Ha, the trip was fuckin crazy! The first night it was 30 degrees at night and the campsite on the rim ..IT was chill, quiet and awesome! Nice and quiet as only the hard core were out. I hadn't slept so good in months! LOL..
The following night the park became sold out and our camp site at the rim turned into a loud college party and with loads of suffocating smoke from their camp fires. We needed a good night sleep for the demanding hiking the next several days, so I said fuck this shit and tore our gear down, loaded it into the car and drove for miles to find prob the only hotel room left in the closest surrounding 30 miles. the weather began to change dramatically..getting much warmer.
We did a walk up wait for our overnight backpacking permit which only allows for 2 nights in the canyon..The other way to get a permit is to reserve it 4 months in advance. I tried that once and still only got 3 nights and not the ones I needed to enjoy myself properly for a rim to rim hike.
The park doesn't really allow you to take your time and enjoy yourself. They really like to limit your stay in the canyon and get the crowds through like herds of animals. so your kinda forced to exert yourself in unreasonable ways.lol..
They have really promoted this type of mind set... as there were BUS Loads of college running teams doing rim to rim runs and such. Those fucker really pissed me off .. running down the trail expecting everyone to get of there way when EVERYONE should know uphill travelers get the RIGHT OF Way.
The animals at the camp sites were very very aggressive.
At Indian Garden Campsite I saw a squirrel attempt to nibble on our camping neighbors shoes while he sat at his picnic table.They were Very territorial. I saw bite marks in some squirrels back from the another squirrels . They engaged in boxing matches over food . It was frightening. I took off my belt to use as a whip if needed to keep them away from me. I was scared they would bite me through my tent. so it was very important to keep all food secure in the ammo cases provided at the camp site.. Nothing fragrant or food at all in or by the tent.
There was a ONE very aggressive crow/ raven at Bright Angles campsite. He circled and stalked all 30 campsites and scavenged for food at each one.
Arriving at camp, I immediately pitched our tent , completely exhausted I attempted a nap. I was abruptly awoken by that raven picking at my gear on my picknick table. He had a pattern. I would watch him fly down the Creek and circle to each campsite. He somehow managed to have the entire campgound to HIMSELF.
hahah Mo, if your in decent shape, the hike is very do able. Being a last minute" im leaving AZ tripp".lol.. I really was not as in good a shape as I wuld have liked for this hike.. ...SO Just remember to pace yourself and take lots of breaks, and of course try not to run out of Vodka. lol..That's my 3 liter hydro water pack .
To give you an idea of the dry conditions and heat.....
We packed up and left to head to the rim at 6 am in the morning with 3.5 liters full and after 3.5 miles I had drank all the water and didn't even need to pee. shit just evaporated out of me. crazy.
The park thankfully provides water stations at 3 and 1.5 miles on the Bright Angle Trail due to the incline.