Camping and Backpacking with Christopher Young

In association with Hikercentral.com

Camping and backpacking is what this site is all about, please check back once in a while since I plan to add more info as time allows.

I wouldn’t head out into the woods without all the items below.

CAMP STOVE People in the old days used wood stoves in the wilderness, why shouldn't we? The Trailstove works on ancient concepts, but is made from the latest materials using the latest manufacturing technology resulting in a very light stove.
LIGHT Make sure you have a good flash light with you in case you have to walk in the dark. It's also a good idea to bring an LED flashlight just to make things easier. LED flashlights use Light Emitting Diodes instead of light bulbs and last up to 1000 hours on a set of batteries.
SLEEPING PAD You're going out in nature to have a good time and enjoy some time away from work, you should make sure you're comfortable when you are asleep otherwise the trip won't be as enjoyable. Try different sleeping platforms (foam mat, air mattress, hammock, etc…) to see which one is best for you and don't care too much about the weight, it's worth carrying an extra pound or two to be able to sleep comfortably.
FIRE Fire is what will keep you alive in an emergency on a cold night. Use a regular disposable cigarette lighter and carry at least one extra with you in case of malfunction. Also carry a small magnesium block just in case.

DEADFALL TRAP

This type of trap is very effective but it will kill the animal that gets caught in the trap, so if you decide not to eat it you killed an animal for nothing. Only make a deadfall trap in an emergency.

You need the following things: A heavy log, a round rock, a sturdy stick about 1 to 2 feet long, a thinner stiff stick about a foot long.

Lift one end of the log up and support it with the sturdy stick. The sturdy stick in turn should be standing on top of the round rock. One end of the smaller stiff stick is placed between the rock and the sturdy stick, the other end should be suspended in the air right under the log, the stiff stick should be roughly horizontal.

Carefully place the bait on the stiff stick.

To make the trap more stable and more difficult to trigger you can cut the part of the stiff bait stick flat where it rests between the rock and the sturdy stick. You can also cut the bottom of the sturdy stick flat, it all depends on what size animal you are trying to kill.

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon, AZ

Located entirely in northern Arizona, the park encompasses 277 miles of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. One of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world, Grand Canyon is unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers to visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site.

Expect crowds during the spring, summer, and fall months. During these months reservations for camping and lodging are essential.

When visiting the South Rim, be sure to go to Canyon View Information Plaza, there you will find information to help plan your Grand Canyon visit.

CONTACTS

Email - deanna_prather@nps.gov

Fax- 928-638-7797

Write to
Grand Canyon National Park
P.O. Box 129
Grand Canyon, AZ 86023

Phone
Visitor Information Recorded Message - 928-638-7888

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
The SOUTH RIM is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Services are available and facilities are open year round.

Visitor services and facilities inside the national park on the NORTH RIM are only open from mid-May to mid-October. The road from Jacob Lake to the North Rim (Highway 67) is subject to closure due to snow from mid-October to mid-May. Weather permitting, the North Rim is open for day use only following the close of facilities in mid-October.

Getting There
PLANE - Commercial air carriers serve Las Vegas, Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Grand Canyon Airport (in Tusayan, just south of the park).

CAR - Grand Canyon Village (SOUTH RIM) is located 60 miles north of Interstate 40 at Williams via highway 64, and 80 miles northwest of Flagstaff via highway 180. Only ten miles from rim to rim as the crow flies, the North Rim is 215 miles (about 4 1/2 hours) from the South Rim by car. The NORTH RIM is 44 miles south of Jacob Lake, AZ, via highway 67. Visitor services and facilities on the North Rim are only open from mid-May through mid-October, they are currently closed.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - SOUTH RIM: There is currently no public bus service between Grand Canyon National Park and Flagstaff, Arizona. Greyhound Bus Lines offers service from Flagstaff and Williams to points nationwide. Grand Canyon Railroad offers service between Williams and the canyon, 1-800-THE-TRAIN.

NORTH RIM: A shuttle service is provided seasonally between the North Rim and the South Rim by Trans-Canyon Shuttle, 928-638-2820.

