Winter Hiking and Touring in the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon National Park Offers Winter Adventure, Hiking, Skiing
Oct 13, 2009
The Grand Canyon is one of nature's great extravagances, but touring and hiking in the canyon in the main tourist seasons has some disadvantages.
First, there's the heat. In summer, it is so extreme (often above 100 degrees Fahrenheit) that hikers have died of dehydration, heat stroke, or hyponatremia (a condition that occurs when the body's electrolyte balance is so compromised by excessive sweating that the body can no longer process water, and vital organs shut down).
Second, there are the crowds. Even in the heat of summer, crowds are enormous, and during spring vacations, when temperatures are much more reasonable, it can be hard to find campsites or get permits to camp at popular sites such as the Bright Angel Campground (at the bottom of the canyon), Indian Gardens, (halfway up the Bright Angel Trail), or at Cottonwood Creek (on the North Kaibab Trail).
But in winter, the crowds are gone. Visitation is less than 20 percent of what it is in the summer months. Temperatures are cool (and sometimes downright cold). The weather is variable and occasionally stormy, and the visitor has the unusual experience of seeing a virtually empty Grand Canyon. It is an experience that is completely different that visiting the Grand Canyon in the summer, spring, or fall. Hypothermia is more of a concern than heat stroke.
Winter Weather and Temperatures in the Grand Canyon
The first thing to realize is that the temperatures in the Grand Canyon fluctuate according to the elevation. The South Rim is approximately 5,000 feet higher than the canyon floor at the Colorado River. That's almost a vertical mile. And the North Rim is 1000 feet higher than the South Rim.
Temperatures fluctuate between 3.5 and 5 degrees per thousand feet of elevation change. That means that if the temperature at the South Rim is 40 degrees, the temperature at the bottom of the canyon would be in the range of 57 - 65 degrees. Temperatures on the rim, however, can dip well below freezing, and can plummet below zero at night, especially on the North Rim.
Layering, therefore, is an important clothing strategy for anyone hiking into the canyon. Additionally, those planning to camp should bring warm sleeping bags (at least 20 degree bags) and additional warm clothes for night-time, because the dry desert air does not hold much day-time heat, and night temperatures drop precipitously.
Winter Grand Canyon Adventures on the North Rim
Snow is possible on both rims, but is more likely, and likely to be much deeper, on the North Rim, owing to the extra 1000 feet in elevation. Roads are closed to all vehicular traffic during the winter, generally starting sometime in mid-October or early November, and staying closed until about mid-May, weather depending.
However, the North Rim is open to travelers on cross country skis and snowshoes. It's just that it takes a 42-mile trek (on the closed road) to get from Jacob Lake (the nearest vehicular access) to the rim itself. From the North Rim, adventurers can then descend at least a little way into the canyon to see the fantastic views, which are not visible from the North Rim itself. If going into the canyon, crampons should be carried as the trails can be iced over in dangerous spots where a slip would mean a several-hundred foot fall. This is an adventure for experienced outdoorspeople only.
Check with rangers first. Permits are necessary for any backcountry camping in Grand Canyon National Park. Winter travelers should also leave an itinerary, both with rangers, and with friends at home.
Touring and Exploring the Grand Canyon's South Rim in Winter
It snows on the South Rim, too, but not as much, and not as deep, and it doesn't close the roads. In fact, the West Rim Road, which is closed to vehicles during the summer, is actually open to passenger cars in the winter, enabling visitors to stop at every outlook. Even better, visitors will often find themselves completely alone at outlooks where in summer, one has to jostle for a camera angle.
Ranger-led talks on the geology, cultural history, and natural history of the canyon are given on a daily basis, and although they aren't offered as frequently as they are in summer, several lectures a day are usually available. Campgrounds, campsites, and some hotels are open, and reservations are much easier to make than in summer. However Grand Canyon hotels do fill up at Christmas, so book early for the holidays. It's also popular to hike down into the canyon, especially on the Grand Canyon corridor trails, although there can be snow and ice.
The same goes for permits for backcountry campsites: They are much more available than in spring, summer, or fall, but it never hurts to reserve in advance. Winter campers can sometimes find themselves alone, even at one of the park's more popular backcountry campgrounds. As on the North Rim, hikers should take instep crampons in case of ice.
The Grand Canyon in winter isn't for everyone. Doubtless, some will find the temperatures too cold, and fewer facilities are open. But for adventurers who revel in being off the beaten track, it's one of the best times of year to see one of nature's most extravagant spectacles.
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