Endurance runners in the Grand Canyon are missing the point

 

When I was 18, back in the swinging '60s, I ran with equally driven friends through the Grand Canyon, going from the North Rim to the South Rim in a single day. Our trek involved traversing the 14-mile North Kaibab trail, the 7-mile South Kaibab Trail and the Old Bright Angel Trail, 14 miles of pretty rough trail.

Some five decades ago, that kind of thing was an anomaly. Visitors rode mules down and back, while hikers took their time, usually camping or staying overnight at Phantom Ranch. If anyone wanted to go rim to rim, that was considered a multi-day backpack, certainly not a day trek.

Somehow, over the last 10 years, what's known as R2R and R2R2R (rim-to–rim-to-rim) has become de rigueur for extreme athletes seeking ultimate bragging rights. In 2014, runs from rim to rim increased by 25 percent, and on one bright day, 300 runners were observed starting their back-and-forth trek in a three-and-a-half-hour period. On popular weekends these days, up to 800 hikers move through the Inner Canyon, and 400 to 600 of them are running hiking or running fast as they go rim to rim or even rim to rim and back again -- R2R2R.

What, you might ask, is the problem? A major issue is trash. Runners don't carry packs, and many don't wear pockets. Electrolyte bottles, once emptied, are ejected; packets filled with flavored gel, which substitute for food, get blithely tossed.

The second issue is elimination. Outhouses are scattered along the Inner Corridor at convenient intervals, but they are designed for 50 to 200 users per day, not 300 per hour. If the line is too long, the trail seems to suffice for runners in a hurry.

Then there's trail etiquette. Uphill traditionally has the right of way, just as in four-wheeling, mountain biking and hiking. When passing, it is polite to say, "Excuse," or "On your right." It is not proper to shove past muttering, "Out of the way, rookie." Mules, of course, have the right of way, period. It is not prudent nor does it lend itself to a longer lifespan to argue with an animal that weighs 2,000 pounds and has 63 chromosomes.

Finally, there's time. If all that matters inside the Grand Canyon is the speed of one's crossing, there is no patience to wait in line, to yield the right of way, to assist an injured companion. An acquaintance laments, "Would they run through the Louvre?"

An overwhelmed Park Service recently imposed new regulations on this phenomenon. Any group of day-trippers that advertises, requires advance sign-up, or is being compensated by participants is now required to get a permit to go below the Tonto level, or about 4,000 feet below the rim. The group also cannot number more than 30 people.

Enforcement will be a challenge. Ask a hiker how far he or she plans to go? The answer might well be, "Oh, just a mile," as opposed to "All the way." A few years back, a young woman was cited for bringing an organized group of runners, several of whom had to be rescued at great expense and peril. "Oh," said she. "This isn't an organized run. Just 89 of my close, personal friends."

I'm competitive and I walk pretty fast, so it took me a while to figure out that speed is overrated. But now I get it: The more time you spend in the canyon, the more your ego diminishes. Time slows alongside the Colorado River. Rocks demand close scrutiny. You see universes contained in a sand dune.

This is a sacred place. It is the place of Emergence for the Hopi, the Peaceful People. They were charged to wander the world and return to the Center, and there they remain, on Hopi mesas. It is the place of Emergence for the Zuni. The story of their migration is written on canyon walls. The Havasupai still dwell within the canyon. I have learned that it is important to pause when entering this world, to approach the canyon with respect and gratitude.

Recently, I stood on the North Rim as night fell, and a runner swaggered toward me. "I just finished a rim to rim; took me 11 hours!"

"We're starting down tomorrow," I told him. "We'll take five days."

He snorted. "I don't know what you're going to do down there for five days." What will we do? Look, feel, discover lost worlds? The possibilities are endless, if you're willing to take the time.

Marjorie "Slim" Woodruff is a contributor to Writers on the Range, a column service of High Country News. She lives in Grand Canyon National Park, where she is an instructor for the Grand Canyon Field Institute.

High Country News Classifieds
  • INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS EDITOR - HIGH COUNTRY NEWS
    High Country News is hiring an Indigenous Affairs Editor to help guide the magazine's journalism and produce stories that are important to Indigenous communities and...
  • STAFF ATTORNEY
    Staff Attorney The role of the Staff Attorney is to bring litigation on behalf of Western Watersheds Project, and at times our allies, in the...
  • ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
    Northern Michigan University seeks an outstanding leader to serve as its next Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. With new NMU President Dr. Brock...
  • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    The Clark Fork Coalition seeks an exceptional leader to serve as its Executive Director. This position provides strategic vision and operational management while leading a...
  • GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENT MANAGER
    Help uphold a groundbreaking legal agreement between a powerful mining corporation and the local communities impacted by the platinum and palladium mine in their backyard....
  • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    The Feather River Land Trust (FRLT) is seeking a strategic and dynamic leader to advance our mission to "conserve the lands and waters of the...
  • COLORADO DIRECTOR
    COLORADO DIRECTOR Western Watersheds Project seeks a Colorado Director to continue and expand WWP's campaign to protect and restore public lands and wildlife in Colorado,...
  • DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY: WYOMING, MONTANA AND UTAH
    Digital Media Specialist - WY, MT, UT OFFICE LOCATION Remote and hybrid options available. Preferred locations are MT, WY or UT, but applicants from anywhere...
  • GRANT WRITER (PART-TIME, FREELANCE CONTRACT) HIGH COUNTRY NEWS
    High Country News seeks an energetic, articulate and highly organized grant writer to support a growing foundations program. This position works closely with our Executive...
  • EXPERT COMPUTER & TECH HELP, PROVIDED REMOTELY
    From California, I provide expert tech help remotely to rural and urban clients. I charge only when I succeed. Available 7 days. Call for a...
  • ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY - INDIGENOUS HISTORIES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN WEST
    Whitman College seeks applicants for a tenure-track position in Indigenous Histories of the North American West, beginning August 2024, at the rank of Assistant Professor....
  • DAVE AND ME
    Dave and Me, by international racontuer and children's books author Rusty Austin, is a funny, profane and intense collection of short stories, essays, and poems...
  • CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
    Rural Community Assistance Corporation is looking to hire a CFO. For more more information visit: https://www.rcac.org/careers/
  • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    The Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness Foundation (ABWF) seeks a new Executive Director. Founded in 2008, the ABWF is a respected nonprofit whose mission is to support...
  • CANYONLANDS FIELD INSTITUTE
    Field seminars for adults in natural and human history of the northern Colorado Plateau, with lodge and base camp options. Small groups, guest experts.
  • COMING TO TUCSON?
    Popular vacation house, everything furnished. Two bedroom, one bath, large enclosed yards. Dog-friendly. Contact Lee at [email protected] or 520-791-9246.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSTRUCTION GEOPHYSICS
    We characterize contaminated sites, identify buried drums, tanks, debris and also locate groundwater.
  • LUNATEC HYDRATION SPRAY BOTTLE
    A must for campers and outdoor enthusiasts. Cools, cleans and hydrates with mist, stream and shower patterns. Hundreds of uses.
  • LUNATEC ODOR-FREE DISHCLOTHS
    are a must try. They stay odor-free, dry fast, are durable and don't require machine washing. Try today.
  • WESTERN NATIVE SEED
    Native plant seeds for the Western US. Trees, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers and regional mixes. Call or email for free price list. 719-942-3935. [email protected] or visit...