Posted on April 13, 2012
by admin 
277 
It was an absolutely crazy idea, but it could be done.
My father-in-law had done it before, and he was the one that convinced my dad and I to do it with him and a friend. A four man team, crossing the Grand Canyon, North Rim to South Rim in one day. It would be like walking a marathon, but through the Grand Canyon. I trained for a few months before, running stairs and preparing my knees. Physically I knew I would be fine, but I was trying to figure out the photo aspect of it. You can’t cross the Grand Canyon and not take photos (especially when you’re a professional photographer).
I decided to walk all 24ish miles with my Canon 5D strapped around my neck, with a lightweight 50mm 1.8 lens. That’s it. It was first and foremost a hike, and we had to keep walking. I didn’t want to slow down the group to take photos, so I shot mostly from the hip while moving. I wish I had my L glass, sure, but it would have been too heavy. One day I’ll take some nicer glass through the canyon, take my time, and shoot. Until then, I’ll have these photos as a memento.
John Wesley Powell said, “The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself. The resources of the graphic art are taxed beyond their powers in attempting to portray its features. Language and illustration combined must fail.” Powell was certainly right; words fall short in describing the Grand Canyon. Looking back, carrying that darn camera 24 miles (especially the last two, brutal miles) was so worth it.
I made a photo book that tells the story chronologically (we had a little drama along the way which makes it interesting). If you want a blow by blow account of how the hike went you can read/order the book by clicking HERE. Feel free to email me or comment on this post if you want advice on planning the hike, especially from a photographer’s point of view.
277 Comments for Grand Canyon – North Rim to South Rim in One Day
Thanks! Your kids should have a blast. If they’re up for it, you could take them a mile or two down into the canyon and back out. We did that as kids and loved it!
I’d love to visit Grand Canyon with my wife down the road its a beautiful place to be at.
nice shots 
Same here. For me it is the second time, but a first for the family. Coming from Sedona which is another beautiful place. Heading there over Labor Day. Hope you and your family enjoy. Also, thanks for sharing the pictures. Looks like an awesome hike. How long was the hike?
In total, a rim to rim hike is 23.4 miles. That’s from the North Rim’s Kaibab Trail and up the Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim. Elevation differential is about 12,000 feet.
Wow. Put’s the one day hike in a better perspective. Well done!
I am not from usa but its my dream to visit there
i love Grand Canyon
i enjoyed the journey without having to move a step… i think you got the better deal
That is very cool. I saw The Canyon once when I was twelve and have wanted to go back since but being from Jersey makes this a costly and time consuming endeavor. One day Ill make it out again and maybe Ill take a little walk…
Definitely. Phoenix and Las Vegas are great places to fly into to make the drive. You could make a week’s vacation out of it, and see a good bit of that part of the country!
I think I have seen flights advertised from Atlantic City to Vegas for under a hundred so next time I see that The Wife and I may have to jump on it. She has never been west of PA in the continental US except being born on an Air Force Base in Texas.
Great details!
Amazing pictures! I hope to go next summer, as a geologist this is one of my top spots to visit!
As we wondered through the canyon, we couldn’t help but notice all the layers of rock and sediment. What a great place to study geology!
Wow, I have to share this with group of friends who are going there in a month. I hate hiking with a camera but then again, I have to record it.
It was tempting for me to take a snap and click, but I resisted and took my DSLR. I’m sure glad I did though. Good luck to your friends, hopefully they can venture a little into the canyon!
What a beautiful sight, and excellent details to go along with it.
Oddity thats sure!
That would be a fun and adventurous hike. Great pics, too.
Beautiful! I went on a helicopter tour through the Grand Canyon last year. Much lazier version of your trip. I took about 80 photos on the way out there, trying to capture every moment on film. No one told me that looking in and out of the aircraft as much as I was could cause nausea. We landed at the location at the Grand Canyon and I couldn’t get to the bathroom quick enough.
Anyway, beautiful photos and sounds like it was a great adventure.
Haha, that would have been a blast seeing from an aerial perspective. I would have taken a ton of photos too. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the read!
Great pictures! One of the places I miss not being in Arizona any longer. I was privileged there for a while having a job that allowed me to plop myself down at an expansive observation point and have lunch ever month or so.
Beautiful!
Just Beautiful!
what a fantastic trip!Your book chronicles in wonderful detail the memories you’ll always have of this.
Thanks for checking out the book. When I made it for the guys in the group that did the hike, I never thought this many people would have the chance to see it! How cool! Thanks for looking at it!
It’s incredebely beautiful.
Awesome photos man! Hopefully I can make a trip to the Grand Canyon on my journey. Check it out at http://www.friendtheworld.com
Wow. I’m in awe – of both your incredible photos and the walk you did. It must be an amazing experience, with breathtaking views, as we can clearly see from your pictures. Thanks for sharing and taking us along for the walk! Congrats on being freshly pressed!
Thanks for the compliments! It was certainly an adventure!
Excellent photos! What a beautiful hike, this is going on my travel list. Congrats on getting Freshly Pressed!
Thanks Audrey!
