Grand Canyon in January

[Jon Kushner]

After a trade show in Vegas (mid Jan) my plan is drive out to Grand Canyon. I only have 3 days and I assume the South Rim is the closest to Vegas? Can anyone give me hints on good lodging there? How long in advance should one make reservations? Thanks

Jon

[Mark Sedenquist]

Jon,

Use the search button (gray button) and search with "grand canyon lodging" and will you get ample ideas from folks who visit the south rim several times a year.

The north rim will be closed when you are around.

Mid-week reservations 3-4 weeks advance notice. But there are cancellations.

[Shashank]

Hi all,
I am planning a one day trip to GC around the 29th of Dec. I have no experience of driving in the snow and hence I would like someone to tell me how difficult/risky it would be. Also, what would be the best route to reach GC from Berkeley?

Thanks,
Shashank.

[Robert Schaller]

You have very good odds of finding the route completely clear of snow and ice, and easy driving. Anyway, even if it does snow, you'll probably make it through OK as the highway departments do a very good job of keeping major highways passable. Take I580 over to I5, that to SR58 (if you run a search on the forum on "Bakersfield", my bet is you'll come up with a couple of suggestions for local roads in the Bakersfield area that will save you some time). If you can't locate them, let me know and I'll look into it further for you). Take SR58 to I40 at Barstow and that to SR64 at Williams, AZ. The Canyon is an hour's drive north of Williams.

Finally -- "a one day trip?" It's not possible, my friend! Each way is over 12 hours of driving! This is a three day adventure -- one day there, one day looking into the Ditch, and one day back to Berkeley. LONG days. If you are inclined to hike down into the canyon at all, do not start without instep crampons, even for just a short distance (all the ice is at the top, anyway). You can pick them up at the Grand Canyon General Store for about $10. This is advice from someone who fell & came within mere inches of slipping off the South Kaibab Trail just 5 days ago! The tops of South Kaibab and Bright Angel trails are ICY. Check out my photos at http://bschaller.photosite.com CanyonMan (Bob)

[Robert Schaller]

"Stockdale Highway is a much faster trip than Hwy 58 (aka Rosedale Highway) from Bakersfield to I-5. The road is 4-6 lanes through bakersfield, and then a lightly traveled 2 lane rural highway out to the 5. It is slightly shorter than 58, but the biggest advantage is the traffic. Rosedale is the only place in Bakersfield where you can actually get stuck in a traffic jam, Thanks to heavy growth in the NW part of town, but no inferstructure improvments to handle it." (The text comes from a post by "Transplanted Midwesterner")

Wow, I'm being quoted like a year and a half year later, I feel so special.

-(no longer transplanted) Midwesterner

[Robert Schaller]

Hey, I never forget a shortcut... (or a good route). :) Bob

[Mark Sedenquist]

I take it you have been firmly mutated into a Midwesterner?

After growing up in the Midwest (18 years in MN, 5 in SD), I moved to Tucson a few years ago which is when I found this board and gave myself the name Transplanted Midwesterner. I lived in Arizona for a year, before packing up and moving to Bakersfield.

I spent a year in California (which I called a working vacation because every chance I got I was in the car making weekend trips to San Fran, Yoesmite, Death Valley, Vegas, San Diego, Central Coast, one weekend I even made it out to Zion!).

Then last spring I moved back to Wisconsin, re-planting myself back in the midwest. So for now, I'm just a midwesterner.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Got it.

So now, we can expect some more local intel from Wisconsin?

Like -- what is the Brrr factor right now at home?

Mark