Preparing for the Grand Canyon

Wednesday afternoon we are driving up to the Grand Canyon to go backpacking for 3 nights.  We'll get up really early Thursday morning and head down on the Tanner trail 8 miles to the Tanner Rapids and go another 3 miles to Palisades Beach where we'll set up camp for two nights. On Friday, we'll hike 12 miles to the Colorado River. This is my third trip into the canyon but the first time I'm going all the down to the bottom.  I'll finally be able to check "hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon" off the list of things I want to do in my lifetime. Saturday we pull up camp and hike back and start the climb up the redwall and dry camp there.  This will allow our Sunday morning departure to be a little shorter and although it will still be steep getting out, we will have some of the hike already behind us.

This is weather prediction for the TOP of the Grand Canyon.  It shows a 10% chance of rain for Thursday.  Another shows the rain may also be Friday and Saturday.  It may be a wet trip. The bottom of the canyon is generally 20 degrees warmer so to guestimate the temperatures add 20 degrees to these numbers.  The days will be nice but you can see Friday night will still be freezing and Saturday night will be below freezing.  Not to mention on Saturday night we are halfway up the canyon wall so it may only be 19 degrees. I have a knit cap somewhere that I haven't been able to find yet and my gloves are also MIA.

We eat the backpacking instant food where hot water makes an instant meal.  I see to be hungry a lot on these trips but because you have to be conscious of  weight and space, you have to go a little hungry. I am splurging though and bringing dark chocolate  M&M's because last time someone brought those the perfect end to a day.

And to leave you with a smile, today's Google doodle is Count Dracula.  I was surprised to see him because I had forgotten about the Count. I can hear his voice...One Bat, Two Bats, Three Black Bats.hahahaha and the lightening crashes around him.  I'm still expecting Snupaluguous ( I have NO idea how to spell that) and Grover.