May.. - Arizona Trail

imported
#1

Is starting in May a terrible idea?

BillyR

#2

Terrible. But not quite as terrible as June.

__

#3

Read our journal at http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=7267 …hiking the AZT in May is doable.

We started Cinco de Mayo at the border and finished June 18. The AZT people were worried about us out there with high temps but we have hiked deserts in 100*+ temps before. A freak rain storm improved our water opportunities. We hiked a couple of short days in order to sit out the hot part of the day.

Permits were booked up for several days ahead when we got to the Grand Canyon so we packed a single day rim-to-rim. We left at 4:30am, arrived at Phantom Ranch at 8am when the store opened, drank lots of iced lemonade and continued on. We sat out a couple of hours at Cottonwood Camp, then hiked out the North Rim in the afternoon, topping out before dusk. It was a perfect, glorius day and a good way to beat the forecast 117* at the canyon bottom.

YMMV

…GottaWalk

Marcia

#4

Thank you Marcia, the journal was very entertaining! I appreciate the read very much!

BillyR