Mule skinning in the Grand Canyon
The mule doesn’t want to die either. That’s what I keep telling myself as I ride Buttermilk down Bright Angel Trail to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, 4,000 feet and 5-1/2 hours below. Her sides are broader than the trail itself, so when I lift my gaze from the view between her long ears and look right or left, I see not the trail but the abyss, straight down to a twisting segment of path below or sheer, rocky cliffs. The Colorado River, still carving the canyon floor far below, won’t be clearly visible until we’ve ridden several hours and passed from the outer canyon to the inner walls.
It’s early May 2003. I’d visited the Grand Canyon for the first time the summer before, with my husband and young children. The kids were too young to do much hiking, so my DH and I traded off for solo hikes. He spent one morning hiking halfway down and back up, encountering some bighorn sheep along the way. I spent an afternoon exploring the rim trail, stopping often to take in the canyon’s grandeur. The next day we encountered a mule team starting down the trail, and I knew I had to do it too.
After we got home I started planning, aware that mule trips book up nearly a year in advance. My DH generously offered to stay with the kids and keep things on track at home, so I called up my most adventurous friends and family members and invited them to join me. Three enthusiastic yesses, much planning, a few weeks of horse-riding lessons in Austin, and one year later, we stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon the evening before our descent: me, my school friend Amy, my Austin friend Shelley, and my game-for-anything dad.
The next morning, clad as instructed in layers, neckerchiefs, and brimmed hats, we gathered at the corral and watched nervously as the mules were brought in by wranglers, who called each person out, looked them over, and selected a mule for them to ride.
Dad and I were having a blast and ready to ride. Check out that corny cowboy hat he picked up for $5 in the gift shop!
We got a sternly humorous talking-to by the head wrangler, who explained the rules and safety measures and made it plain that we would follow them or find ourselves hiking instead of riding. And then, without further ado, we were on our mules and plunging down Bright Angel Trail.
Thank goodness for my riding lessons. I knew to keep my heels down to stay securely seated and was comfortable enough that I didn’t grip the pommel, which causes blisters on the palm. But the first few hundred feet were nerve-wracking indeed. The mules are tall (Buttermilk particularly so), and when they approach a switchback in the trail, their heads seem to go straight out over the edge before their feet get to the curve and they make the turn. You have to believe that the mule wants to live. Otherwise you think you will go over the edge every time.
The lower we got, the hotter it got. While it was chilly enough for a jacket and even gloves on the rim, once we got to the inner canyon layers had been shed and the temps were in the 80s. As for the view, it was wondrous. Words cannot convey how spectacular the canyon is, and faded, scanned prints such as these cannot portray it. You’ll just have to take my word for it or go to Arizona to see it for yourself.
In the picture above, you can see the trail hugging the inner canyon’s wall; look for the yellow arrow. Farther down the trail, we crossed a suspension bridge to get to the other side of the Colorado River, where our overnight camp, Phantom Ranch, awaited us.
The sign for Phantom Ranch was a welcome sight. I dismounted and landed on wobbly legs, thrilled to be at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The only way to get there is by foot, by mule, or by boat. At Phantom Ranch, bunkhouses, showers, and a communal dining room offer all the comforts you could ask for in a place where all the supplies must be packed in by mule train.
After dinner we stretched our stiff legs with a walk along Bright Angel Creek and down to the Colorado River. The mule bridge is visible behind us.
Bright and early the next morning we mounted up again, despite very sore bottoms, for the ride up the South Kaibab Trail. Luckily riding uphill uses different muscles than riding downhill, so our rear ends felt OK as soon as we got going.
The South Kaibab is both steeper and shorter than Bright Angel and follows a ridgeline part of the way up, offering more spectacular views than the cliff-hugging Bright Angel. Here my companions are resting their mules on a vertigo-inducing stretch of trail. You park your mule with its tail to the cliff and its nose over the edge; you always want your mule to know exactly where that edge is.
Eventually we rode out of the inner canyon onto the Tonto Plateau, where our wrangler took our picture. That’s me on the left on Buttermilk, Shelley on Holiday, Amy on Cricket, and Dad on Jaime. The outer walls of the canyon can be seen all around us.
The views of the arid plateau were expansive and spectacular. An incident with a rider on another mule train caused us to delay here for an hour. An older woman whose hip had started acting up on the descent the day before was in such excruciating pain on the way up that she fainted in the saddle. Her wrangler got her up the trail to the plateau, but from there she had to be airlifted out by rescue helicopter, at great personal expense. I felt very bad for her—an unfortunate way to end a vacation.
