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After some self-congratulating, we lined up for an obligatory group shot and row-call. Ten in, and yup, ten out.

A pretty decent third day's performance, all things considered. We had started at 5:20 a.m. and we had arrived not long after 11:30 - close to six and a half hours in total. Quite good for such a large group, in my opinion.
courtesy RHanel
The rim-to-rim-ers
Journey not over yet
A smile of satisfaction
Our thoughts quickly turned to logistics. Arriving before noon meant that I had a nice cushion of time in which to arrange to catch my shuttle bus to the south rim. We had thought there might be a possibility that Gillian (Chris' wife) might be at the trailhead waiting for us (remember, she was to have driven around from the south to the north rim), but we did not spot her. More likely she was wandering around with kids Katie and Evie, sampling some of the sights on the North Rim.

No matter, for we had planned for this possibility. If no one was at the trailhead, then it meant that we had a little bit of extra walking to do, to our campsites at the North Rim campground.
Continuing on from the trailhead
The North Rim campground was less than a mile distant from the North Kaibab trailhead. A car-wide path led us up a small hill and then across the main park road. Beyond the road, an easy flat walk along what is called the Bridle Path led us through beautiful open forest, with towering trees and pine needle-covered grassy fields. A few short minutes later and we spotted the first of the buildings near the campground complex.
Crossing Main Park Road
The Bridle Path
Open Plateau Forest
Upon reaching the campground's access road, we turned right and walked down past the gas station, laundromat, and showers (mmm, showers). We registered at the campground's manned registration kiosk, then walked a bit farther to our designated campsites. This was a nice symmetry to our departure three days before, where we had also started walking right from our campsite. We had done more than just a rim-to-rim traverse: we had done a south campground-to-north campground rim-to-rim traverse. How many people have done that, I wonder?
courtesy RHanel
Quaking Aspen
North Rim Facilities
Spacious North Rim campsite
We had three separate campsites booked at the north rim, and we had arranged to have them all relatively adjacent to one another. As we put our gear down at our campsite, we could see that the Hatko's main tent was indeed deployed in the next site over. So, Gillian and kids were here, but they and their van were not.

I was beginning to get slightly worried, for I had left the keys to our 12-passenger rental van with Gillian. If we did not meet up before the time the 2pm shuttle left, then I'd be forced to switch to the next day's 7am shuttle.

Fortunately, right around 1pm, Gillian showed up. Chris and the rest of his family had a happy reunion, and I retrieved the 12-passenger van keys. The 2pm shuttle departure time was still a go.
Family Reunion
Ranger Hatko
Beautiful Edge Site
The shuttle stop was at the campground's general store, only a two-minute walk away from our site, so I had a few minutes to relax and enjoy the campground. The sites here were very spacious, and ours were along the outer edge of the campground. Our "backyard", therefore, was a beautiful open glade of north rim forest, with towering pines and white quaking aspen. The colors of fall were just starting to tinge some of the foliage a brilliant yellow hue. Up and beyond the trees was the cobalt blue of a clear, high-altitude sky. With little wind and a nice, bright sun, our 8,200 foot campsite was at a perfectly pleasant temperature.
Interactive trackmap with photo points - Grand Canyon Traverse, Day 3 - click map to view
Interactive trackmap with photo points - Grand Canyon Traverse, Day 3 - click to view
Rim-to-Rim Traverse Day 3 - Hike Data
Start Time: 5:15a.m.
End Time: 11:40a.m.
Duration: 6h25m
Distance: 10.99 km (6.83 mi)
Average Speed: 1.7 km/hr (1.1 mph)
Start Elevation: 3964ft (1208m) *
Max Elevation: 8255ft (2516m) *
Min Elevation: 3964ft (1208m) *
End Elevation: 8255ft (2516m) *
* : +/- 75 feet
Total Elevation Gain: 4243ft (1293m) *
Total Elevation Loss: 47ft (14m) *
 
 
* : +/- 75 feet
Elevation Graph
North Kaibab TH to North Campground
(Track color: )
Start Time: 11:43a.m.
End Time: 12:16p.m.
Duration: 0h32m
Distance: 1.38 km (0.86 mi)
Average Speed: 2.6 km/hr (1.6 mph)
Start Elevation: 8256ft (2516m) *
Max Elevation: 8363ft (2549m) *
Min Elevation: 8244ft (2513m) *
End Elevation: 8298ft (2529m) *
* : +/- 75 feet
Total Elevation Gain: 101ft (31m) *
Total Elevation Loss: 56ft (17m) *
 
 
* : +/- 75 feet
Elevation Graph
While the rest of our group prepared to have an easy afternoon of doing pretty much nothing, I walked over to the campground general store to meet the shuttle bus. After purchasing a carton of chocolate milk and a bag of salt and vinegar chips, I sat on the store's veranda and waited for the shuttle (and utilized the store's free wi-fi). It wasn't long before a 15-passenger Ford van showed up, right on schedule.

The service I was using is provided by a private operator known as Trans-Canyon shuttle. They operate two shuttles a day between the south and north rims.
North Rim Campground Store
Trans-canyon Shuttle
Plateau Meadow Scenery
After the bus operator loaded bulky gear and packs atop the van, I climbed aboard, along with eight other passengers, and we started our drive, heading north.

The drive north along the North Rim's highway 67 was very scenic, in its own completely non-canyon sort of way. We were driving across a high-altitude plateau, and the terrain was mostly flat, with only low ridges and hills. There were a number of very nice open meadows along the highway, rimmed with trees that were just starting to turn color with the coming of fall. Near the park entrance, we encountered the North Rim's bison herd.
Grand Canyon's Bison Herd
Grand Canyon's Bison Herd
Full Load
While the rest of the group slept and relaxed back at camp (see pics), our shuttle van turned east onto highway 89A, descended down off of the Kaibab Plateau and into the desert at House Rock Valley. We headed northeast, crossed the Colorado at Navajo Bridge, then finally turned a hard right and started south on highway 89. Along the way, I began to get to know my fellow shuttlers.
courtesy JInnes
courtesy JInnes
courtesy JInnes
Meanwhile, back at camp
Lazily set-up camp
Dinner at the north rim
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[ Return to "The Checklist Edition" Home page | Introduction | Day 1 : South Kaibab to Clear Creek Trail | Day 2 : Clear Creek Tr to Cottonwood Camp | Day 3 : Cottonwood Camp to North Rim | The North Rim | Drive to Zion | Lady Mountain Redux | The Subway | Angel's Landing | Zion in Flood | Valley of Fire | Wind-up and Return | The "Short Report" | GPS Data ]


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