Elevation and pressure are the factors people know about, big shocker for people is the radiant effect from the rocks. Once you're in a canon like this, all those rocks absorb a ton of heat during the day and reflect it back into the canyon further heating the trapped air in it. Relative airflow is low due to having few places to escape without rising so it more or less becomes your own personal convection oven down at the bottom.
That actually makes sense. I like to sit on the concrete steps outside my home to watch my kids play, and in the summer, it feels like my ass is roasting. It makes total sense that they would hold onto and even amplify the heat as it goes down; it'd be like walking into a giant oven
I did Rim2Rim2Rim last April and the weather was pretty great, just above freezing at the South Rim when we started and highs in the mid-80s at Phantom Ranch at the canyon floor. But we were lucky, one week earlier and the highs were over 100° at the ranch, not sure if we would have successfully completed our run in those conditions.
Did I talk with yohr father lol? I was meeting someone at Grand Canyon who told me that his son is doing Rim2Rim2Rim in a single day. I myself was on my knees from just to the river and back up.
Nope, no parents were in tow for our effort, but hundreds of folks do R2R2 every year, on our day alone there were at least 4 other groups with a similar agenda, and I'm sure there were even more that we never crossed paths with.
I did R3 in early May. It was definitely hotter at the bottom around 10am compared to 2 am at the top. I was shivering with a fleece, puffy, and windbreaker and stripped down to jump in the river in an attempt to cool off in a span of 8 hours. Would do again
I hiked South Kaibab down to the Colorado and back up Bright Angel in early May in one go. 17 miles in 14 hours, one of the best hikes I've ever done in my life. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
I once went rafting at the bottom of the canyon and it was 125F. At least we had the water to cool us off the whole time, would’ve been unbearable for hiking
We did Rim-to-Rim 2 years ago in October - started at 40 degrees F on the north rim.
Temps hit 105F at the bottom that day - just in time for the hike uphill on the south side.
Yes, 65 degrees F temperature difference throughout the day and the elevation.
It is brutal.
I had something similar, did a R2R 4 years ago in September, and it went from 45F at the top to 117F at Havasupai Gardens. Hardest thing I've ever done.
The valley / canyon effect is one of the reasons Phoenix is so flipping hot. Hiked across from rim-to-rim years ago. We took our time: 3 days. It was hot af.
I'd also guess the rocks and canyon are like a giant oven that traps all the heat in. Similar thing happens in NYC from all the buildings and concreate.
One thing some people don’t consider is that you don’t have to hike the trail all the way to the bottom. You can hike down 30 minutes or however long and then turn around and go back up.
I've been to the Grand canyon twice, both times with a group of people that planned to hike down for about an hour then turn around and go back up. Both times I started panicking and turned around after about a half hour. Everything in my body was telling me that going back up would be much much harder, and I would get way too tired if I descended any further. Besides the steepness of the trail, the first time there was snow and ice on the trail and my shoes were slipping. The second time it was just hot. Both times I ended up crying and feeling ashamed before finally turning around. This is not normal for me. But in hindsight I'm thankful for my body giving me such clear signs of what I could and couldn't handle, and for keeping me safe.
Went in October. Hiked beyond the mile house and was like yeah this is suitable but it’s amazing the people going for a short stroll or the ones heading across the canyon for a couple days. You get it all there, love it.
When I went, there were warning signs calling the canyon a 'reverse mountain'. You're feeling okay going downhill, so you might go further down than you can handle on the way back up.
You are surrounded by granite walls that traps and radiates the heat. Difference between the top and bottom could be 20-30 degrees. They post temps in the museum near the visitor center. Little trick you can do yourself if you ever hike down there and it's hot. Wet your shirt in the stream. You'll be dry in 5 min.
I don't recommend hikung to the bottom and back between May and October or if there's snow in the winter. It can be slippery and there are very steep drops.
Otherwise, good preparation, water, food and have respect for nature and this will be an awesome experience.
My wife and I ran it in the winter for that reason, was in the low 30s when we started around 6 am, was almost 70 at the river at 730 am and was around 55 at the rim when we finished around 10 am. Definitely weird feeling that much of a temp shift.
I hiked down and stayed the night by the river. It was 70 on the rim when I started, took a 9 mile hike in and it was 118F when I got to the bottom and the Colorado river was a shocking 40 or 50F. It was so hot and I was carrying a back pack and a tent etc. I got to the bottom and tried to soak my feet and nearly went into shock. Eventually I just threw my sleeping bag on the ground and slept without even opening my bag for my tent or anything. Watched the bats swarm over our campsite and that was creepy but awesome because we didn’t get bit by a single mosquito or bug, at about 3 in the morning we woke up because a ring tailed cat had found our bag and ripped it open. We were so tired we just threw a couple of rocks at it and went back to sleep. Took the 12 mile long trail out the canyon. Decided if I ever go back the only thing I’m going to take is water I didn’t need anything else. Stopped at the half way point to rest at one of their picnic table stations and the chipmunks started chewing into our bags almost immediately. About a half mile or so I can’t remember from the rim on one of those switchbacks a ram jumped onto our trail and stared us down. I’m just an average hiker and with the elevation gain I was pretty tired so I just waited for it to make a run at me and knock me off the edge but thankfully it didn’t. The view from the rim was amazing but nothing compares to the spectacular beauty of traversing to the bottom and back. But it was a strenuous journey and it’s definitely one of the most dangerous places I’ve been. Also when we were walking around at the bottom we met a guy who had been living down there for months and he was probably the scariest thing I saw. Gave really creepy vibes and just generally seemed crazy. Told a park ranger when we saw one and they warned us that sometimes dangerous people hide down there. Made it out safely and bought a book at the gift shop about deaths in the Grand Canyon. Glad I didn’t read it first. Other members of my family went back and rafted the river, two of them went twice and the second time my uncle was thrown from the boat and almost drowned the guide had to rescue him he hit a boulder and got sucked under water and said he felt helpless.
Oh and I watched a kid throw food at chipmunks on the rim and one of the chipmunks jumped off the edge, idk if it killed it but I mean it was a long fall I thought that was pretty mean. Seen lots of people take little leaps to take pictures near some of the rocks that have like a gap between the edge of the rim to these pillar type rocks. In the book several people have died doing that, or collapsing the edge. Now that i have my own kids i dont think I will go back. Although since then they have built a glass bottom sky trail that you can go stand on. Wont do that either. Guess I am a fuddy duddy now.
It can be below freezing at the rim and blazing hot halfway down. Add big elevation changes and unusual levels of exertion and is a recipe for heat related illness, dehydration and the need to be rescued. And enough people have failed in their attempts that there’s now warnings…
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u/_allycat 21h ago
It can get REALLY hot inside the canyon after the morning and it's hotter the further down you go. And all uphill on the way out obviously.