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Copyright
2011 Rocky Mountain Rider. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reproduction of any
editorial material, artwork and photos is strictly forbidden without
express written permission of the publisher. For information about
reprint rights, please contact the editor; editor@rockymountainrider.com.
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A
Horseback Trip into the
Grand
Canyon
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By
Cindy Clancy, Thermopolis, WY
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May
2011 issue
Three residents of
Thermopolis
,
Wyoming
have completed an item on their
“bucket list.” In late November 2010, my husband, Mike Clancy, Dave Denton
(owner of White Horse Feed), and Ken Smith rode their horses to the bottom of
the Grand Canyon, spent the night in a tent near the Phantom Ranch, and rode
back out the following day.
One of the biggest challenges for the trip was
obtaining the necessary permit from the National Park Service, which is only
necessary if you plan to spend the night. Completing the round trip in one day
is not recommended for people riding horseback. Approximately 30,000 people
(including hikers) apply every year, but only about 12,000 party permits are
approved by
Grand Canyon
National Park
, thus limiting park use.
Most people ride the rental mules down, so it
is a rare request to ride your own horse. Mike spent days on the phone before he
found someone who knew the answers regarding permits. A month after submitting
his application, Mike received word that the permit had been approved.
Then the planning began. The three men needed
two pack horses to carry the horse feed, tent, sleeping bags, and supplies. The
horses needed to be conditioned for the trip, remain calm around hikers with
backpacks and umbrellas, and also be willing to cross a swinging bridge.
Dave and Ken planned to ride two of Dave’s Quarter Horses; Mike would ride one
of his gaited Rocky Mountain Horses and pony his other two. Some people think
gaited horses are mainly show horses; however, they are known for their calm
disposition and sure-footedness in mountain riding.
After arriving at the
Grand Canyon
two days before their departure date, they checked in at the rental mule barn
to see what time they would be given to embark.
As there is no motorized transportation, dude
strings of mules carrying riders and working strings taking supplies down, make
the trip daily. Since many areas of the trail are too narrow for passing, trips
up and down need to be coordinated.
The one thing Mike, Dave and Ken couldn’t
pre-plan was the weather. It was only five degrees Farenheit and cloudy on the
morning they headed down the
Bright
Angel
Trail
on the south rim of the
Grand Canyon
. The ice cogs they had put on the horses’ shoes would definitely be needed,
as there was snow and ice on the trail.
I asked one of the wranglers how far out the
trail would be icy.
He replied. “Only about a mile and a half.”
Believe me, that was not much consolation!
The trail to Phantom Ranch is eleven miles long
with an elevation change of 5,000 feet. It takes about six hours on horseback to
reach the bottom, including rest stops.
The trip went very well, overall. The horses
did great with the hikers, tunnels, and the 100-yard-long, swinging bridge that
is only 50 inches wide!
One of the three tunnels has a sharp turn, so
you enter in complete darkness. Fortunately, on the morning they departed,
someone told the men to use the second swinging bridge, not the first. The first
swinging bridge is for pedestrians only, but no signs are posted which indicate
this vital information.
Along the way, they saw deer and Bighorn sheep.
It was surprising how many hikers they met along the way, including a woman
running to work!
Mike said that the trail was very well
maintained and that it was similar to a steep mountain ride. “There were,”
he added, “a few spots that took my breath away!”
Instead of packing extra food, they ate their
meals at Phantom Ranch. Reservations had been made months ahead. The Ranch is a
small facility on a tight schedule, so they had been forewarned not to be late
for meals because you might not be served!
Due to the elevation change, the temperature at
the bottom was 20 degrees warmer, which was a nice surprise for the men when
they got ready to set their tent up for the night’s rest. Fortunately, there
was a payphone at the bottom, so Mike called me to let me know they had made it
safely to the bottom.
The next morning they headed out about 7:00 a.m. for the seven-hour ride
to the top.
I stopped at the mule train desk to see what time the mule train would be
coming up, as Mike’s group would be a little ways behind them.
The gentleman behind the desk asked, “Do you
have someone on a mule?”
“No, on horseback,” I replied.
He said, “You mean mule.”
I said, “No, my husband rode our
horses down.”
He said, “I didn’t know you could do
that.”
Most people we know were not aware that people
could ride their own horses, and some of them even said, “There’s no way I
would trust my horse to do that!”
I was sure glad to see Mike, Dave and Ken all
coming up the trail! It was a wonderful trip and a breathtaking experience they
will never forget! They came home with some fantastic pictures and fond
memories!
A
footnote from Mike and Cindy Clancy: We encourage people who are interested in
making this trip to do so sooner rather than later, because we have heard of
groups who are trying to stop any riders — on mules or horses — from using
those trails!
Copyright
2011 Rocky Mountain Rider. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reproduction of any
editorial material, artwork and photos is strictly forbidden without
express written permission of the publisher. For information about
reprint rights, please contact the editor; editor@rockymountainrider.com.
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