Grand Canyon Double Crossing #9

November 3-4, 2006

“By the light of the silvery moon”

Three weeks after accomplishing a double-double (4 trips) crossing of the Grand Canyon, I returned again to do an all-night-full-moon double crossing.   I arrived at the North Rim shortly after dusk.   After making my preparations for the run, I finally hit the trail at about 7:30 p.m.   I was pleased to see that the overcast sky cleared and that the bright moon would be my companion during the entire night.   As I began my run down the trail, I was further delighted to notice that my legs felt good and strong.  Usually in the early stages of the steep descent it takes a few miles to get the kinks out, but not tonight.

The famous canyon looked amazing in the bright moonlight.  The tops of the cliffs shown brightly, and the lower portions displayed an amazing combination of shadows and light.   My bright green flashlight lit the trail ahead for me.  My spirits were high.  This felt like it would be an amazing night in the canyon.   My pace down the steep portions above Supai Tunnel (first two-miles) was good, but somewhat cautious.  Memories of my nasty fall three weeks earlier, leaving me with bruised ribs and cool gashes, caused me to hold back.   I hoped to set a PR (personal record) during this run (13:10 starting from the North Rim, 12:47 starting from the South Rim.)

 

I arrived at Supai Tunnel (mile 2) in 22 minutes.  My PR pace was 18 minutes, so I knew I was being overly cautious.   I paused long enough to discover that the water was still on.  That was good news for my return trip if I needed to refill there.   I was traveling pretty light.   In one hand I carried a full water bottle, in the other hand I held my flashlight.   I wore a waist pack with one spare water bottle, several packets of Instant Breakfast, a flask of Hammer Gel, some Gatoraide powder, some jerky, and some cookies.   Around my waist was a long-sleeved bike shirt with some more cookies in the pockets.   Not much, but enough calories to make the trip without bonking.    On the way down I ran with only one full water bottle.

 

After Supai Tunnel, I arrived at the location of my nasty fall three weeks ago.  This time I took the turn with extra care.   As I continued on, I thought that I saw a light down below but concluded that it was just the reflection of the moon.  The moon can cause some amazing bright reflections on rocks and pools of water.   But my first guess was right.  About a mile above Roaring Spring, I came upon two guys hiking up the trail.   The second guy asked, “Are you Davy Crockett?”   (Gee, I can’t hide anywhere).  I told him I indeed was.   He explained that as they saw my green light high up the canyon that he told his friend that he bet it was Davy Crockett.  He said he was Gene Griffiths (from Idaho).  I later recalled that I had met Gene this year at the Bear 100.  Gene explained that he and his friend were finishing their double crossing.  They had gone up South Kaibab, but the water was off at the trailhead.  They ended up using a lot of time to take the shuttle to Bright Angel.   I explained that I doing a moon-double-crossing and hoped to be finished by 9 a.m.  They were anxious to finish their run and I was anxious to keep moving, so we wished each other well and I pushed on down the trail.   I reached the Roaring Spring trail at about 55 minutes, still four minutes off my PR pace.

 

I stopped briefly at the ranger house to fill my bottle.   Good thing I did because when I arrived at Cottonwood Campground, a camper told me the news that the water was off there for the season.   That was odd.  Why was it on just a mile up the trail?   Oh well, I would be OK.  I still had a full bottle and was only seven miles from Phantom Ranch.   I continued my run pretty fast to the Ribbon Falls trail, arriving in only 12 minutes, matching my quickest split time on that section.   But from there I started to enjoy the trail more and care less about my pace.  

 

Going through The Box in the moonlight was incredible!   The moon cast its eery light against the winding canyon walls.   I’m at a loss for words as to how to describe the amazing sight.  The moonlight was playfully shining against the rocks brightly in places in a competition with the dark shadows.  Around each corner was a different sight.  I found it impossible to run fast – there was just too much to see!  In addition to the wonderful shadowy display, Bright Angel creek joined in the nocturnal performance with the soothing sounds of water making its way to the Colorado River below.  I could also hear the constant chirping of crickets cheering me on as I winded my way through the canyon.

 

I knew that I wasn’t running at a blazing pace, but I was surprised to see that I arrived at Phantom Ranch at about the 2:40 mark, more than 15 minutes slower than my PR pace of 2:24.  The ranch was quiet.  I could see someone in the Canteen, closing it up for the night.   I took a good drink and mixed up drinks for my bottles.  Even though my stop was quick, I was surprised that I quickly felt a chill.  This was the coldest temperature that I had experienced at the bottom of the canyon.  I soon was on my way again.  Only a few lights were still on in the tents in Bright Angel Campground across the creek.   I quickly arrived at the Colorado River and bounded across Silver Bridge.  My feet caused loud metallic banging sounds in addition to the roar of the mighty river below shining bright in the moonlight.  I enjoyed my run along the River Trail and then tried to push the pace some more up Pipe Creek Canyon and up Devil’s Corkscrew.   But thoughts of setting a PR went away from my mind.  Without others on the trail, I usually retreat into my own peaceful world as I run, tend to get lazy, and just go at a comfortable pace.  But, if there are lights ahead to catch, my competition juices start flowing and I can dig deep to move at much faster paces.  Tonight, the trail was empty.  The only lights ahead were from rocks reflecting moonlight.

