Trip Report
Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim May 3 2014

by eujin
Friday May 9, 2014 1:56am
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Sunset at Mather Point, just a couple of hours after I finished the R2...
Sunset at Mather Point, just a couple of hours after I finished the R2R2R.
Credit: eujin
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This trip report is not a climbing trip report but I have climbed with a few Bay Area posters in the past.

As a break from climbing, I ran the Grand Canyon R2R2R on May 3 2014 via South Kaibab to North Kaibab and returned through Bright Angel (44.5 miles 20.7k ft elevation change) in 14.5 hours. This is my trip report with photos.

http://crypto.stanford.edu/~eujin/pics/R2R2R/

  Trip Report Views: 2,584
eujin 		About the Author
eujin is a social climber from California.

Comments
enjoimx

Trad climber
Yosemite
  May 9, 2014 - 02:37am PT
awesome! Thanks alot
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
  May 9, 2014 - 04:18am PT
Great story and photos, Eu-Jin!
Thanks for sharing.
Are you going to try one of those trails that Leor goes on?
mikegrai

climber
ON
  May 9, 2014 - 07:42am PT
Nice report and pictures. On April 16 my young friend Sam did the RtoRtoR (South Kaibab, North Kaibab, South Kaibab) 42 miles, 23, 200 elevation change in 11 hours 35 minutes. Cool temps helped a lot, but he still got though 7 litres of fluids. At 60, my goals are more modest, so I jogged down the Bright Angel trail and hiked up the South Kaibab, 18 miles, 9300 feet elevation change in 8 hours 40 minutes including a lunch stop at the Phantom Ranch. Can't beat that scenery!
DerekCl

Trad climber
Altanta
  May 9, 2014 - 09:19am PT
Congrats! I did the R2R2R on April 25th this year. What an absolutely incredible experience. Sounds like this is getting more and more popular. Those BD ultra light poles are awesome, they made the slog back up the South Rim much more doable. Glad I am not the only climber out there that get distracted by a few long runs. Again Congrats!
thebravecowboy

climber
The Good Places
  May 9, 2014 - 10:01am PT
Holy Toledo! Congratulations!
troutboy

Trad climber
Newark, DE
  May 9, 2014 - 11:16am PT
Nice report. Thanks for taking the time to post it.
mhay

climber
Bishop, CA
  May 9, 2014 - 11:26am PT
Jumping from a 24 mile training run to 44 miles w/20k' of change is bold. And it sounds like recovery time for you was minimal. I'd take this as a sign that you are built for running. Strong work.
eujin

Social climber
California
Author's Reply  May 9, 2014 - 12:33pm PT
Thanks for all the comments! Climbing experience definitely enabled this trip because of all the long days outside and also managing nutrition and gear weight.

Clint: This run was supposed to be mostly a one off thing (I'll send you some news offline), but I've had so much fun on it that I think I might do it more regularly.

DerekCl: April 25 was the day that I originally planned to run but there was this big storm forecast so I postponed. Sounds like you still managed to get it done!

mhay: The original plan was to have a 28+ mile run with 14-16k ft elevation change as my longest training run but in the middle of training, I started to feel like my left foot might be about to get injured so I took 2 weeks off long runs. That's how I ended up with a 24 mile 12k ft elevation change run as the longest training run. I thought it was still reasonable to go for it because the training run went well and I could just walk more of the trail instead of run.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
  May 9, 2014 - 12:54pm PT
I hope you get the help that you so obviously need but in the meantime
you can keep posting these public awareness TR's for our titillation.
mhay

climber
Bishop, CA
  May 9, 2014 - 01:18pm PT
...I could just walk more of the trail instead of run.

This is what I always hold in the back of my mind when launching into runs that are big enough that success is uncertain. If worse comes to worst the only thing I absolutely _have_ to do is finish.
DerekCl

Trad climber
Altanta
  May 9, 2014 - 03:34pm PT
We flew in standby a day early, had been planning to run the 26th. We beat the storm, but the next day would have been interesting.

Finished

Next Day
eujin

Social climber
California
Author's Reply  May 9, 2014 - 07:25pm PT
Wow next day looks grim. Nice poles! I didn't see many other runners with lightweight poles even though I found them incredibly useful to have.
ClimbingOn

Trad climber
NY
  May 9, 2014 - 09:19pm PT
Great report and sounds like you had fun. I did the same thing a few years ago in just about the same time. I think it's the best way to experience the Grand Canyon for those who are in shape. It was my first time seeing the Grand Canyon and everything about the trip was absolutely perfect.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
  May 9, 2014 - 09:51pm PT
Wow, that is a great accomplishment. Congrats on your masochism. Badass.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  May 10, 2014 - 06:10am PT
Wat to go!
GNAR !!!!
Double D

climber
  May 10, 2014 - 06:39pm PT
Dang, that's impressive considering you only trained for 3 months. Great job!
cmclean

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
  May 11, 2014 - 11:41pm PT
Great job, Eu-Jin! Thanks for the TR.
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