Weather & Climate
The South Rim is 7000 feet above sea level, which means snow in winter and cool nights even in summer. Inner canyon hiking (below the rim) is another story, however: summer temperatures along the Colorado River at the canyon bottom can reach 120? F. The North Rim is 8000 feet above sea level and can receive snow throughout most of the year. Weather is particularly changeable in spring and fall; visitors should be prepared for a variety of climates.

The high altitude of both the South and North Rims may cause visitors with respiratory or heart problems to experience difficulties. All walking at this elevation can be strenuous.

Accessibility
Facilities vary a great deal. The National Park Service provides wheelchairs for temporary day use by park visitors. No rental fee is charged. A wheelchair is usually available at Canyon View Center. To obtain a temporary parking permit for designated parking, inquire at the Entrance Gate, Canyon View Center, or Yavapai Observtion Station.

Several of the daily interpretive Ranger Programs are wheelchair accessible. Inquire at the Canyon View Center or look in the "Guide" for specifics.

A copy of the Grand Canyon National Park Accessibility Guide is available upon request at Canyon View Center, Yavapai Observation Station, Kolb Studio, Tusyan Museum, and Desert View Information Center. Or write for a copy.

SOUTH RIM: Most shuttles are inaccessible to wheelchairs. Accessible shuttle buses are available with a 48-hour advance reservation. Call 928-638-0591.

Getting Around
SOUTH RIM: Free shuttle service is available year round throughout Grand Canyon Village and out to the South Kaibab Trailhead. March - November free shuttle service is available along Hermit Road. When the Hermits Rest shuttle bus is running, Hermit Road is closed to private vehicles. Taxis are available (on call) from Grand Canyon National Park Lodges, call (928) 638-2631 ext. 6563.

NORTH RIM: There is no shuttle service on the North Rim.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
COMMERCIAL TOUR

Entrance fees are charged based on vehicle capacity for all tour groups and bus companies that originate outside the 100 mile radius of an entrance station for Grand Canyon National Park.

INDIVIDUAL
$10 for 7 Days
Admits one individual when entering by foot, bicycle, or motorcycle. This fee also applies to organized (non-commercial, non-profit) groups. Individuals 16 years old and younger are admitted free of charge.

VEHICLE
$20 for 7 Days
Admits one single, private, non-commercial vehicle and all its passengers. Organized (non-profit) groups, (service organizations, scouts, church groups, college/school clubs) are not eligible for the $20.00 vehicle permit, regardless of the type of vehicle utilized, but must pay the Individual Permit Fee.

Activity Fee
BACKCOUNTRY FEE
$5 for Day
Fee is per person/per night.

Permits
BACKCOUNTRY PERMIT
$10 for One Time
Permit fee (per permit)

NONCOMMERCIAL RIVER PERMIT

Waiting list application fee is $100.

Local Passport
GRAND CANYON PASS
$40 for Annual
Valid for twelve months from the date of purchase, for unlimited visits to Grand Canyon National Park. It admits the purchaser and any accompanying persons in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle, or the purchaser and accompanying immediate family (spouse, children, parents) when entry is by other means (train, shuttle, bicycle, foot, and boat). This passport covers entrance fees only and NOT refundable and/or transferable.

CAMPING

Backcountry Camping
Open All Year
To camp in the park in a location other than a developed campground on the rim you must obtain a permit from the Backcountry Information Center, this includes Bright Angel Campground at Phantom Ranch. All campsites in the Inner Canyon require a backcountry permit. Applying well in advance is recommended although a small number of permits are sometimes available for the same day. There is a fee of $10 per permit plus an additional fee of $5 per night per person.

Desert View Campground, South Rim
Desert View Campground is located 25 miles east of Grand Canyon Village (South Rim) and is open mid-May(weather permitting) though mid-October. Desert View Campground is available on a first-come, first-served basis (no reservations). $10 per site per night. Hook-ups are not available.

Mather Campground, South Rim
Make Reservations by Phone at 1-800-365-CAMP
Open All Year
Operated by the National Park Service and located in Grand Canyon Village (South Rim), this campground offers tent and RV camping (no hook-ups). Reservations are strongly recommended mid-March through October. Campsites are $15/night. December through February, reservations not needed, first-come first-served basis. For reservations call Biospherics at (800) 365-2267; outside U.S. call 301.722.1257. Reservations can also be made through a secure web site at http://reservations.nps.gov. Maximum of two vehicles and six people per site. Sites may be reserved up to five months in advance. Group sites available, $40/night, maximum of 50 people and three vehicles per group site.

