest viewpoint in the park. That makes sense since a couple trees had signs of lightning strikes.
I spent some time at the viewpoint, especially looking back at the Nankoweep trail which I took last year on the Hayduke. That trail clings to a steep terrace between two cliffs, and it’s amazing something could be routed through there. More amazing looking at it from this distant perspective than on the trail itself.
I headed on along the rim and got more continuous changing views of the canyon which were fantastic. These trails don’t look like they are used much, and that’s a shame.
I took a scenery break a few miles from Point Imperial around 9, and apparently that is the magic time when the constant stream of helicopters started flying. At first it was a racket in the canyon, but apparently their flight path was right over my trail, and I was being buzzed every minute or so only 100 feet above my head! How absurdly obnoxious. I couldn’t even sit there and enjoy the view because of the capitalist pestilence. It is amazing the park lest them do that, so close to the trail, but I guess money talks even for the government. It pretty much ruined my hike today, the constant noise. I’ve had the same thought in the canyon where you would think you can just enjoy nature, but not so.
I was obviously in a foul mood, and just stormed down the trail. I wanted to stay but I just couldn’t. I didn’t escape it until I got back into forest away from the rim. Needless to say, I did give each helicopter a salute that they could probably see because they were close enough. No picture of that. From there, the trail was relatively uneventful.
I arrived at the North Rim area and got a hiker spot at the campground. I’ve got a permit for in the canyon tomorrow night, so another shorter day gives my body a chance to rest. I also found some stove fuel at the general store to replace my sooty isopropyl alcohol. I’ve got yet another campsite right on the rim of the canyon, though this one will be my last. It was a good run, and I love the canyon, but there are just some very commercialized aspects to it.
A number of other AZT hikers showed up and we chatted until past hiker midnight. Cameron (now dubbed Freeze), Koala, Kaitlyn, Break, and Mora. Mora is from Israel and got off trail for a week because she tripped on a literal trip wire someone had set across the trail. She fell and smashed her nose and got a concussion. However, she was now back on the trail. I was shocked to hear that someone would set a trip wire on a hiking trail, and embarrassed that a foreign hiker visiting America had to experience it. C’mon people, what is the point of that? Just be a good person.