"Despite the obvious dangers of the Grand Canyon, a frequent observation I have made of many visitors is their tendency to have a '911 mentality.' They often make the assumption that help will always be immediately forthcoming when they place themselves in harm's way. Such visitors suffer from the misguided belief that a national park is close cousin to an amusement park. The realities are that Walt Disney did not have a hand in constructing Grand Canyon, and the inherent risks associated with this park are unbelievably real. And all too often, tragically so".
Ken Phillips
Search and Rescue Coordinator
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
from Over the Edge: Death In Grand Canyon by Ghiglieri and Myers
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If you ever get the urge to hike in the Canyon, don't be another statistic: bring plenty of water (not pop, juice or Gatorade), dress in layers (avoid wearing cotton-the "death fabric"), bring some lightly salted crackers and a nutritious lunch and have sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots. Leave the goofy platform shoes, dress sandals and worse at home (are you listening all you teenage girls?). Listen carefully to your body and don't push yourself (are you listening all you testosterone-charged ex-football jocks?). The hard part is coming back UP! Canyoneering is the opposite of climbing, so keep that in mind when you are tempted to go "just a little farther" before turing around and heading back UP the canyon.
Read Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon by Michael P. Ghiglieri and Thomas M. Myers (Puma Press) to read about the many, many--MANY people who have died or been seriously injured through carelessness, ignorance or stupidity. Sherrian is a registered nurse and worked at the Grand Canyon clinic with Dr. Myers. She, too, has many stories of how deadly and unforgiving the Canyon can be. So with all that out of the way . . . we both LOVE the canyon and try to visit it frequently. We have many pictures of several hikes in the Canyon that have yet to be scanned and put on this page. Read these hiking precautions.
Here are some great shots of Sherrian hiking in the Grand Canyon. These were taken a few years ago. Sherrian is hiking with a pack and ski poles on the South Kaibab Trail. Sherrian stopped to admire the view along the Hermit's Rest Trail below the south rim.
Here is Sherrian stopping for a rest along the Tonto Trail.