North Rim Campground
Make Reservations by Phone at 1-800-365-CAMP
mid-May to mid-October
Operated by the National Park Service, campground is open from mid-May to mid-October. Campsites are $15, no hook-ups, dump station available. Stays are limited to 7 days per season. Reservations through Biospherics, 1-800-365-2267. Reservations can also be made through a secure web site at http://reservations.nps.gov. Check at campground for last-minute availability. After mid-October, weather permitting, a limited number of campsites at the North Rim Campground with limited services, (portable toilets), will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until snow closes Highway 67. Hikers and cross-country skiers will be permitted to use the park's group campsites throughout the winter months if they have obtained a permit through the park's Backcountry Office.

Out-of-Park Camping South Rim
There is a commercial campground in Tusayan, 7 miles south of Grand Canyon Village (Camper Village, 928-638-2887), and a Forest Service campground (Ten X, 928-638-2443) 2 miles south of Tusayan in the Kaibab National Forest. Dispersed camping is permitted in the national forest outside the park.

Out-of-Park North Rim
The Forest Service operates 2 campgrounds: 16 and 45 miles north of the North Rim. Dispersed camping is permitted in the national forest outside the park.

Trailer Village, South Rim
Open All Year
Trailer Village (adjacent to Mather Campground on the South Rim) offers RV sites with hook-ups; reservations strongly suggested. Cost: $24 (+ tax) per site per night for two people; $1.75 for each additional person over age 16. Campers may register at the entrance to Trailer Village. Visit the web site at http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com. A dump station is located nearby (closed during the winter months).
For More Information on this campground please call 303-297-2757

LODGING

In-Park Lodging North Rim
THIS FACILITY IS CURRENTLY CLOSED. A variety of lodging facilities are available and reservations are handled by AmFac Parks & Resorts. Call 303-297-2757, FAX 303-297-3175, or write Amfac Parks & Resorts, 14001 East Illiff, Ste. 600, Aurora, CO 80014. Make reservations as far ahead as possible. Check at Grand Canyon Lodge for last-minute availability.
For More Information on this lodging please call 303-297-2757

In-Park Lodging South Rim
Open All Year
A variety of lodging facilities are available and reservations are handled by Amfac Parks & Resorts. Call 303-297-2757, FAX 303-297-3175, or write Amfac Parks & Resorts, 14001 East Illiff, Ste. 600, Aurora, CO 80014. Prices range from $47 to $285 per night (subject to change). There is no youth hostel in Grand Canyon National Park. Lodging is booked well in advance, especially during the summer months. Be sure to make reservations as far ahead as possible. For Phantom Ranch reservations contact the information listed above.
For More Information on this lodging please call 303-297-2757

Inner Canyon Phantom Ranch
Open All Year
Overnight hikers may arrange to stay at Phantom Ranch. Reservations for meals and lodging are required. A backcountry permit is not required for overnight stays at the dormitories or cabins at Phantom Ranch.
For More Information on this lodging please call 303-297-2757

Out-of Park North Rim
Open All Year
Lodging facilities are available outside the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park just past the park boundary; in Jacob Lake, Arizona; and in Kanab, Utah.

Out-of-Park Lodging South Rim
Open All Year
A variety of lodging facilities are available outside the Grand Canyon National Park in Tusayan, just 7 miles south of the South Rim; in Williams, 60 miles south on Highway 64; and in Flagstaff, 80 miles south on Highway 180.

FACILITIES

FOOD/SUPPLIES/BANK/POST OFFICE
Available Facilities - SOUTH RIM: Groceries, supplies, a bank, and a post office are located at Market Plaza in Grand Canyon Village. The Village Route shuttle bus stops at Market Plaza. NORTH RIM: There is a small camper store adjacent to the North Rim Campground.

