This is the start of the South Kaibab Trail where you quickly descend hundreds of feet into the narrow canyon opening on the South Rim.
This magnificent vista is indicative of all the views from the South Kaibab Trail. The trail follows ridge lines, affording such breathtaking panoramas and necessitating the navigation of steep downhills as one descends. One section, called the "red and whites", consists of something like 20 successive switchbacks and is one of the reasons they do not suggest using this trail to exit the canyon, especially during the hot summer months.
This photo depicts mules carrying passengers on the way up the South Kaibab Trail. This trail is also used by the pack mules which supply Phantom Ranch with all of its supplies and then pack out all of its waste. The mules need breathers on these steep switchbacks, so the wrangler stops the procession as needed. They always have the mules stand sideways on the trail during these rest stops. As one wrangler explained: "These mules only have eyes at one end, so we always have that end facing out so it knows exactly where the edge is." Backpackers beware: The mules have the right of way, so you must step off the trail, when possible, and let them pass. And if you come upon a group taking a rest stop, you wait until they move along before you can continue. When ascending the North Kaibab Trail some years ago, just after a cloudburst, a mule coming down lost its footing and slid into me. I'm not sure who was more frightened, the rider or myself.
Mules use the South Kaibab Trail for a 2 day overnight trip to Phantom
Ranch. The mules which are deemed not safe enough for carrying people are
used as pack mules to resupply Phantom Ranch. Mules trips also travel down
Bright Angel Trail as far as Plateau Point and then return to the South
Rim. Partial-day mule trips are also available from the North Rim partway
down.
This is your first view of the Colorado River as you descend the South Kaibab Trail. Only a few more switchbacks remain and can be seen in the photo. If you look real closely, you can see the black bridge crossing the river just right of center in the photo. A view of this area from across the river is below.
The photo on the left (and its blowup on the right) was taken from the
Clear Creek Trail on the Tonto Plateau looking across the Colorado River
back at the final segment of switchbacks which bring the South Kaibab Trail
to the black suspension bridge (located bottom center) across the river.
Again, you get an idea of the difficulty of hiking back up this way. The
employees at Phantom Ranch, however, do hike out this trail when their tour
of duty is over (10 days on and 4 days off). Of course, they are carrying minimal gear, are in excellent
condition, and for the most part are young.