Epic Grand Canyon National Park backpack

This invitation is to join an epic adventure in America’s grandest outdoor cathedral. There are gazillions of park visitors every year on the south rim. We’ll be on the north rim, so far from the crowds that it’ll be a small miracle if we see any others anywhere on the trip. Our route takes us on a four-day, three-night backpack from the canyon rim to the Toroweep Overlook, nearly 3,000 feet almost directly above the Colorado River, from where we’ll take-in one of the most jaw-dropping views on the planet. Our path is to and on the Tuckup Trail, which winds for about 100 miles under the north rim. We'll start about 34 miles from the overlook, descend about 1,400 feet, drop our packs for a 3-mile roundtrip excursion to renowned petroglyphs, go back to the Tuckup Trail and retrieve our packs, and from there hike step-by-step to the river overlook, where there will be cars to take us out and back to civilization, first at a vacation home near Kanab, and the next day home. During the hike, we’ll be in two-way satellite communication with both emergency responders and others in our group at the overlook, waiting for us and prepared to help us get ER help if necessary.
DATES
Oct. 15-21, 2025
LIMIT - 11
The SUBLIME
The vastness.
The grandeur.
The solitude.
The deafening quiet.
The indescribably beautiful and glorious night sky with no moon.
THE GOOD
Slick-rock hiking, which is easier because your boots don’t sink into the ground.
No trail, meaning that you can place your boots where you wish.
World-class petroglyphs.
Net elevation decline of about 1,400 feet.
Once we hit the Tuckup Trail after the elevation decline, we’ll be steady at 4,000 feet the rest of the way, making breathing easier than at mile-high elevation.
The usual weather at that time of year features warm days and nights.
The weight on our backs will decline every day even more than usual because…. see “The Ugly” below.
THE BAD
No trail means relying heavily on GPS navigation, with serious penalties for getting off-track.
The weather is variable, so we’ll need to be prepared if a system moves through.
Gross elevation gain/loss of about 4,000 feet because of a seemingly endless supply of ups-and-downs of as much as 100-200 feet/per.
No campfires until the final night at the overlook campground (if then).
THE UGLY
There is no reliable water source, so we’ll have to carry up to a gallon each for each day. That means 28-36 pounds of water, which in turn means that your packs will likely weigh 40-50 pounds on the first day.
Participants will need to have experience with desert hiking, fortitude, indefatigableness to overcome whatever hurdles we encounter, and a difficult-to-quench yearning for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in the backcountry.
Review what the park says about the area here. For those who subscribe to All-Trails, there’ a nifty 3-D video. Just search “Tuckup Trail.” I will have maps. We will meet in Denver a week or two prior to the trip for a meet-n-greet, to review safety protocols, and to pour over maps. I’ll provide an itinerary to those who sign-up.
I need to obtain a backcountry permit. I cannot apply for it until six months out.
I’m recruiting from multiple groups. To sign-up or ask questions, email me at [mtnry@aol.com](mailto:mtnry@aol.com).