Have been planning a month long bike trip, was waffling over whether or not the Grand Canyon would be worth braving the summer heat on a bike for. Guess it will have to be.
Summer heat can be brutal, but I think the views are worth it. Good luck on your trip!!
Awesome photos! Quick question: What is the difference in crowds and temperature between the two rims in late June?
The North Rim is less populated and developed. Conversely, the South Rim has restaurants, hotels, and lots to see and do-especially for kids. The North Rim is much more remote. The temperatures of both rims are somewhat similar, with the North being slightly cooler (five degrees).
Thanks for the info. Do you think one can get a campsite on the south rim in late June/early July without a reservation? We are always torn between winging it (which is how we operate) and planning things out (our enemy). I am not anywhere near as talented a photograper as yourself, but would be honored if you checked out our site.
Enjoyed… thanks.
Great pictures. You brought back some good memories. It took me a couple of days when I went to the Grand Canyon. You did it in one? Awesome.
You are very welcome, thanks for the visit. The GC in two days is still quite a feat!
Wow! What a beautiful journey you had. And the pictures you captured are really wonderful Thanks a lot for sharing them. Great post.
Thank you for the compliments!
I’ve been to the Grand Canyon many times and am always in awe! Your trip hiking through it is exciting and shows the beauty
one can’t see from ‘above’. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photography and adventure!
You are very welcome! Thanks for the visit!
Waow, incredible pictures ! Your experience gives some ideas 
!
Your trip looks awesome, love the photos
The best place I have ever backpacked. I love the Grand Canyon and hiked about 35 miles rim to rim, from Hermit’s Rest and up the Bright Angel trail with my uncle and I have never experienced anything like it. It makes you feel tiny and so lucky to have seen such a place. Loved your photos!
Thanks! It definitely makes you feel like a wide-eyed insect for sure!
I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon – just a passenger peering out of my jet window onto that impressive “bit” of real estate while on my way to California. Wonderful pictures, wonderful feat!
Thanks! If you ever get a chance you should see a summer sunset from the North Rim. Spectacular! Thanks for the visit!
Beautiful pictures. I saw the Grand Canyon years ago, but, unfortunately we didn’t go down or hike. I definitely would like to go back and spend some more time there. I checked out the book you made…very impressive.
Thanks for looking through the book. It was fun putting together!
Reblogged this on Teacher as Transformer and commented:
If you look closely, you can see me up on the rim in some of these pictures.
Great post! I was able to visit the South Rim for the first time in February and dream of hiking down into it someday. Thanks for renewing my enthusiasm! 1 day and 24+ miles is impressive.
Thanks! It was a bucket list thing for sure. I would even recommend hiking down a few miles and back up during a more casual visit!
Glad to see you guys made it through. I hiked down about 6 years ago and stayed overnight. Then back up the next day. On the way down we ran into a pair of men who had started on the north rim and were heading up to the south. One of the men was having a severe heat stroke when we saw him and my uncle and cousin (both eagle scouts) tried helping him, but he died shortly after we got there. It’s a tough task to take on, but I’m glad to hear you were prepared and were able to complete it. That is quite an amazing feat.
Thank you. I’m sorry to hear about the man who died from heat stroke. It’s a very serious problem in the canyon. We watched a man being flown out by helicopter because of a heat stroke during our hike!
Thanks for sharing your trip. Connie
http://7thandvine.wordpress.com/
Stunning pictures, Thank-you for sharing, I am jealous of the hike part. How far was the hike?
It was about 23.4 miles from trailhead to trailhead. Starting at the North Rim, 5700 vertical feet down, 15 miles to the river, and then another 9 miles and 4500 feet to the top of the South Rim. The elevation differential definitely made the 24 miles feel like 50!
Nice shots! I guess the worst thing of being a photographer is that you’ll alway have to spend some time taking photos when others can enjoy the scene without worry about other stuff. The best..I guess is that it is actually the photographers that help those who can’t go to those amazing places see the same or even more beautiful scenes as the travelers. so…..Thanks very much, excellent photographer！！ Keep up the good work.
Thank you. You stated my conflict perfectly. We were there to hike, and many times I would have loved to stop and shoot, but we had to keep moving. I couldn’t carry a tripod, 24-105, or my 70-200, so I was limited, but still happy to make it work. Thanks for the read and compliments!
This is on my trail list to do …pictures are awesome! thanks for journaling it this way!
You’re very welcome, thanks for reading!
Walked across the canyon myself twice in my life. One of the hardest and physically challenging accomplishments in my life. This walk is not for the weekend hikers it takes month of preparation. Thanks for the memories
It certainly is an accomplishment, congratulations! I have respect for anyone that ventures into the canyon, even a few miles!
Wow what a great post! I’m an avid hiker and my parents live in Tucson, AZ (my sister lives out your way in Gloucester Point, VA) and I would love to do this someday! Most of my hikes have been day trips in Arizona and I have seen the Grand Canyon but not yet hiked it. Amazing post and who knows, maybe I’ll give it a whirl someday too!
