Photo: John Melville Phantom Magic: Backpacking Phantom and Haunted Canyons, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona Highlights:
Includes:
Trip Number: 09085A Price: $1,145 Deposit: $200 Capacity: 9 Rating: MS Leader:
The Trip  Photo: John Melville Above the crowds of Phantom Ranch lies a unique and beautiful backcountry world known only by true lovers of the Grand Canyon. The entry to this marvelous backcountry requires some hard hiking. However, once we arrive we’ll set up our camp for the next several nights. From camp, a series of moderate to strenuous day hikes will allow us to explore the upper reaches of Phantom and Haunted Canyons, enjoy the spectacular views from the saddle between the Cheops Pyramid and the Isis Temple and perhaps even spend time scouting the Old Cattle route for a future trip. The area in which we will be hiking is rich in human, geologic and natural history. We will see the multiple geological layers exposed over the ages as the Colorado River cut its way through this rugged landscape. The vistas will be both breathtaking and stunning. If you’ve seen the Grand Canyon from the established network of trails and are looking for an opportunity to explore it in even more depth, this may be the trip is for you. Temperatures will likely be warm to hot - in the 80s to the 100s during the peak heat of the day at the bottom of the Canyon. Low temperatures in the Canyon should be in the 70s. Temperatures along the rim will range from the mid to upper 30s at night to the mid 70s during the day. We will generally hike during the morning hours before temperatures reach their peak. While April is generally a relatively dry month, participants should be prepared for rain. Please Note: Due to the rules of the Park Service, Backcountry Permits cannot be obtained until February 1st. This means that final trip dates cannot be confirmed until the first week of February. Slight schedule or itinerary changes may be needed if specific dates are unavailable.
 Photo: John Melville Our adventure will begin and end at the Grand Canyon Village, on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. We will meet the afternoon before the trip for a day hike to Shoshone Point – from which we’ll be able to see much of our route. Then we’ll eat an early dinner, distribute commissary, top off of water bottles and the rest up for the start of our adventure on the next day. A group campsite will be reserved for trip participants who wish to camp this night. Following an early morning breakfast we'll head ten miles down the rugged Kaibab trail to Phantom Ranch – crossing the Colorado River via suspension bridge along the way. Join your leaders on a night hike to the Colorado and a chance to star gaze from the Silver Bridge as we hear the river flow past beneath us.  Photo: John Melville From Phantom Ranch, we’ll hike a route seemingly straight up to the Utah Flats area overlooking the Ranch and then on into the Upper Phantom Creek Drainage. We’ll camp under a large overhang – large enough to eliminate the need for tents! The next days will find us hiking with daypacks to the upper ends of Haunted and Phantom Canyons, over the Cheops-Isis Saddle towards the Ninetyone Mile Creek and scouting some of the Old Cattle Route for possible future trips. Breaking camp, we’ll hike downstream through Phantom Canyon – with an occasional short swim along the way – and back to Phantom Ranch. Out final day will be spent hiking 10 miles out the historic and well-traveled Bright Angel Trail. If there is interest, some of us may hike some sections of the long abandoned Old Bright Angel Trail. Once back at the South Rim, we'll walk or take a Park Service shuttle back to our cars at the backcountry office parking lot. All participants are invited to join together for a final meal (included in trip price) at a restaurant in one of the South Rim's historic lodges to share memories, trip highlights, and laughter.
Getting There We will meet at a location on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park that will be announced to participants at a later date.The nearest airports are Flagstaff, Arizona (90 miles); Phoenix, Arizona (230 miles); and Las Vegas, Nevada (280 miles). Lodging on the South Rim prior to or after the trip can best be obtained through Xanterra (888.297.2757) or at their website at www.grandcanyonlodges.com. Rooms can also be found just outside of the park entrance in Tusyan, Cameron, Flagstaff or Williams, Arizona. All participants will make their own travel arrangements. Participants interested in ride sharing should contact the leader who will gladly assist in coordinating the plans of individuals.
The first meal will be lunch on the first day of the trip and the final meal will be our group lunch at the end of the trip’s last day. The trip menus will feature mostly easily prepared and hearty backpacking fare. Special dietary requirements may not be able to be accommodated – please check with the trip leader if you have special requirements. All foods and preparation equipment will be supplied. Meals will be prepared by participants taking turns, under the guidance of and with the assistance of the leader. Participants need to supply their own personal eating utensils.
 Photo: John Melville This trip is rated moderate/strenuous (M/S) due to several hiking days of 8 – 10 miles combined with substantial elevation losses and gains. The steepness of the first and last days, rim altitudes and the challenges posed by desert hiking make proper conditioning prior to this trip essential. Routes after leaving Phantom Ranch may be steep, rocky and poorly, if at all, defined. The 4,800 foot descent over 7 miles on our first day will be extraordinarily tough on the knees, and the 4,600 foot climb out over 10 miles on our last day will strain our quads, our lungs and our stamina.
If you are in very good physical condition and have had some previous experience
in the Grand Canyon, you should be more than able to enjoy this trip. Beginners
are welcome, and will also be able to enjoy the trip as long as their take
their responsibility for physical conditioning seriously. If you are not
in shape for
the very difficult first and last days, you will not only find this trip
difficult, you may not be able to complete it. If you would like a great
description of
what it’s like to hike unprepared in the Grand Canyon, please read the
first chapter of Sharon Spangler’s book (see References).
A comprehensive listing of recommended equipment will be mailed to each participant when they sign up. Below are some of the more important essentials: • Backpack. Internal or External is fine. Should be capable of carrying all of your own gear as well as an additional 15 lbs of communal gear. Maximum pack weight will be approximately 50 pounds. • Sleeping Bag. A bag with a comfort rating of 30 degrees should be fine. • Sleeping pad. • Light tent or tarp. • Camelback or similar water carrier (70 oz) plus two additional two-quart water bottles. (Empty 32oz Gatorade bottles are tough and inexpensive.) • Boots: Well broken-in but still in good condition. Boots should provide good ankle support. • Clothing suitable for 60 degree daytime temperatures at the rim and 90+ degree temperatures below the rim. (1 pr pants with zip off legs works well; two tee shirts; one long sleeve shirt; sweatshirt or fleece pullover (for the rim); underwear; socks) • Hat with wide brim • Bandana • Poncho or rain jacket • Flashlight • Personal eating utensils (cup, bowl or plate, fork & spoon) • Suntan lotion and lip balm. It is very important that all personal items be kept to a maximum of 25 pounds or less (including clothing, sleeping bag, backpack, etc.)
Books
Grand Canyon National Park maps, books and guides can be purchased
from many outdoor shops or from the Grand Canyon Association
through their
Web site at: Websites
Conservation This trip will afford each of us the opportunity to reflect on the meaning and value of our National Park system. We will discuss different types of land protection and the agencies involved with each type of protection. We will have informal readings each evening on Canyon topics including: John Muir’s visit to the Grand Canyon; John Wesley Powell’s voyages of discovery down the Colorado; affects of increased back country usage; and search and rescue issues caused by park misuse. We’ll also have an opportunity to discuss changes that have resulted from the building of the Glen Canyon Dam.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
John has hiked extensively in the Grand Canyon as well as in other parts of Canyon Country. For those who would like to gently stretch their imagination, physical abilities, sense of adventure, and understanding of our natural world, he welcomes participation on this adventure.
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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The canyons of the Southwest are John Melville's favorite places in the world. Though he started backpacking relatively late in life, John loves introducing others to this wonderful hiking destination. He takes pride in designing trips with enough challenge to leave participants with a sense of accomplishment, but leisurely enough that they will really feel the natural beauty of the surroundings.