>> you don't need a permit if you simply day-hike down and back
>Julianna writes ...
>
> I think the risk is pretty high unless you are in really good shape.
I always thought it was easier to day hike down to the river and back
up rather than overnight one night at Bright Angel campground and hike
out the next day ... most people carry too much gear for an
overnighter, probably 30-40 lb packs, and it's an average grade of 15%
down so feet get blistered, quads get cramped and calves get tight ...
then you sleep one night and get really stiff and then you have to hike
out with your pack the next day. Not much fun ... if you are doing the
day-hike right you should have a much lighter pack (mine used to weigh
about 8 lbs total for the corridor hikes ... mostly water ... fitting
in a waist pack so I had nothing on my back). And you won't be as
stiff and your blisters should be fewer and won't have time to pop and
rub raw ... I passed a lot of folks laboring up the trail with full
packs, suffering every step of the way :)
If you can get multi-day permits it's not as bad since you have more
time to recuperate, but carrying a big pack down for one night is
surely tougher than day-hiking, in my experience (which covers over
1,200 miles of hiking below the rim). I doubt they can get a multi-day
permit in the corridor for summer this late, but could be wrong. One
night at Bright Angel and a second night at Indian Gardens is a good
way to go since it breaks up the Death March to the rim.
Bill
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