After riding 7.3 miles in 4-1/2 hours, we arrived back on the cool rim, where we staggered off our saddles, bid our mules farewell, tipped our wrangler, gathered our few packed-in items, and limped off to an exuberant lunch. We all four declared that if we could, we’d get right back on to do it again tomorrow.
Grand Canyon is one of the most majestic places I’ve ever seen, and going down into it on an adventurous ride shared with my dad and dear friends was an experience I’ll never forget.
This post is part of a week-long bloggers’ celebration of the National Parks. Please join in with a post about any park you’ve visited and leave your link here.
P.S. To my companions on this trip, my apologies if I used one of your photos without attribution; I couldn’t remember whose pics were whose in my old photo album. The copyright notice on any of yours is to thwart online image theft. Let me know if you’d like a correction. Your fellow mule skinner, Pam
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
What no comments!? I am just the first. That was wonderful. No way I could bear that vertigo. Went hiking with my husband, across a ridge in the Swiss National Park, which dropped away on each side. Not particularly steep. Just too sheer for me. So I had to just keep walking, or I would have needed airlifting.
Yes, when you think you can’t do something, just to keep doing it is often the best thing. Your hike sounds like quite an adventure. It must have been memorable. —Pam
Pam I am so impressed you could do this! I visited the Grand Canyon, well, about the same time as your trip–but I am terrified of heights (drop offs) so I could not even walk close to the edge. I would love to have the experience you did–what an awesome memory for you..and what an accomplishment! Congrats to you-and thanks for sharing!!
It was an adventure indeed, and I am so glad I did it. But if I had it to do over again I’d stay two nights at Phantom Ranch instead of one. I wish I could have explored the bottom of the canyon for a day. Ah well, next time I’ll boat down the river and see it that way! —Pam
What a great trip and you have it on film! I probably could not have walked after sitting in the saddle for so long, even though years ago I used to ride. D and I went down the Bright Angel Trail in 1981. We were pretty fit because both of us were running long distance. My Mum and Dad were visiting from England and we were camping with them and the 3 kids in the park. We left the boys with Mum and Dad and set off at dawn. We were down the bottom by 9, dipped our toes in the Colorado, ate our lunch and headed back. The round trip took us 6 1/2 hours. I know I couldn’t do it today.
Walking the next day was not an easy task, Jenny. But boy am I impressed by your tale of hiking to the bottom and back in only 6-1/2 hours. You really must have been fit! —Pam
What a precious memory. That is a long time to be in a saddle just on flat ground let alone riding up and down a canyon. I have never been to the GC but I want to go there. Maybe someday…
Do, Lisa. It’s a place that everyone should see. I’d heard that it was amazing, but seeing it was something else altogether. —Pam
I’ve been to the Grand Canyon three times. I’m quite terrified of heights so I don’t think I could manage the donkey ride, even though I’m sure the views are most spectacular! It is an awesome place!
It really is, Robin. Words and pictures don’t do it justice. It must be experienced. —Pam
Great photos Pam. I seem to remember a comedian with a skit about a suicidal mule…etc etc. What an adventure you had and great memories to boot.
I’m glad I didn’t have a suicidal mule, Janet. That would have been a short trip to the bottom. —Pam
Hi Pam.
I enjoyed the recollection of your trip and your great pictures. The way the mules turn a corner description had me laughing out loud, it sounded more like a terrifying roller-coaster ride! Too funny. We visited the Grand Canyon some years ago and I was clawing my way to some of the edge views. I am not sure if I would like the fact that my destiny rested on the survival instincts of a mule, although I am sure they know what they are doing. I wish I could participate in this park tribute, but unfortunately you covered the one I visited in colorful if somewhat terrifying detail.
That shot with the mule bridge is amazing.
Regards,
ESP.
Oh, do join in, ESP. I know you’d have a story to tell, and you can tell a story like no other blogger I know. —Pam
Also post Pam! Loved riding down the Grand Canyon with you!
Thanks for coming along for the ride, Pam. —Pam
That’s awesome Pam. I’ve always wanted to see the Grand Canyon but the closest I ever got was Dallas.
I glad you got to have this experience. The pics are beautiful.
Thanks, Lola. Dallas is an awfully long way from the Grand Canyon! I hope you get there one day. It’s such a beautiful place. —Pam
Pam, my family and I have been talking about visiting the Grand Canyon, and I’ve been wondering about whether to enjoy the mule adventure. Your pictures made me feel like I was right there!