 

As I ran through the lush canyon below Indian Garden, a cold breeze blew in my face.  I was still in short sleeves and starting to feel cold.   I planned to put on my jacket and gloves at Indian Garden, but when I arrived, the breeze changed into a warm dry wind, at least 10-15 degrees warmer.  I concluded that below the breeze was being cooled by the vegetation and cool flowing water.  I decided to delay making a change for a while more.  

 

After leaving Indian Garden, I spotted some flashlights shining my way, high up on the trail.  That got my energy flowing and I pushed the pace much faster on the steeper climb.  With about two miles to go to the top, I greeted several hikers with trekking poles making their way down the trail.  They didn’t have heavy packs, but weren’t runners, so I concluded that they were doing a rim-to-rim.  I ran past them and we exchanged quick greetings.  One guy called me a monster, and I continued on.  (These are typical comments from hikers:  You’re a machine, you’re a monster, you are my hero, etc.)  I wondered how long it would take me to catch up with them on my return trip.  They were about four miles ahead of me.   At the 1.5-mile rest house I put on my long-sleeves and gloves.   It was getting nippy, probably in the upper 30s.

 

I finally reached the South Rim at a little after 6 hours, well behind my PR of 5:27.   It was about 1:30 a.m.  I looked around the trailhead location to see if any double-crossers were preparing to start, but everything was quiet.

 

My run down Bright Angel Trail was pretty uneventful.  Far below I could see the lights of the hikers making their way down the canyon past Indian Garden.  They weren’t moving very fast.   I caught up with them on Devil’s Corkscrew.   I had covered ten miles in the time it took them to cover four.   They cheerfully greeted me again and asked if I had run up from Phantom Ranch.  I explained that I had come from the North Rim and was returning.  They were impressed.  They indeed were making a single crossing.   I wished them well and ran quickly down the rest of Devil’s Corkscrew.  They watched my light disappear down deeper into the canyon.

 

I was having one problem.  My right knee started hurting near the top of the climb and continued to bother me during the run down.  It wasn’t going away.  I’m very paranoid about that knee because I tore the meniscus of that knee in 2003 and had it operated on.  The doctor told me to give up running.  (I was just a hiker then).  Instead I took up ultrarunning.   So, I’m always worrying about that knee and try to be careful.  Was it swelling up a little?   My worries caused me to dramatically back off the pace.   It took me about 2:45 to arrive at Phantom Ranch from the South Rim.  (My PR to the ranch on Bright Angel is 1:50).   The ranch was quiet, but I could see people near the canteen beginning to prepare breakfast.

 

As I ran up North Kaibab trail through The Box, I recalled how I felt three weeks earlier during my double-double going on the same trail, making my way up to the North Rim at mile 90.   I remembered that it was a very slow painful climb.  This time on the trail, I felt wonderful.  I now was very high in energy.  But when I would try to push the pace hard, my knee would start to scream.   Finally, I was content to back of the pace and really enjoy the trail in the morning light.   Dawn arrived and exploded a wonderful new view to my eyes.  The cottonwoods and willows were in their autumn colors.  The red cliffs glowed in the morning light.   It was a stunning sight.  I stopped many times just to take in the beauty.  I found the rock that three weeks ago I had hallucinated as being a building with windows.  I chuckled to see that it didn’t look anything like a building.

 

At Cottonwood Campground, campers were stirring, making their breakfast.   After Cottonwood, I spied two runners chasing me from behind.  I kicked it into gear to make sure they wouldn’t catch me until the ranger house.  

 

At the house, I greeted another runner (Hal Winton) who said he was the co-RD of Angeles Crest 100.  We had a fun talk about my 100s during the year and my double-double as I filled my bottles and ate much of my remaining food.  Soon the other two runners arrived, two women from the Flagstaff area running a double crossing.   Hal told them that I ran a double-double three weeks ago.   They were very impressed and offered to let me stay in the lead on the trail.  I declined.  They were on their first crossing and I was on my second.  But, I was going to keep up.   Once I kicked it into gear, my knee pain disappeared.   We pushed ahead quickly.  I kept them in my sights for the next several miles.   On the steep accents, they would push on ahead, but at the flatter locations I would run and catch up.   My energy felt very high and I knew that if I wanted, I could run fast ahead up the trail.   I was satisfied to only go at a pleasant quick pace.

 

Usually after Supai Tunnel, I can’t wait to finish.  Today, I felt great and actually wished it wouldn’t end.   The canyon below was a amazing view.   I backed off my pace for the final two miles and really enjoyed the trail, stopping many times to take in the incredible views.   With a half-mile to go, three more double-crossers caught up with me. (Dan Hadlich, Eric Irving, and Janet Trujillo of New Mexico).  Two more, including Jason Halladay, were further down the canyon.  Gee, the trail was covered with double-crossers today.   I explained that I was finishing my double.  They complemented me on my strong pace at the end.   I kept up with them for the final stretch.  The two women came running down the trail near the top and cheerfully congratulated me.  I told them to have a good safe trip back.

 

My finish time was a relatively slow 14:20, at about 10:00 a.m.  But of my 9 double-crossings, this was probably my most enjoyable.   I finished feeling great, still high in energy.  I reflected that I felt good enough to go run another crossing with all those other runners.  But it was time to head home.  My knee?   Turns out it was just some tendonitis.