Phantom Ranch Day Hikes

[oldno7]

What are the best 2 non technical WINTER day hikes from PR?

[Scott P]

I'd say Ribbon Falls would be the best winter choice.

Other possibilities:

Explore Phantom Creek as far as possible, but you can't get all the way through without getting wet.

Pipe Creek from the bottom is interesting, but short.

[oldno7]

Thanks for the input Scott

[Steve Hawkins]

I am watching this thread too. I am taking my wife and 4 year old backpacking into the ditch the first week of March. We are staying 2 nights a Phantom Ranch. I have been looking around the net, and found an unofficial off-trail route to Utah Flats that leaves from the Bright Angel Campground. Do a google search on "Utah Flats" and you will get a lot of good hits. I will thinking about running up to the North Rim while I am there, that would be about 28 miles round trip. I have heard of Ribbon Falls, and a lot of folks speaking highly of it.

When are you going?

[oldno7]

Feb. 11-14

But don't ask me, I can't keep track of anything

[powderglut]

Feb. 11-14

But don't ask me, I can't keep track of anything

I was down there around Thanksgiving some years ago and had some seriously awesome fly fishing for large rainbows. If you are a fisherman, I would bring some gear with you. Bright angel Cr had some pigs in there!

[Cheops]

The route to Utah Flats begins just north of the northern most campsite at the Bright Angel campround..probably no more than 50 ft. Be looking up the slope for a well worn trail which essentially turns into a gully. After about 45 min - 1 hour of grunting you reach a saddle and continue uphill (of course) through an area called Piano Alley. Well trailed until the top most portion where you have to sort of route find your way to the opposite side in order to access the break to the Utah flats area. Nothing technical but a lot of scree and can be tricky on the return trip. On one backpacking trip up that trail we had a member fall near the top and broke a wrist. Another backpacking trip about 2/3 of the way down the Bonsi Trail (that's what they call the portion from campground to the start of Piano alley) a member fell and suffered a fairly bad ankle sprain. If you make it up to the first saddle I mentioned, instead of going north up hill you can turn left (south) and walk out to a point with fantastic views of the river and see the river trail on the south side. Another nice day hike is to hike North from Phantom Ranch about 1/2 mile and take the Clear Creek Trail at least up to what is known as the Phantom Ranch Overlook. Great look down on the Phantom Ranch Complex. The round trip hike up to Ribbon Falls is an all day affair. The trail slopes slightly up hill going north so the hike up there is takes more effort and time than the return trip. If you have the time/energy/like to explore, there is also Upper Ribbon Falls. Shortly after crossing the bridge to go to Ribbon falls look for a trail to the right going through the grass to the base of the slope. If you proceed up there is a great overlook down down onto Ribbon Falls itsels. Following the trail back (seems like it takes 30 - 45 min) reaches another fall (not as nice as Ribbon). If you search around on the other side of the creek (would be your right side looking back down canyon) and look for some trails they should lead you to some ruins and only take about 10 min to reach.
Of all I mentioned, the Clear Creek Trail to the overlook would be the "easiest" and most direct. The next most direct hike with least amount of risk would be Ribbon Falls. The folks at Phantom Ranch and the rangers will be helpful to give you info.

[oldno7]

Thanks a lot for this info Cheops.

[Mitch R.]

Hike to the North Rim and back. Never had a finer time with the combination of a bluebird sky, the red rock, white snow, and the green ponderosa pine on the Roaring Springs Trail.

[Cheops]

Seems to me that a hike to the north rim would represent an extremely aggressive hike from the Phantom Ranch area. You are talking about a 28 mile round trip and elevation differential (if you went to the N. rim trailhead ) of greater than 5000 ft. There are folks who do this sort of thing but more as a physical challenge than anything else in my opinion. A great resourse is www.hitthetrail.com. This site is maintained by Denise Travor who has experience as both a ranger and guide at the Grand Canyon. From the main page there is a link to "phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground" and from there she gives some good descriptions of suggested day hikes. A great website for everything "Grand Canyon".