How great! I did the Canyon– north rim down to the creek and back, alone, in early June 1994. It was one of the best days of my life, but extraordinarily grueling — 4 hrs down and 8 hrs back up. I am not surprised to read in your comments about a heat stroke death. They are not unusual there.
At Phantom Ranch, roughly halfway, we saw a man being flown out by helicopter because of heat stroke. Glad your experience was an adventure and nothing more! One of our guys got nauseous 18 miles in and had to stop for the day. We split into two teams from there, my dad and I finishing in one day and the other two finishing the next morning. Thanks for sharing your experience, and thanks for the read!
Crazy! I looked at the photo album–what a grueling but awesome adventure! Thanks for sharing! I hope to get out there someday.
Thanks for looking at the album!
Wow… Amazing! This is in my to do list!
Amazing… and here I was all excited when I hiked the Chilkoot Trail (33 miles) over 5 days! It just about killed me! However, you have me inspired and I may just have to add this hike to my LIFE LIST! Beautiful! (did I put enough exclamation points in my reply… it was worth every one!
Thanks for the read, it is definitely doable. With a little bit of training it could easily be a bucket list thing!
I read through your photo book… hopefully that will be enough information to start to put a trip together. My girlfriend just FB’d me to say she’d be in for a trip like that. My guy and I would most likely make a road trip out of it… taking our motorcycles from Seattle down. I actually did a road trip with my parents in 2007 – we visited the area and I said then that I wanted to go back. Thanks again for the inspiration!
Reblogged this on Life as I know it… and commented:
I love Freshly Pressed… I ran across this post today and I just may have to add this hike to my LIFE LIST… maybe… I was all excited when I completed the Chilkoot Trail last summer – 33 miles over 5 days… this, I think would be much harder… I love a challenge!
I hiked from the South Rim to the river and back in one day in November of 1979. I did no advance training and carried no food or water, but I made it, barely. Would not have been crazy enough to try it in the summer. Thanks for the good memories.
That’s quite brave, just hiking to the river and back is a tough hike, good job! The summer was pretty hot, but we were blessed that the temperature stayed in the upper nineties the whole time. Thanks for the read!
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The last time I was at the Grand Canyon I went down a mule. I am acrophobic and had to be rescued by helicopter. Much wiser to hike. I trust my own legs much more than the mules.
Oh gosh, I’m glad you were okay. The Grand Canyon is a great place to overcome a fear of heights though! We saw a man being flown out by helicopter at Phantom Ranch, about halfway through our hike. Even though he was in good shape, he was suffering from heat exhaustion and collapsed. Pretty scary stuff! Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the read!!
Thanks this photo blog was inspirational. Just added something else to the bucket list. Thanks again.
Definitely crossed it off my bucket list! Thanks for the read!
Good job!
Youa are a group of madmen. I did the short thing with my kids in winter and vowed never to walk on ice again.
Haha. It felt a little crazy about halfway through as we saw hikers stopping for the day. But we made it! Thanks for the visit! I would love to go to the GC in the winter, I hear the canyon is beautiful with snow…
Beautiful to look at a nightmare to hike at the higher elevations. I tried walking down on hard packed snow turned into ice. My kids kept slipping and falling on their butts. All I saw was the edge and the fall into the hole. We carefully tread our way out after fifteen minutes of going down. We did see hikers coming up from the river. At lower elevations the trail was dry and safer.
Wow! What an amazing feat!
Real nice pictures – nice job…
Thanks! If only you could have been there to see it in person. ; )
Really, really nice spread of shots. Through-hiking the Grand Canyon is a dream of mine. Looks like this was a really cool adventure. Well done.
Thanks a lot. It was certainly a dream of mine a few years ago! Got to love crossing off those bucket list things! Thanks again for the compliments and visit!
[...] Tagged: Grand Canyon – Rim to Rim, Hiking, Road Trip. Leave a Comment Well, thank you very much Mr. Ryan Johnson, I have a feeling that we may be saying your name in vain in October 2013 when we embark upon our [...]
This blog is very impressive and enlarged my knowledge, required information & the things i never imagined. i pay my thanks to be given such kind of valuable details.
John Wesley Powell was correct: you can’t capture the Grand Canyon’s magnitude in words or photos. But you’ve done a pretty good job! The hike makes an interesting story too. Nice post!
Thanks! I hope a little bit of the adventure came across!
Amazing. Absolutely mesmerizing. Thanks~
Beautiful pictures! we recently did the Bright Angel trail with a nights camping at the bottom, it’s a once in a lifetime experience. Thanks for sharing your amazing shots.
Awesome. I was my husband’s research assistant in grad school. His work was on the Colorado in the late 80′s, so the fun for me was always in getting there. The Tanner was especially interesting! He’s now a marathon runner…hmmm, I wonder if they need assistants too? Great Post.
Would you recommend a mad dash like this to others?
Heck yeah. I would suggest being in almost marathon shape though. With the 12,000 feet of elevation differential, the hike is really hard on the knees (down) and quads (up). So runners would need to condition their joints and non-runners would need to develop cardio. But I would recommend this hike to anyone with the proper training and equipment! The beauty alone makes it worth it!