The mule ride is a great experience, Meredith. I think kids have to be at least 13 to ride, but if they’re not old enough maybe you could trade off with your husband for a couple of days and go solo. —Pam
What a great trip! I did a shorter mule ride starting at the Grand Canyon North Rim quite a few years ago, and also remember the excitement and the terror…
Hi, TM. I understand that seeing the Grand Canyon from the colder, higher north rim is a very different experience from seeing it from the south rim. I’d love to “get to the other side” one day, but it’s a looong way around the canyon to get there. —Pam
Ok that looked like fun, sign me up! And I guess I lied…I do love that National Park. Can’t wait to see where you take us next…
It really was a fun adventure, Loree. Next up is Yosemite! —Pam
Thanks for letting me know about the Nat’l Parks week. I’m not sure if I’ve actually been to a national park since I went digital, but I’ll give a look. (Does a national park in Botswana count? 😉
I loved your post! It sounds like such a fun trip. A perspective that’s hard to get unless you do that, I’m sure. I can imagine how sore you were though!
Jean, I’ve scanned pictures for both of my posts this week, so that’s an option if you don’t have digital pics to share. And yes, feel free to join in with your Botswana national park trip. As for the mule-ride soreness, oh, you have no idea! —Pam
What a great memory for you, with your dad.
I’ve been to the Grand Canyon twice…once as a child and again, a few years ago. For special birthdays of my husband and a dear friend, we all did the helicopter ride from Las Vegas. It was fast, a little scary, and spectacular. We flew to the canyon floor, had an elegant lunch and flew out. Our bottoms were glad we went on that kind of transport.
Wow, what a trip that must have been! I didn’t know that the helicopters would land on the bottom when I wrote that the only way to get there was to hike, boat, or ride a mule. You must have had the most amazing views by air. —Pam
Pam, I just turned to M and asked if he would take the mule ride down and he said, “He would rather hike!” I have never been! Never, and that must be remedied. I think I want to step out on that new glass floored observation spot, too! Your father sounds delightful and what a great trip you all had. I don’t have any photos of my park visits! I’ll see what I can find! gail
That glass observation spot sounds scary indeed. So of course I’d have to do it also, although I do hear it’s quite expensive. Yes, you must go to the Grand Canyon, Gail. Even if you do nothing more than walk on the rim trail you will be astounded by its immensity and history.
I hope you’ll post about your favorite national park visit whether you have photos or not. 🙂 —Pam
Oh, I want to see the Grand Canyon. And Bryce Canyon in UT. So much.
I’ve never seen Bryce Canyon either, and I’m determined to get out there one day. —Pam
Gorgeous pictures! It’s hard to capture the immense breathtaking awe of the canyon. We went to Grand Canyon on our honeymoon, about two weeks after I’d had an operation for breast cancer. I couldn’t hike more than three or four miles so we didn’t get down far. Glad to see your mule adventure. I’ll try that next time.
Even from the rim it’s astonishingly grand, isn’t it? Thanks for commenting on your visit, Kathleen. —Pam
What a fantastic experience, Pam! That trail looks far too scary for me…especially with the added height of the mule…and looking over its head to vast nothingness…argh! But those views were well worth it, I’m sure. You and your friends are brave adventurers, and your dad, well, he’s amazing. He must be a fun person to talk to 🙂
We were there in ’79 for a day, but stayed up on the rim. It’s a breath taking place to see, for sure. I wish we’d had more time there.
Thanks for your comments, Kerri, and for sharing that bison encounter anecdote on my other post. Bison demand respect, don’t they? —Pam
I loved the blog!! Me, my mom, sister and step-dad are going in April for the mule ride. I’m so excited and seeing your pics makes me even more excited. What kind of shape do I need to get in before we go on this adventure? Any advice would be helpful.
Have fun on your trip! I took riding lessons for a month or two before going. They definitely helped me feel more comfortable on the mule, especially knowing to keep my heels down in order to stay firmly seated while plunging down those switchbacks. —Pam
I loved your blog. I did the same trip in September of 1995 down Bright Angel Trail to Indian Gardens, and then on to Phantom Ranch for the overnight stay. Having never been on a horse before, that first switchback was un-nerving to say the least! Back up the South Kaibab was kinda scary (lots of shoed hoofs scraping on bare rock) but spectacular. Definitely a cool experience. And I rode the trail with Cricket as well. I’m glad my girlfriend with the “eyeliner” who likes to “snack” is doing well!
It’s an amazing experience, isn’t it? Thanks for sharing yours too. —Pam