Cramped in the cauldron

I am just back from a weekend trip and could not help not writing about it. Weekend trip... hmm...generally these tend to be relaxing and soothing....but not this time. I am just back from a trek at the Grand Canyon! It was defnitely one of the most challenging treks I have ever done. On another note... I do feel lighter (what do you expect - every ounce of fat in my body has disappeared...haha!) in the head... some sense of achievement somewhere.

The trek was with a large group of 25 people and I knew only a handful of them prior to the trip. So, I was destined to meet new people and I did... and there were quite a few characters :) I did have a lot of fun walking down and up the canyon. Penning down my thoughts about the hike, although this post is not intended to be a travelogue nor an account of all the fun I had and the friends I made.

I picked up my cell and dialled home...Rrrriinnnng

Me: Hello Mom...called to inform u that I am going on a trek.
Mom: With family?
Me: Yes, but they are not trekking
Mom: Where to? Start the climb early so that you can come down early and take rest.
Me: Err...I am actually doing the other way round...I am going down and then coming up.
Mom: (kinda confused) what?
Me: I am climbing down a ditch and then climbing back up.
Mom: @@^$^$!! (Well... she said something in Kannada which meant - r u nuts? y cant u climb up and down a hill like everybody else)

Well, this was just the start of the differences...the canyon is defnitely different! and not only that...it is difficult!

One look at the canyon and I can bet - there wont be a soul on this planet who will not be mesmerized by its majesty and vastness. It's just miraculous. Regardless of the scientific explanations...I cannot comprehend the geography nor the topology of the canyon...it is just unbelievable. The width, depth, formations and the colors of the canyon are amazing. Seems like someone was very angry with mother Earth and gave her a few scars! Thats the only way this could have been formed! Never in my wildest imagination did I think that this ditch would leave me stunned. I am surely privileged to have experienced it!

A few hours flight and more than a few hours drive and I was right on the edge of the canyon; staring and staring....and staring. I probably could have done the same thing the whole day without being bored. Though I must say, it looks the same from almost all angles - yet it is amazing to witness it.

We started the trek at 7:40 AM from the South Kaibab trail head on the South rim of the canyon... we were attempting to have a date with the Colardo and then come back up to the rim within a day - a seemingly aggresive target; bordering on insane when we consider that it was a small group of 23 people! The climb down was very energetic...everyone was excited and the canyon (with all its vagaries) made it more exhilarating. It was fun to go down the canyon...the trail made its way right into the stomach of the canyon...and the canyon was very friendly and so was the climate and we raced down.

By the time we hit the Colarado, it was about 11:30 AM and the Sun was beaming in all its glory; and none could resist the lure of the green waters...A few of us ran in first...YIKES! ...only to run back out in 30 secs! The water was freeezing cold! It's unbeleivable how the water could be so cold when Mr.Sun was beating down on it in full intensity! After a few more short excursions into the water, we settled beside a stream and gobbled up our lunch. Lunch time was very relaxing... though it was my first time out with this group, it felt very comfortable and the socializing was fun.

We stocked ourselves with water and began the ascent at about 12:45 PM. I was very confident at this point and was moving briskly. Wanted to scale it in about 6 hours; that should qualify as, I thought conquering the canyon; actually - cauldron is a better word...for all practical purposes - the grand canyon is a natural cauldron and it did feel like one at noon.

It was about 3 PM when I reached "Indian Garden"; the half way point and I was still going strong. The large group had split up into 3 small pockets by now, but more importanly everyone was looking in the same direction. After about 15 mins rest - I set out on the final leg of the hike (about 4.5 miles). Its amazing how soon the weather turns around in this grand cauldron...it was about 3:30 PM when the clouds set in. It became gloomy almost instantaneously and the wind had picked up a lot of speed. There was dust/sand in the air and I could hardly open my eyes against it. The wind did not help the hike either as it was blowing in the wrong direction for my comfort. The weather forecast was for thunderstorms and I could see lightning and also hear the heavens roar! The friendly canyon was giving way to the nastier one. I was also very anxious about my wife and daughter who were all by themselves on the top...that was one more motivation to keep pushing.

As I chugged along in this mystical environment, out of nowhere, my legs stopped moving, felt like they were caught in a vice like grip...I could not move and just fell on the floor writhing in pain...both my legs felt like they were being twisted at weird angles and the pain was excuriating. I struggled for a minute or so till the pain subsided. A few more minutes of heavy breaths later it struck to me that I had just experienced cramps!!! I never had gone through them before but now I knew!! It had accounted for a big chunk of my confidence!

Lying on the floor of the cauldron with gigantic rocky walls on all sides and a mean looking black sky above - it suddenly dawned on me that I had taken the canyon lightly...I felt like a non-entity; a tiny speck lying helplessly in the belly of the cauldron. It was overwhelming and daunting. This particular moment is just etched in my memory. My grudge against the canyon had reduced...6 hours target was already out of the window. The revised target was just to make it up to the rim! I stood up and started my trudge up with nimble steps..after about 10 mins, I was again on the floor rolling about in pain and this time, the cramp had gripped both legs at multiple places and it was paralyzing. I was rolling about in pain when friends arrived. They gave me some salt and electrolyte which I quickly abosorbed. In about 10 mins, I felt like I could stand on my feet again. I was itching to resume the journey and I did. It was a painful ascent. Each step was an effort and was accompained with a lot of pain. But I was not going to give up. I trudged on - literally dragging myself ... I am gonna make it, I thought....I am gonna see my family before 8 PM...I had to push and I knew I would do that.

One incident I must mention - as we were laboring along..pulling each other and scaling the canyon inch by inch...I heard some commotion behind and it sounded like a herd of mules charging at us... I stopped (stopping myself was similar to stopping a 10 wheel truck...had to apply brakes and then come to a halt gradually and it took about 5 seconds) and turned around and to my surprise it was not a herd of mules but 2 well built gentlemen on a jogging spree. It was incredible. Here we are, trudging on one of the most challenging terrains on the planet and out come these 2 jokers, who seemed to think of the canyon as the next door jogging track! Jokers - they were indeed - a joke on humanity! How can there be so many irregularities in mankind!! My brain was too occupied to think more about this and went back to concentrating on my body...ok, move on!! Whip!! Whip!!

It was about 7:15 PM when I dragged my legs over the final step...I had done it...The releif, satisfaction and happiness had no bounds! I had made it in 11.5 hours...All of a sudden the cramp was missing though the knee hurt badly. The war was over (it was a war between my mind and body) - ceasefire atlast!! I limped to a corner and just crashed. What an experience - I thought. I was glad I made it back up albeit a bit jaded!

No doubt - my toughest hike in terms of endurance and will power. I have definitely done steeper hikes than this...but 16 miles in a day - down and up the cauldron in extreme weather...enduring excuriating pain...that will take some beating!

It was about 10 PM when the last of the group made it back up....everyone was understandly sore and squeezed of the last drop of energy. Kudos to all of them; to make it back up on the same day - a remarkable achievement for all 23 members and it was pleasantly surprising that all of them made it up; to hike another day in another place!

An amazing 12 hours of my life...a very mystical place but my memories of the canyon will always have that pain associated with them!