What a wonderful account of your rim to rim adventure. I admire all 4 of you! When I saw the small snippet on “fresh posts” I couldn’t resist reading it as the Grand Canyon is one of the most amazing places on earth. I have only hiked down the Bright Angel Trail, and cannot imagine how hard the full rim to rim hike could be. Thanks for posting your book, it brought back wonderful memories of the splendor of the canyon.
Even hiking the Bright Angel is difficult! Congrats on hiking down into the canyon! Glad I could bring back some fun memories, thanks for the read.
Wonderful! I just got back from a trip to the canyon. We stayed on the south side but took a 3 mile hike into the canyon. Got awfully close to a California Condor on the way down as well. This is great.
Thanks for the visit and compliments!
Fantastic, thanks a lot.
my friend did a project on virginia
he did a project on ariona not virginia
Awesome. We hiked from Phantom Ranch to the top and that was tough enough. Rim to rim is something not many people have done.
Thanks. It was a blast. Phantom Ranch to the rim is definitely tough as well! I think everyone needs to venture into the canyon, if only for a few miles!
Nice trip bro
Hi Ryan, well done and thanks for sharing these stunning photos! I’m going to the Grand Canyon in May, but my plans are not as ambitious as yours…. :/ Having said that, I’m very much looking forward to the trip
Cool! Have fun and explore. I’d even recommend going a couple miles down into the canyon if you’re feeling brave! Thanks for the visit.
You are one damned lucky man! I wish I could do that!
Haha, thanks. It was a ton of fun. Thanks for the read!
Good stuff! Went there once. Loved it. Will go back. Nice idea of doing the trek in one day. Kudos! Nice photo journal of it.
-Ken
Thanks!
Great stuff. Good photo journal of it. Like the idea of the rim to rim in 1 day. I’ve been there once; want to go back for more time there. Best,
Ken
Impressive to do that hike in one day! Great photos, enjoyed it! Thanks.
Thanks! To train before the hike my dad and I hiked Pikes Peak. It was a great way to test out gear and boots. Colorado is an awesome place to train/explore! Thanks for the visit, jealous you live in Colorado (I assume).
It is really fantastic. You can feel the breath of life. So great!!!
Great way to describe it! Thanks for the visit!
Amazing pictures, i really wanna visit this place one day.. it looks amazing!! 
Amazing pictures! Thanks for sharing it looked like quite an adventure.
Reblogged this on newfoundlandtraveller and commented:
Since it will be a few years before I make it on this hike, I thought I’d share this wonderful photography. Thanks, Ryan!
Thanks for reposting!
Loved the photos!
I intend to do this on June 20, as part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s “Longest Day” campaign. 24 miles will be my longest hike thus far, but I will manage.
You’ll have a blast! Pack light, bring lots of electrolytes, and have fun! Oh, and definitely bring poles, they help going down. Thanks for the read!
I’m just going to say – wow
Wow, that’s incredible. I know my husband would LOVE to do this. We just visited the Grand Canyon together for the first time a few months ago. It was absolutely breathtaking. Thank you for the inspiration!
With a little bit of training, you could easily hike down to Phantom Ranch, camp, and then hike back out. That would still be an awesome accomplishment. Thanks for the read!
Inspiring Post. I did a rim to rim hike 2 years ago but in 2 days, not 1. I would have to train more. I was definitely ready to stop, camp, and sit in Bright Angel creek to deal with the soreness. Great pictures, I recognize some of these places and now I want to go back. Not sure I would try it in 1 day though.
Thanks for the read. Doing a R2R in two days is mighty difficult too! You’d be surprised what having a light pack can do for stamina in the long run. I checked out your blog, nice work!
I love you “book-end” shots! Very cool!
Wow! What a beautiful journey you had. And the pictures you captured are really wonderful Thanks a lot for sharing them. Great post.
It’s good to see photos of the Grand Canyon. I’m from the UK and have always been impressed with the landscapes of the US.
I particularly liked image 8684 and the one next to it 8709 of walking up the narrow path (which I assume is next to a big drop, at least it looks like that). Also image 8775, another path..which looks like it would make a good book cover…interesting post…and a great achievement. I know how hard it is running up stairs…I use this way for some exercise.
Really like the photos!
Amazing photos! I am moving to Phoenix this month and I can’t wait to visit the Grand Canyon.
I did the rim-to-rim hike (and back again…after a day’s rest). It was awesome and such a great challenge! I only have a couple of photos, so it’s fantastic to revisit those places through your trip. Can never get enough of the Canyon!!
Ulalá,
I’will like to visit his place!
Belas fotografias, pbens
Nice pics …How great God created the earth..
Love the GC!!!!
My cousin and hiked from top to bottom and back up again all in one day when I was thirteen. That is still one of the more awesome moments of my life. Kudos for attempting 25 miles! I think out trip round total was about 18.
I like your pictures…^_^
So, did you walk out onto the 20 foot glass platform and look down at the canyon below?
Extrordinary place.. freaky fotos..
