29 Years of Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim


2017 Video
2016 Video
Favorite Training Hikes

Go to Full Photo Gallery

In May 2017, I made what would become my last attempt for a one-day Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim (R2R2R) hike in the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately, I fell short, thus ending a 29 year streak of consecutive, annual R2R2Rs. It stung a little, having made it 19.3 of the 21 miles across the Canyon only to call it off at the Supai Tunnel due to the cold. It was midnight, the wind was howling and the temperature was in the 40's. I was climbing into higher altitude and decreasing temperatures and knew that it would be more than 2 hours to get on up to the North Rim and back to where I was. So, I called it off, 1.7 miles short of the Rim.

That was my 30th attempt, i.e., once per year for what would have been my 30th year. And it was the first year that I did not achieve my goal. Full disclosure is that 3 of my 29 completions (#1, #2, and #9) were 3-day trips with a full rest day spent on the North Rim before walking back; those three arguably not counting for some as a "true" R2R2R since they were not completed in one push (I count them though). All of the other 26, including the last 20, were single day events, or at least completed within 24 hours (some were overnight, moonlight hikes).

For 17 of the 29 years, I was accompanied by my long-time, good friend, Doug Minderlen. Doug inspired me 30 years ago to get off the couch, exercise, and rise above a typical, mundane physical lifestyle. He has remained a fitness inspiration for me throughout the years and we have both challenged ourselves and each other to be the best we can be. Doug and I are the same age and we have a similar capacity for endurance. Neither of us are elite by any means, but we have learned that we can do things that we previously thought were not possible for us. It is the idea of "doing more" that led us to attempting our first, 1-day R2R2R in 1990 and is what kept me going back each year to do it again.

Early Years
When Doug and I planned our first, single day R2R2R in 1990, we didn't know how well we would survive the 42-mile ordeal and wondered if we would crash hard somewhere before the end. We both had walked R2R in one day in the previous year (R2R2R #2 for me), but had been so tired upon reaching the North Rim that turning around and walking back right away seemed like an impossible feat.

We learned in 1990 and in subsequent years that we were more capable than we knew. We also learned that mindset plays a large part this endeavor. When we arrived at the North Rim in 1989 on a 3-day trip, my body felt as though it was finished and couldn't go on. In 1990, when arriving at the North Rim halfway through our first 1-day R2R2R, we were of course extremely tired from pushing hard, but the mind told the body that it wasn't over yet and back we went with no question that we could continue. Of course mental toughness alone can't get the job done. We were also in good physical condition and well trained.

A 1-day R2R2R event for me typically involved pushing hard for best time on the way over, spending only a few minutes on the North Rim, and then trying to recover on the way back. We would still push on the return crossing, but not as hard due to the inevitable onset of fatigue. The trip often ends in survival mode, trying to climb out to the South Rim in reasonable time while not completely falling apart.

Middle Years
Single-day R2R2Rs became a way to prove to myself that I'm not old yet, that I've still "got it", kind of like a physical version of a mid-life crisis. During those first few single-day R2R2Rs, Doug and I pushed for best times to see how well we could do. After that, it became a fun challenge just to do it. We still wanted to go quickly and do well, but our expectations relaxed somewhat over the years due to increasing age.

I was fortunate enough to stay healthy and injury-free so that I could do a R2R2R each year, but Doug was somewhat less fortunate. Nagging injuries and even more serious injuries (e.g. broken bones) kept him from participating some years. As of 2016, I had completed 29 R2R2Rs in 29 calendar years and Doug had attempted 17 and completed 14. When I realized after about 10 years in that I had a "streak" going, i.e, 10 years in a row of R2R2R completions, I developed an inexplicable, perhaps irrational drive to keep the once-each-year streak alive. This became a bit crazy, even leading in 2000 to a Dec. 29-30 overnight crossing that put me on the North Rim all alone at 3am on one of the longest nights of the year... in retrospect, not the smartest thing to do. Although Doug did not participate every year due to the occasional injury, something as trivial as a "streak" was not important to him.

For many years, I wrestled with proper fueling for a 42 mile run/hike. It eluded me and sometimes I suffered for it. I could not conclusively figure out what to eat and drink in order to maintain energy levels and to not crash and burn before the day was done. In the "quick" years when running some and pushing for best time, I would lose all appetite during the second half and could hardly stand to put anything in my mouth. I ate hardly any food or supplements for hours, which surely affected my performance. I still did reasonably well, but perhaps could have done better or suffered less. In some years, various stages of nausea would set in, and in other years it would not.

The nausea was horrible and really made the end of a trip miserable. I would climb as best as I could, but with frequent stops and feeling the need to lie down. A few times it would lead to vomiting, but usually not. Doug had the same experience on several trips and it was something that we both feared each year. In most years, there was no nausea, but in a few years there was. It seemed unpredictable. Probably it was caused by poor fueling, or perhaps insufficient training, or maybe the early stages of hyponatremia, or a combination of all three... we just never knew.