Museums
KOLB STUDIO, SOUTH RIM
Open All Year
Location - Located in the Village Historic District, at the Bright Angel trailhead. (South Rim)
Special Programs - From June 30, 2001 to October 15, 2001 an art exhibit by Ulrike Arnold - Earth Painter will be featured. German artist Ulrike Arnold paints with pigments gathered from the natural world, a technique she has come to describe as "earth painting." Working on rock faces or unstretched canvas, she pays homage to the landscape around her by using materials gathered from it. Much of the artist's focus is on color, and the variety of her natural palette is remarkable: reds, oranges, blacks, even blues and greens make up her unorthodox paint box. This exhibit will focus on Ms. Arnold's work in the American Southwest, and includes paintings from the Burr Trail in Utah, Luna Mesa near Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Bisbee, Arizona.
Exhibits - Once the home and business of the Kolb brothers, pioneering photographers at Grand Canyon, this building has been restored. The bookstore and auditorium are open to the public. Art exhibits are on display in the auditorium.

TUSAYAN MUSEUM, SOUTH RIM
Open All Year 9am - 5pm
Location - The museum is located 3 miles west of Desert View and 22 miles west of the Grand Canyon Village on Desert View Drive. (South Rim)
Closures - May be closed during inclement weather. Will be closed on October 9, November 1, and November 15, 2001.
Special Programs - A visit to Tusayan Ruin and Museum will provide a glimpse of Pueblo Indian Life at Grand Canyon some 800 years ago. A self-guiding trail leads through the adjacent 800-year-old ruin. Ranger-led ruin tours are offered daily at 11am and 1:30pm.
Exhibits - Exhibits of Pueblo Indian life at Grand Canyon 800 years ago. Free admisssion
Available Facilities - Educational materials about the park and region are sold in the Grand Canyon Association bookstore.

YAVAPAI OBSERVATION STATION, SOUTH RIM
Open All Year
Location - Located 5 miles north of the park's south entrance. (South Rim)
Exhibits - Contains temporary exhibits about the fossil record at Grand Canyon. A panorama of the canyon is visible through the building's large windows.
Available Facilities - Educational materials about the park and region are sold in the Grand Canyon Association bookstore. Public restrooms located next to the parking lot.

Visitor Centers
CANYON VIEW INFORMATION PLAZA, SOUTH RIM
Open All Year
Location - Canyon View Information Plaza is located at Mather Point. Access is via shuttle bus to Canyon View Information Plaza. Ride either the Village Route bus or the Kaibab Trail Route bus.
Closures - Outdoor exhibits may be viewed anytime (however the lights at Canyon View Information Plaza are turned off at 9pm).
Special Programs - 10:30am and 3:30pm, daily, "Lure of the Canyon" - What lures people to the Grand Canyon? Make your own connection as you are introduced to Grand Canyon National Park. Program may include a short walk on a paved path. Meet at the National Park System exhibit inside Canyon View Center.
Exhibits - Several outdoor exhibits provide a variety of information about Grand Canyon National Park and what to do once at the park.
Available Facilities - Restrooms, pay phones, bookstore, and shuttle bus stops. The canyon rim is only a short stroll away.

DESERT VIEW INFORMATION CENTER, SOUTH RIM
Location - Located at the park's east entrance on the South Rim.
Closures - Beginning November 1, 2001, open as staffing permits.
Available Facilities - Orientation, park information, and books are available. Public restrooms located nearby.

NORTH RIM VISITOR CENTER
Location - Adjacent to the parking lot on Bright Angel Peninsula.
Closures - THIS FACILITY IS CURRENTLY CLOSED. The North Rim Visitor Center is open from mid-May to mid-October only.
Special Programs - Interpretive programs offered seasonally.
Available Facilities - Public restrooms located in back of the building.

Wilderness Information Centers
BACKCOUNTRY INFORMATION CENTER, NORTH RIM
Phone - 928-638-7875, M-F, 1-5pm
Location - At the North Rim Ranger Station.
Closures - The North Rim Backcountry Information Center is closed October to mid-May.
Special Programs - ALL overnight camping below the rim requires a backcountry permit. A fee of $10/permit and $5/person per night is charged.

BACKCOUNTRY INFORMATION CENTER, SOUTH RIM
Open All Year 8am - noon, 1 - 5pm, everyday
Phone - 928-638-7875, M-F, 1-5pm
Location - On the South Rim adjacent to Parking Area E, it is also accessible via the Village Route shuttle bus.
Special Programs - ALL overnight camping below the rim requires a backcountry permit. A fee of $10/permit and $5/person per night is charged.
Available Facilities - The Backcountry Information Center public information phone line is only answered from 1-5pm, Monday - Friday.

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