Great pictures and a great narrative to accompany them. I haven’t been to the Grand Canyon in years even though I live in Phoenix… guess I should make it back up there sometime soon. Thanks for sharing!
superb pic’s..i like it very much
nice post, i’ve alaways thought of exlploring this areas and hope to do so in 2013. fingers crossed!
Really great achievement
Wow!!! This is a great blog, I like the idea and the photos!!!
FABULOUS! The majestic Grand Canyon is a real American treasure to be treasured. In direct contrast to nature and serentiy you can check out if you are interested the Easter Parade in New York city – quite a spectacle! http://wp.me/p1LWhS-dl
Pictures are incredibly beautiful, Thank
Hiking can be a best hobby. I wish I could do that.
Congratulations on being freshly pressed and also in crossing the Grand Canyon. It looks like it was quite an adventure. I walked a little of the Canyon many years ago. I am no photographer but I love taking pictures of my walks too.
Hiking throught the grand canyon is near the top of my bucket list. I nope my family and I can make it an adventure we do together. For safety reasons we are waiting until they are older.These pictures look amazing!
thats awesome that you took the time to go. I plan on going there in the future.
Looks like an awesome trip…
The Grand Canyon is such a beautiful place. I’ve done the same hike in one day – it is definitely a challenge. Props to you for lugging the camera too.
I’m not sure how I randomly stumbled upon your blog, but I must commend you on doing such a fantastic job documenting your R2R crossing! I made the crossing (South to North) with my father last September, so seeing your pictures really brought me back. Your shot of the helicopter in the Canyon is almost surreal.
If you’re interested, you can read my recap here (just don’t mind my horrible photography skills!)- http://13point1.blogspot.com/2011/10/grand-canyon-rim-to-rim-crossing-part-i.html
I love the Cayon and write about it often. Your shots are amazing.
val
valentinedefrancis.wordpress.com
We recently moved from Flagstaff, Az (just outside of the Grand Canyon area) to Grand Rapids, MI. I loved seeing your photos of the Canyon, it reminds me of home. The difference in vegetation from N. Az to here in S.west MI is drastic. I remember trying to grow veggies in our backyard in Flagstaff, and the weather just hated my efforts… as did the soil. We are attempting to grow again here in MI… to early to tell if it’ll hate us as well. It looks like your team of hikers had a great time and really enjoyed themselves. What you did was a challenge, a challenge even native Arizonians haven’t tried (I know I didn’t when we were there). While you were hiking did you notice the difference in squirrels from the north vs. south rim? There is a professor at NAU, Dr. Allred who studies the squirrels there in the canyon. He is a GREAT guy, very funny. He has also written books about the squirrels/canyon there. Anyways… thanks for sharing.
Reblogged this on blue cafe and commented:
excellent !
Awesome story and photos, never been myself so…..”an experience of vicarious thrills”. Your shot capture the incredibleness of the landscape.
That is crazy!! We visited both rims, but didn’t go down inside. Kudos to you and great photos!
Reblogged this on flexwords.com and commented:
it’s really good article and photos are amazing
Must’ve been great! superb shots.
I once rode down the canyon on a mule. It was super dusty. All the hikers had to stand to the side and get covered in dust while the group of mules went by. I was covered in dirt all over when the ride was over. The canyon is beautiful.
At Phantom Ranch, halfway, we saw all the mules grazing in a small, fenced area. We joked about stealing a few for the hike back up the South Rim! I bet that was a blast though! Thanks for reading my post!
The grand canyon… amazin place
What a beautiful sight, and excellent details to go along with it
Your pictures just made me picture my dream!
The most incredible pictures what sort of camera did you use SLR or digital mini brilliant I wish I had talent like you but I can do pretty darn close but you are still better great Photos.
yours sincerely Jacob
I use a DSLR camera, Canon’s 5D MK II. It’s a full frame, work horse of a camera. I wanted to take a few more versatile lenses on my hike, but I was worried about weight, so I took my lightest, a 50mm 1.2. I checked out your site, you have some great shots! Very creative! Thanks for reading my post!
Nice;)
Rim to Rim is such a naughty title. Great post though!
Haha, I didn’t even notice. Thanks!
Love it!
What a great trip! I’m attempting a rim-to-rim-to-rim (South to North, then back) trip next month, and I’m even more excited for it after having seen your photos. How many hours did it take you guys to get from the North Rim to the South Rim?
We started at 8AM and finished at 7PM. So I guess we did the 24.3 miles in 11/12 hours or so. We took three big breaks, probably totaling an hour and a half or so. The last two miles took the longest: about an hour and a half! Good luck if you attempt such a brutal hike, R2R2R is something I would love to do, but would have to train SERIOUSLY for!
Nice! You made good time! I think I’ll aim for that timeframe for each leg of the trip. And yes, it will be brutal! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that my training pays off. : )
Beautiful scenes! I think you’ve convinced me to give a trip like this some thought…
Love, love, love this blog and your writing style! Just stopping by to say hi. Would love if you visited my Advice Column http://askjanegold.wordpress.com – Just getting started up today!