The slower, non-running pace in later years made it easier to consume food throughout the day and to prevent over-extending myself, whereas the all-out pace of the faster years did not. In 2004 Doug and I began using Hammer Nutrition products, most notably Endurolytes (E-caps), Perputuem or a Perpetuem/Heed mix, and Hammer Gel. For several years, neither of us experienced nausea, but in 2013 the nausea came back for me. Surely the Hammer products helped, but were they the final answer? Perhaps not. Admittedly, I did not do a good job of consuming the supplements at regular intervals... they just didn't appeal to me that year. In 2014, I switched back to solid food, primarly PB&J sandwiches and fruit, and had good experience with that. I then used PB&J and fruit for 3 consecutive years ahd had wonderful fueling results. There was not even a trace of the nausea or core depletion that I had felt in previous years. I now feel convinced that PB&J + fruit was the way to go. It's too bad that it took me so long to figure this out with only a few R2R2Rs left.

Present
Throughout the years, I progressed from uncertainty in my ability, to confidence after several good performances, and then back to uncertainty again as my age increased and my capabilities begin to decline. That first single day R2R2R back in 1990 was especially uncertain, having never attempted a reverse crossing immediately after an exhausting first crossing. Through the middle years, there was little question that I could do it, but emphasis more on how fast. As I got older, I found it increasingly difficult to get fit enough to start the event with confidence in my ability. The body slows down, the knees ache, and my motivation for intense training lessened, as did my tolerance for pain and suffering. It just seemed a little harder and therefore less enjoyable each year.

Doug and I were both 39 years old when we did our first 1-day R2R2R. We will never know if we could have performed better and gone faster in our younger years, but it doesn't matter. Our goals were always to do the best we could do, and accept whatever we got. As we got older, my goal became just to do it, whereas Doug resigned himself to not attempting it anymore. It just was no longer fun for him, which I understand since it eventually became that way for me too. Doug did not complete any R2R2Rs in his 60's, whereas I continued successfully up to age 65 (I am now 72).

Being capable enough to do R2R2R helped me to feel like I wasn't yet old, but eventually it would prove to me that I am old or at least too old to do it. It has become hard enough for me that I no longer have the desire to do it and to suffer that much. I haven't given up on multiple day R2R2Rs yet, but for now I will take a break either permanently or until I feel the desire again.

Is 29 years of R2R2R significant? No... only to me. Others have done more of them and definitely have gone much, much faster. One thing remained common throughout the 30 years... R2R2R was the hardest and most fun thing that I did. I looked forward to it with anticipation, glee, and fear every year, and each year I was glad when it was over. Although it was a ton of fun, it was hard enough that once each year was enough for me.

Photo Gallery
2017 Video
2016 Video

Below is a high level summary of my 30 trips.

      —————  TIMES  —————      
  YEAR DATE S to N N to S TOTAL MILES NOTES   (click for detail) DOUG
1 1988 Oct 8-10 7:54 7:54 3 days 42 3-day trip, w/ Honeywell group  
2 1989 Oct 7-9 6:26 8:30 3 days 42 3-day trip, w/ Honeywell group •
3 1990 May 5 5:06 7:08 12:26 42 1st single day R2R2R, for time •
4 1991 May 18 4:42 6:15 11:10 42 for time, first 5-12 •
5 1992 Sep 12 8:26 7:42 22:25 42 1st night crossing •
6 1993 May 22 4:41 6:17 11:05 42 for time, solo, best time  
7 1994 Oct 21 7:50 8:01 18:51 42 night crossing, solo  
8 1995 Oct 8 9:15 9:35 19:15 42 start NR, night, solo/Honeywell  
9 1996 Oct 5-7 10:34 14:04 3 days 42 3-day trip, w/Cindy, w/Honeywell •
10 1997 Oct 10 6:26 9:57 16:37 47 BA both ways, meet Cindy •
11 1998 Sep 4 9:09 7:47 17:12 42 night crossing, rain, w/Doug  
12 1999 May 22 5:17 9:24 14:50 42 dn and up SK, meet Cindy  
13 2000 Dec 30 8:38 11:06 19:59 44 night crossing, meet Cindy  
14 2001 May 11 8:27 14:20 22:53 50 50 mi, SK, Tonto, BA, age 50 •
15 2002 May 10 7:52 9:32 17:41 50 50 mi, SK, Tonto, BA •
16 2003 May 9 6:52 8:30 15:46 42 SK both ways, solo  
17 2004 May 14 5:55 7:39 13:51 44 dn SK, up BA, w/Doug •
18 2005 May 4 7:11 7:50 15:25 42 dn and up SK, w/Doug •
19 2006 May 5 6:30 7:25 14:08 42 dn and up SK, age 55, w/Doug •
20 2007 Apr 27 6:11 9:35 16:18 42 dn and up SK, w/Doug •
21 2008 May 9 6:40 7:49 14:49 42 dn and up SK, w/Doug  
22 2009 Apr 9 7:00 8:21 15:47 42 dn and up SK, solo •
23 2010 Apr 25 7:51 9:27 17:33 42 dn and up SK, w/Doug •
24 2011 Apr 16 7:17 8:00 15:46 42 dn and up SK, solo, age 60  
25 2012 Apr 20 7:32 9:40 17:42 42 dn and up SK, solo  
26 2013 Apr 27 7:51 11:32 19:50 42 dn and up SK, solo  
27 2014 Mar 25 8:11 9:22 18:11 42 dn and up SK, solo  
28 2015 Mar 24 8:12 9:52 18:25 42 dn and up SK, solo  
29 2016 May 4 9:24 10:58 21:04 42 dn and up SK, solo, age 65  
30 2017 May 11 DNF DNF 23:26 39 dn and up SK, night, solo (DNF)  

  |   Home   |   Hikes   |   Photos   |   Family   |   Guestbook   |   Contact   |   Site Map   |