The canyon takes on an entirely different personality come the cold season, and not just because snow coats the red rock like a frosting of fairyland marzipan. The trails changes with the scenery, becoming quieter—tourist traffic falls way off in winter—and often treacherous. With icy sheets clinging to the top thousand feet of South Rim trails for months, the Grand Canyon hiking experience becomes much more technical and gear-intensive.
With snow and hard-packed ice coating the canyon’s always-steep trails, you need to pack serious protection—for your footing, navigation, and survival. This is true for any hike from a simple 30-minute ramble to a multiday expedition, because the slipperiest sections are always at the very rim of the canyon, where colder temps and lots of shade keep the trails frozen.
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1. NAVIGATION:
Snowstorms can dump 10 or more inches on the South Rim in one storm,
creating a rare and beautiful scene—but also obliterating footpaths that can be
difficult to follow in the best conditions. For trails out of the central corridor,
pack a GPS and topographic map (available at canyon stores) for routefinding. BACKPACKER
editors test every new GPS unit, and their top pick this year is Garmin’s Oregon
400t. This unit comes with preloaded maps and features touch-screen technology that’s
easy to use when wearing gloves; it earned the magazine’s Editors’ Choice Award
in 2009. See a review of this and other GPS units
here.
(Photo courtesy Garmin) |
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2. EMERGENCY SHELTER:
Several BACKPACKER editors stuff AMK’s Emergency Bivvy Sack in
the bottom of their daypacks at the beginning of winter and leave it there all season.
Shaped like a sleeping bag, the sack is made from a metallic material that reflects
enough body heat to keep you alive through a sub-freezing night should you get lost
or stranded outdoors. At less than a half-pound, it’s a smart bit of survival safety
gear. (Photo courtesy AMK) |
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3. THERMOS:
There’s much to be said for the warming effect of a hot drink, which can
stave off hypothermia. But there’s also a psychological benefit for lost hikers:
The soothing effect can actually help you calm down and make better decisions. Plus,
hydration is still important in winter—the canyon is an extremely arid place, and
you’re sweating hard whether you feel it or not. To keep our cocoa warm, we like
the .75-liter Sigg Thermo Hot Time, which weighs just a pound but keeps cocoa or
soup all day long. (Read the full review here.) (Photo courtesy Sigg) |
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4. HEADLAMP:
Missed your turnaround time? It’s easy to get distracted by the beauty
all around you, and darkness comes surprisingly fast during winter’s short days—by
5 p.m. around New Year’s. While any 3-ounce LED headlamp will save your butt (there
are plenty of good, inexpensive options), the discriminating lighting enthusiast
will love Mammut’s X-Zoom, a 2009 winner of BACKPACKER’s Editors’ Choice Award.
Read the review here; this lightweight headlamp has a very strong beam that focuses
and swivels for every use you can imagination. (Photo courtesy Mammut) |
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5. CRAMPONS:
Here’s what happens on Grand Canyon trails in winter: Snow falls, hikers
pack it down with their boots, the packed snow turns to ice, and the path become
a vertical skating rink. Cheap metal treads that stretch over your boots don’t provide
enough traction; for a secure bite, BACKPACKER editors recommend Kahtoola’s MICROspikes
or (even better) their KTS mini-crampons. (Photo courtesy Kahtoola) |
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For complete gear checklists for this and other types of hiking trips, visit
www.backpacker.com/gear/checklist/. |
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