That’s quite a feat, but one question: why the rush? It’s one place worth savoring.
That’s a great question! I think if I were to do it again I would either attempt a R2R2R or do it all in three days or so. I think we wanted a challenge, and as a disaster photographer I have trouble taking whole weeks off, so a R2R hike was an abbreviated version-something that could be done in one weekend. I think the primary allure was the challenge though!
Fine pictures indeed! I especially liked the sunset one! My mom went there last Fall and loved it. I’ve never been there myself, but what I’ve heard from everyone who has ever gone there, words can not describe the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Glad you had a good time!
Thanks for the compliments, and thanks for visiting!
Amazing!
We just did the North Rim this past summer. It is a wonderful place to take photographs. Thank you for sharing
Reblogged this on no holds barred….
Reblogged this on In a Bird's Eye View.
Amazing！
Amazing!
What a trek! Enjoyed being along – the easy way!
Reblogged this on Jan Deelstra and commented:
In honor of Earth Day….
Congrats on completing the hike. It’s rough for sure. And one photographer to another – congrats on only taking 1 prime lense! Sounds like you are ready for another challenge like the “4 pass loop” in the elk mountains of Colorado. I’ve backpacked the Grand Canyon a number of times, but I haven’t tried the rim-to-rim.
4 pass loop looks awesome! I grew up in Colorado, and I am furiously trying to move back. : ) I’ve heard of this hike before, maybe next time I go home to visit family I’ll take a few days and do this! Thanks for visiting my blog and the suggestion!
Yes, it’s a great hike, if a bit over-populated at times. But if you managed the rim-to-rim-to-rim, then I think you should consider the 4 pass loop in a day. Add that sucker to your resume!
Beautiful Photos
Well done for doing it. I’m jealous. But I have lots do do yet where I am, I only carry a small point and shoot when hiking, as you say – weight can be an issue. I’ve just found an adaptor for my Tiffin wide angle lens for my Fuji, it’s great to be able to use that again.
Jim
I was tempted to carry a point and click too. On my longer running adventures I can’t carry my DSLR. Glad you found an adapter–I’ve been pleased with mine. I get sad when I see old glass get dusty! I love your France photos. I was in South France for a few weeks last year doing some undercover photography. I wish I could have seen some of the beautiful places in your photos!
Stunning Pictures…Thank you for sharing…
Great photo’s. Looks so hot! Well done on the trek. Sounds like a long day
Reblogged this on Pechersk Speaking Club.
Beautiful pics! But what’s a cliff-ninja chopper doing out there in the canyon?
Ha. At Phantom Ranch, the halfway point, a gentleman had passed out from heat exhaustion. He hit his head on a rock when he fell. His wife was terrified, and they had to chopper him out. A ranger told us they fly in about once a day in the summer to get someone out!
Thanks for availing me such valuable & knowledgable kind of information. I go through your blog and found it fulfilling our needs ,wants and demand.
Wow, amazing!!
I’m generally a runner, but I’ve always dreamed of hiking the Grand Canyon. Thanks for making me want it even MORE!
You are very welcome. And if you do a R2R in one day you could make it a weekend trip. I flew from VA to Phoenix on a Thursday, drove to the Grand Canyon that evening, and then hiked on Saturday, and flew back on Sunday. Totally doable for an East Coaster!
yea, I am in Virginia so it would probably be exactly the same flight pattern I’ll take your advice and not lug around a heavy camera though!
In 1986 I hiked from the South Rim to Phantom Ranch and then back to the top 2 days later. Then the next day from the rim of the Havasupai Reservation down into the canyon again and back out 2 days later. My feet still hurt! Thanks for the memories. I need to dig out my photos.
In 1986 I hiked from the South Rim to Phantom Ranch and back up 2 days later. Then the next day from the rim above the Havasupai Reservation down to the bottom and back up 2 days later. My feet still hurt! Thanks for bringing back good memories. I need to dig out my photos.
I myself am a long Distance Walker/hiker! after reading this post I have added a new route to my list?
Outstanding achievement for you and your team, well done!
Walking the Grand Canyon… “WOW” When I tell people that I want to walk the Great Wall of China from one end to the other; they look at me like I am from another Planet…??? {Must be something in our blood} That makes us do amazing things?
That sounds awesome. I never thought about walking the Great Wall of China. I’ve always thought the Appalachian Trail sounded like an adventure, but I hear it takes about six to eight months. I’ve been playing with the idea of shooting a documentary/writing a book about long distance hiking! So if you have any more good ideas send em’ my way!
Beautiful shots! I have not been to the canyon in 32 years! OMG, that makes me feel old, but I WAS very young when I went. As I have gotten older, I have developed a fear of falling and of heights. So I am sure I would have trouble doing what you did. Congrats!
If there’s a beautiful place to get over your fear of heights though, it’s the Grand Canyon! Thanks for the read!
