My girlfriend and I just finished our road trip from Southern California (I go to UCLA) to Boulder (CU) and in between we went camping at Catalina Island and then to the Grand Canyon. Catalina Island was absolutely beautiful. Like a poor man's Hawaii. The Grand Canyon was a whole 'nother beast 
We drove from LA and got to the GC around 10pm. Slept in the car (two door ;( ) and woke up at 5am (!) to start out our hike. We went down the South Kaibab Trail which was about seven miles down from the top. Now, going down doesn't seem hard, but when you're going down nearly a mile, in the middle of the summer, with no shade, it can be rough. When we got to the bottom of the Canyon around four hours later (Bright Angel Campground), it was the best feeling ever since we got a site right next to the creek By noon, it was already 110 degrees and we spent all day long playing in that creek, along with everyone else. It was pure bliss Then, at 6:00pm we had reserved a stew dinner at the tiny little tavern (Phantom Ranch), which was styled in community dining. Thus, everyone sat with each other at long tables. We had beef stew, corn bread, salad, and brownies. Bliss again, then a tummy ache
Sleeping was terrible. It was *so* hot. By midnight, it was still 98 degrees . So, with about two hours of sleep, we headed up from the bottom of the Canyon to the very top....quite possibly the hardest thing we have ever done. It was 4.7 miles to the Indian Garden Campground where we hung out until 4pm (they say never to hike between 10-4 during the summer). One funny note: there's a sign on the bulletin board there that reads, "This is a live rattlesnake area. If you see one, leave it alone, and enjoy your stay!". The whole time we were there, you could hear them. Quite unnerving . Thus, we left again and finished up with five of the hardest miles I will ever do. It was five miles of switchback after switchback after switchback. In those last five miles, we went up over 3,000 feet
In the end, it was something we will never forget. I could walk normally for days, and my girlfriend and blisters on top of blisters. Both her big toenails fell off following the hike. Ok, no more talk, just pictures
screw it, just look at the gallery
We drove from LA and got to the GC around 10pm. Slept in the car (two door ;( ) and woke up at 5am (!) to start out our hike. We went down the South Kaibab Trail which was about seven miles down from the top. Now, going down doesn't seem hard, but when you're going down nearly a mile, in the middle of the summer, with no shade, it can be rough. When we got to the bottom of the Canyon around four hours later (Bright Angel Campground), it was the best feeling ever since we got a site right next to the creek
By noon, it was already 110 degrees and we spent all day long playing in that creek, along with everyone else. It was pure bliss Then, at 6:00pm we had reserved a stew dinner at the tiny little tavern (Phantom Ranch), which was styled in community dining. Thus, everyone sat with each other at long tables. We had beef stew, corn bread, salad, and brownies. Bliss again, then a tummy ache Sleeping was terrible. It was *so* hot. By midnight, it was still 98 degrees
. So, with about two hours of sleep, we headed up from the bottom of the Canyon to the very top....quite possibly the hardest thing we have ever done. It was 4.7 miles to the Indian Garden Campground where we hung out until 4pm (they say never to hike between 10-4 during the summer). One funny note: there's a sign on the bulletin board there that reads, "This is a live rattlesnake area. If you see one, leave it alone, and enjoy your stay!". The whole time we were there, you could hear them. Quite unnerving . Thus, we left again and finished up with five of the hardest miles I will ever do. It was five miles of switchback after switchback after switchback. In those last five miles, we went up over 3,000 feet In the end, it was something we will never forget. I could walk normally for days, and my girlfriend and blisters on top of blisters. Both her big toenails fell off following the hike. Ok, no more talk, just pictures
screw it, just look at the gallery
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