Grand Canyon Hike to Phantom Ranch – Saturday December 9^th to Monday December 11^th

We started Saturday from the South Rim hiking down the South Kaibab trail to Phantom Ranch on Bright Angel Creek near the Colorado river at the bottom of the canyon. We spent two nights in bunk houses at the Ranch before hiking out on Monday up the Bright Angel trail

We had a large group including: Tucson friends, Linda Houtkooper, and Eric Schindler, my business partner, Dave Hamra, his wife Laura Walton, Dave’s past business associate from Vanguard, Marty and his family: wife Heather and their four boys ages 18 to 10. This hike was organized by Marty as a right of passage for his 10-year-old, Colton. Marty’s older boys had done similar events at age 10. Colton did fine and enjoyed himself.

Phantom Ranch area in center

All you need to pack down are clothes. Food and bedding are part of the Ranch services. It was refreshing to have the boys with us. They were energetic, fun loving and well behaved.

The Black Bridge and Colorado

The hike down is 7.4 miles with 4700 ft. of decent to the Colorado. As you might guess, the trail is well used. It is dusty with many built in steps. The steps get to your quads and calves after a while, but the views are spectacular. We started late so the temperature at the top was 40 and 60 by the time we got to the River. It took just over 4 hours to get down.

The Colorado from Clear Creek Trail

On the Clear Creek Trail

The day we spent at the bottom we hiked Clear Creek trail. It climbs the north side of the canyon about 1200 ft. giving beautiful views of Phantom Ranch, the Colorado and the South Kaibab trail we came down the day before. In the afternoon we hiked a loop south across the Black Bridge, west above the Colorado to the Silver Bridge and back to the Ranch.

Zoroaster formation

Meals include breakfast, a sack lunch and dinner. Dinners were delicious. The choices are steak, beef stew of vegi chili.

Cocktails before dinner

Monday, we got a 6:30 AM start. It was dark and about 35 degrees. We used headlamps. The hike up was 9.5 miles and back up 4700 ft. to the South Rim (7000 ft. elevation). We finished just before noon at about the same temperature we started at at the bottom.

Zoroaster from the Colorado

Looking down on Bright Angle trail and Indian Gardens

Everyone made it in good shape, but a little sore!

December 2017 Columbia and Sunrise Beach, MO

I went to Missouri to visit my sisters. Lauve had work so stayed home. I wanted to catch up with both sisters and help Lindy and her husband Weldon decide how to move on after selling their lake resort (last February).

Nancy, Peter, Weldon, Lindy

Nancy and her husband, Peter, live in Columbia. The three of us drove to the Lake and stayed in Lindy’s old resort – Dogwood Acres. The new owners didn’t know we were related to Lindy, so we felt like spies.

Lights on the Lake from our cabin

Lindy and Weldon have a small, comfortable place near the lake all set up for the holidays.

The girls cooked delicious meals, but we had to do the Burdick thing and went for Pizza our last night at the Lake.

After deep discussion, Lindy and Weldon decided to stay at the Lake, find better jobs and buy the house they are now renting. They seemed very comfortable with the decision even “the day after.”

My last night was in Columbia and Nancy had her friends Jim and Martha for dinner. They are a lovely couple, interested in all sorts of subjects, but especially food and politics. Among other things, I learned about GMO issues from Martha, a retired food lawyer.