I’m thinking of hiking into the grandcanyon and out in one day, with my husband and my parents. But I’m afraid that I might die out of difficulty and tiredness. I’m not a professional photographer or anything, but a photography enthusiast and I can’t imagine doing it without my camera either. What do you suggest as preparation to get myself/us ready for that? Lots of stairs? I’m not sure if we’re going to do north to south rim, or just down one and our the same. We still may take camping gear (if we can get a permit) and sleep at the bottom one night. Anyway, any suggestions for getting myself ready?
Hmm. First off, I think every person, once in their life should climb down into the GC. So I think it’s a great idea. Second off, it’s a very doable hike in two days–a hard one still, but doable. You can make reservations at Phantom Ranch (bottom of canyon and halfway), and stay the night. I know they book up fast though to stay in their little cabins, but not bringing a tent makes your packs lighter.
I would recommend lots of little hikes to break in boots and gear. Cardio is good–swimming/jogging/biking. I went to a local park that had a flight of stairs and ran it in boots with a twenty pound weight vest. People looked at me like I was crazy, but it paid off. I would also recommend doing it in August or May, before it gets unbearably hot. But it is totally doable. My dad did rim to rim at 55!
Thanks, I actually already checked and Phantom Ranch is booked for September weekends already. But we’ll figure something out. Thanks for your advice.
My husband and I hiked R2R, North to South, three years ago, and he took friends this past fall to do it all over again. It was a great memory maker and so good for our relationship. These pictures bring back so many special memories, thanks!
You’re very welcome! Congratulations on doing a R2R. I really want to attempt a R2R2R now, see if I can get back in 24HRs. That’s awesome you guys made the trek though. I’m still trying to convince my wife to venture into the canyon. : ) Thanks for the read!
Reblogged this on travelwyse.
Thank you for taking us along on your hike! . . . Wonderful photos and adventure!
You are very welcome! Thanks for the read!
Reblogged this on Nights on Venus and commented:
Reblogged from Ryan Johnson Films + Photography…. very cool photos and if you’ve been to the Grand Canyon, quite a feat. Well done!
What an adventure; one I would like to experience one day. Love seeing the photos you took along the way and I understand your wish for another trip sole for photographing, the landscape is breathtaking.. hey aren’t there pumas, rattles and other wild life there? How much water did you carry? Gosh, you just lived my dream.
It was certainly an adventure! I recall seeing diverse wildlife, no rattlers though. I think the tops of the rims are the best places to see critters. We saw some elk on the South Rim.
ohhhh Amazing… Very nice adventure. I like ))
Reblogged this on 1,000 Words or less and commented:
For my friend who love the outdoors and photography, check this blog!
We are adding this hike to a bucket list. Your photos are absolutely beautiful.
What an great adventure complete with gorgeous pictures. The photobook you put together is amazing! I took a trip in November, hiking down South Kaibab, spending the night at Bright Angel campground and hiking backup the Bright Angel Trail the following day. Looking at your photos brought back many memories and it’s interesting to see how different things some things look only a couple months later.
Makes me wanna take a trip:)
These really are some pretty special shots ryan! i’m planning an american road trip just now and a hike through the grand canyon is high up on my must do thing’s whilst in the US. very impressed with the pics, thanks for the post.
Reblogged this on matthewoharedance and commented:
My next big project I’m planning is an American road trip with my Dad & some friends, The Grand Canyon is high up on my list of places to visit, so to come across this well written blog with such incredible photo’s from Ryan was a nice surprise for me this evening. hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did.
That looks and sounds absolutely amazing! I have friends that are doing the same hike at the end of June…in the desert heat! It’s definitely on my immediate to-do list. Have you had a chance to hike down to Havasu Falls in the Grand Canyon? It’s another great hike with stunning photo ops.
Looks like a lot of fun! I would love to do it. How long did it take?? the whole day?
We started at 8AM and finished at 730PM. So it took us about 13HRs. But we were moving pretty fast.
This is my second comment. I was thinking how awesome it would be to camp in the Canyon. I have never been there. Is that allowed?
Thanks,
Tim
It is allowed. You can camp in certain designated campgrounds. The most popular place to camp is Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the canyon. They even have little cabins that you can rent out in advance. If you want to camp on one of the rims you can do that too. You’ll just have to visit the GC’s website to look at availability.
Hi, me and my friends camped immediately next to the canyon, but not down in it. I don’t know if they allow it. We ended up at the National Park with huge epic trees great camping spots and even a bear came at night after our chicken. lol. It’s a great trip. I highly reccomend it!
Beautiful photos – thanks for sharing! Congrats on being FP!
We went two summers ago and you’re right when you say there are no words to describe it. When we got our first look, I truly was struck speechless. The beauty of this natural wonder is beyond words…pictures try to capture it, the only way to know that kind of wonder is to see it. Thank you for sharing your photos and memories.
Speechless and mind-boggling pictures!
Beautiful pictures!!! I really want to go there too!
I’ve been once to Grand Canyon, enjoying hiking one day under the rain :p Reading your post I feel like I want to it rim to rim as weel thanks!
Beautifully photographed!
