Interested? Grand Canyon Arizona Annual Hang

[dejoha]

I finally heard back from the rangers at the Grand Canyon. From their perspective, hammocks are OKAY! Here are the details:

You are more than welcome to bring your hammock for camping at Mather. The
only restriction is that if you are not physically at your site you must
take it down, such as run to the store or to the showers or out for the
day. We have had issues where the deer and elk get tangled up in them.

Safe travels!

Dorothy Utech
Supervisor Visitor Use Assistant
Mather Campground
Grand Canyon National Park

[drewboy]

That's good to know! Thanks.

[oldgringo]

I just saw this...heck yeah, I'm interested!

[hikelite]

I know I'm coming to this thread a little late, but maybe the info will be useful to plan something for next year...

Food mentioned a road to forest service near Grandview Pt. I have been to that area several times. It is also called Grandview. There is a lookout tower there, and it's on FS maps. There is a road that heads south from Hwy 64, the main road between the village and Desert View. It's actually where the old stagecoach line arrived at the canyon before the completion of the train station. Once the train arrived, that became the main hub of activity. Grandview point is named after the Grandview Hotel that used to be about where the parking area is today. It was no longer profitable once the train came to the canyon, so it closed down. Some timbers from when the hotel was torn down are used in the Desert Watchtower that Ms Coulter designed.

Anyway... that area would be very suitable for a hang. You can drive right to it. The road is dirt, but it's really good quality and only a couple miles off the asphalt. You're in dense ponderosa, so trees aren't an issue. The only downside is you can't see the canyon from the camp. Of course, you can't see it from Mather either. If you stay near the lookout tower, I believe there are restrooms there if that matters to anyone. Since it's forest service land, it's also free camping for up to 14 days.

FYI, a backcountry gathering in The Canyon would not be appropriate. There are virtually NO places to hang a hammock below the rim.

If anyone has anymore questions about the Canyon, I can probably answer them. I've spent a lot of time there, and I used to guide tours to the park.

[cataraftgirl]

I'd be interested in a late September 2011 hang or possibly a spring hang. Mather campground sounds like a good choice good. Keep me in the loop as you make further plans.
KJ

[Greg Dunlap]

Hanging out at the top would be the way to go. Going down into the park with the exception of day hikes would pose a lot of problems.

There isn't a whole lot of places to hang in the bottom plus everything you take in, has to be packed out. Everything including all waste, human and otherwise. Plus you need to apply for permits at least a year in advance. Oh, and on the way down, your stashing water for your return trip out. A person normally starts down with at least 3 gallons in milk cartons that is marked and clutched at intervals on the way down. Instances of pilferage are rare.

If your young enough, look into doing the mules to the bottom and spending the night at Phantom Ranch. I did this trip when I was in my 20's and my knees were sore as heck afterwards. But on the trip down there was one part in the trail which is called the "Devil's Corkscrew", when one foot was scraping the wall of the trail, and the other was hanging over a 1,000 foot drop

[dejoha]

I'd like to organize this hang sometime in the fall of 2011. This will be a rim hang, either in an established campground or in the forest. Neither location would provide bedside views, but you wouldn't be too far from shuttles or even short hike to the edge.

For those attending, would you prefer a "free" camp in the forest, or at an established campground with facilities?

While I like the sound of "free", if we anticipate more than a few people, I think having facilities (restroom, water, etc.) is an important part of a group hang. I could double check, but I'm not sure if we can reserve a group site or a few individual sites.

[dejoha]

Okay, quick research yields the following:

Mather Campground:

Group sites are also available, $50/night, maximum of 50 people and 3 vehicles per group site.

Three vehicles poses a bit of an issue, but the maximum number of people would be fine. Carpooling options may be a possibility or shuttles from the parking lots?

[SamD]

I am interested in this and the ability to drive in and "car camp" I like much better than hiking in. Also the restrooms and water are a good thing!

[Scottybdiving]

I'm not sure if I could make it, but I would love to go. The campgrounds would definitely be the best for a group hang, or possible the at-large camping outside the park. They would come closest to meeting the criteria posted by Just Jeff.

If I could make it, I would also like to do a multi-day hike into the canyon, but hammocks would be very difficult except in the corridor campgrounds. I believe someone mentioned they are not allowed there. Any overnight hike into the canyon requires a permit and group size is limited. Permits can be applied for on the 1st day of the 4th month prior to the month of your trip. For Feb, Oct 1; Apr, Dec 1; etc. They are in high demand and the larger the group, the less likely to get the permit.

If your young enough, look into doing the mules to the bottom and spending the night at Phantom Ranch. I did this trip when I was in my 20's and my knees were sore as heck afterwards. But on the trip down there was one part in the trail which is called the "Devil's Corkscrew", when one foot was scraping the wall of the trail, and the other was hanging over a 1,000 foot drop

Having hunted in CO from horseback for many years, I'll take hiking any day over the mule ride. Although the hike down was much more grueling (knees and joints) than the hike up. If you want to see misery, just look at the faces of the mule riders by the time they reach Indian Gardens. Here's the Devil's Corkscrew.

And for a bit of trivia; Every step down (6") into the canyon from the top to the Tappeats is over 60,000 years in time.