Marvellous pics
Thanks for sharing this journey. I’ve hiked it 3 times. The first was down and up in one day from the South Rim. My biddy and I did it in November when temperatures were cool. We prepared a month in advance by walking lots of stairs and doing lots of cardio. It took us 3 hours to get down, and 6 hours to get back up. Although there were warnings all over NOT to do this, we had a wonderful time. We took only day packs and took very good care of ourselves at the end of the day – lots of stretching, warm showers, Advil, drank lots of water and ate good foods. Thanks again for letting me re-live all that.
Been to Grand Canyon many times. You’ve done her proud.
Well done! I hiked down into that amazing gaping hole – THE BEST ‘HOLE’ ever. At high noon with 3 friends on a road trip and I got amazing pictures from that. Did you see the more ‘rich’ tourists riding on the mules? I REALLY envied those bastards when I was hiking back UP OUT of the Canyon. We would’ve totally perished if we didn’t our friend Brian who had just worked for the AZ government all summer sitting atop a mountain looking for wildfires all summer = expertise. We each had the mandatory (thanks to signs galore!) 2 sandwiches apiece and several GALLONS of water. Brutal hike, but SO TTOTALLY WORTH IT. Great pix. peace!
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April 24, 2012 Reply
Well done! I hiked down into that amazing gaping hole – THE BEST ‘HOLE’ ever. At high noon with 3 friends on a road trip and I got amazing pictures from that. Did you see the more ‘rich’ tourists riding on the mules? I REALLY envied those bastards when I was hiking back UP OUT of the Canyon. We would’ve totally perished if we didn’t our friend Brian who had just worked for the AZ government all summer sitting atop a mountain looking for wildfires all summer = expertise. We each had the mandatory (thanks to signs galore!) 2 sandwiches apiece and several GALLONS of water. Brutal hike, but SO TTOTALLY WORTH IT. Great pix. peace!
I highly recommend it. It’s literally dirt cheap all natural vacation fun. We made a road trip from Missouri down thru Arkansas across the southwest in to AZ camped, went to NOGALES, MEXICO and back up to Grand Canyon, camped, went up thru UTAH (interstate 666 is real AND it ends at the 4 CORNERS weird Morman thing???who knows) travelled up thru Colorado (got a nosebleed going down a mountain, I was sleeping) back through Kansas into Missouri. We did all of that in only 4-5 days. We left immediately after fireworks on July 4, 2003 came back July 9. EPIC!
Beautiful photos of the best place on Earth. I would have a difficult time keeping that pace and taking as many pictures as I would want. Good job doing both!
Your photos are breathtaking, and your story is a perfect boost of inspiration. My hubby and I are planning a rim to rim hike in September, although acceptance of my own limitations dictates that we should make it a full three day trip. It has been a dream of mine to make this journey, and I finally decided to commit (and hence, start training) this year as a way to mark my transition into empty-nest-hood. Thank you so much for giving me a preview of what awaits me. And for giving me the heads up to invest in trekking poles!
This blog is awesome! Congrats to you for completing such an amazing feat…. while not stopping the entire time to take pictures. That would have been difficult for me, and I’m not even a “professional”. If you ever decide to come out to Arizona again, feel free to check out my blog (boredinarizona.com) – maybe it’ll give you some more ideas on places to go and photograph? Just a warning though, you won’t find me hiking like you do!
Amazing experience and great shots!
Thank you for sharing,
Artphalt (http://artphalt.wordpress.com)
Thanks for sharing your experience Ryan…I was lucky enough to visit June last year and fell in love with the place. I really can’t wait to go back. I read a really interesting book which you may (or may not!) be interested in reading. I found it a fascinating historical account of the area: Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon by Ghiglieri and Myers. Happy walking.
Awesome breathtaking photos, thank you for sharing…
My next destination when in US. Must be fabulous day, twilight or night for photography !
nice………….
asheeee.blogspot.com
Really interesting idea and well done on the execution! I really enjoyed your view point through the photos. They told a great story.
superb pic’s like it…..
Reblogged this on Mbconsulting's Blog.
I’ve been waiting to this hike for quite some time. The road to the north rim doesn’t open until May 15th. How did you get to the trail head?
We actually did the hike in August. The North Rim trails do close in the winter, so you have to plan accordingly. Good luck if you attempt it this summer!
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Hmm it appears like your blog ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any suggestions for novice blog writers? I’d definitely appreciate it.
The trail begins as a steep set of switchbacks descending through the Coconino, Hermit, and Esplanade strata, before reaching a tree-lined spring at Indian Garden. This is the site of the third rest station, featuring a ranger cabin and primative campsites for those who want to spend the night. Back country permits are required for overnight camping inside the canyon, and may be obtained at the Back Country Information Center.
Grand Canyon National Park encompasses more than 1.2 million acres, the vast majority of which are inaccessible due to the predominance of cliffs and inhospitable to all but plants and animals able to survive in the desert. The Colorado River bisects the canyon; hikers can cross the river only at Phantom Ranch. If you choose to hike from rim to river to rim, you will have to deal with an elevation differential of more than 10,000 feet from start to finish.
I’m taking the kids to the Grand Canyon this summer — thank you for getting me even MORE excited! Beautiful photos…