A day in the life of the canyon

Looking back at the photos of the canyon, I have a strange yearning to do it again. Maybe I can understand why the others have done it 8 times already - and plan to do it again for as many years as health will allow them to...

I look at the strange beauty and remember the silence which greets you there. Well... I think - I have some fairly new hiking boots in the cupboard.... yes - maybe next year or so?

Next time I will be better prepared. Boots walked in, more painkillers in the bag, and NO Jelly Tots.

This hike is only open in the winter months due to the extreme heat. Another factor which determines the walk is water. The availability thereof, or lack thereof rather. If there is no water then you don't hike. Something the group has also learnt, is that it is better to go as early as you can in the season. The later you go, the less the water and the worse the quality of the water.

Here is Des, holding up the precious source of life!



When you arrive at the canyon, and stand and look down into the desolate depths, everything dry, parched - no sign of life - you wonder : WHAT have I got myself in to?

You look down at those terrifying depths and wonder – will I have what it takes to complete this journey. If you get stuck, they need to send a helicopter in to get you out. I have "heard" that there is an “escape” route out of the canyon – somewhere. I have “heard” that people took it, I have “heard” that it is harder to climb out there, than to finish. I have never seen it, and I don't personally know anyone who took it. You go down there, you walk and you finish - no matter what. In this respect - it becomes a psychological walk - more than a difficult one. The battle is fought and won in your mind before it ever reaches your feet.

All these thoughts mull through your head as you stand and look, and ponder this thing you are about to do. A curl of tension hits your stomach, and you realize, the others are thinking the same.

Then we are off. You climb down for the whole day. Along the way are chains to hold on to, at the dangerous parts. I don’t know how much you drop down – maybe 2 kms?

Day 1 you go down, find a suitable sleeping place and sleep. No bathrooms, no beds, no tents. You carry all your food and stuff in with you – about 20 kgs for the guys, 12 -16 kgs for the girls.

You sleep on the hard ground, under the stars. Our walk was at full moon. Luckily, they had warned me to bring a beanie hat. The first reason is to keep your head warm – it gets chilly there at night, and secondly – so you can pull the wool over your eyes. Ha ha – pun intended. You pull that cap over your eyes, else the moon shines down on you like a spot light and keeps you awake. It is eerie and beautiful to see the canyon in moonlight.

So a typical day went like this: You get up at 5, when it is still dark. You bandage up your feet, stuff your sleeping bag back into your ruck sack, grab an energy bar (and pain killers). This was called first breakfast. Everyone is in a hurry, lacing up shoes, packing up stuff. The camp is quiet... contemplating the day to come.
We start the earnest business of walking, even though it is still dark.

We have to get as much walking done, before the sun hits the canyon floor. Every kilometer walked in shade is a kilometer you will later be thankful for. Later on in the day the sun beats down on you with a hot fury of anything up to 40 degrees Celsius (maybe more?) .

As the sun creeps over the horizon you start hugging the shady sides of the canyon. We start walking criss-cross – seeking shadows wherever we go. The sun hits the canyon floor much later – the canyon sides shield you for quite a number of hours. Then, when there is no help for it, and the sun winkles you out of every corner, you find a bit of shade, and stop for the 2nd best time of the day – Second breakfast.

Everyone loves second breakfast By that time, you have walked out the aches from the previous day (or drank them away), and you have a bit more time. Out come little stoves. A real camaraderie reigns. If one boils water, he boils for as many people as his pot holds water. Another dishes out mugs for coffee and so it goes.

Strange thing with walking, the further you are along in the hike – the less you eat. Your body can function amazingly well on smaller rations. You realize that eating big meals slows you down and makes you tired.

In this time, you hear voices softly talking, but what shouts louder than the human sounds, is the sound of silence. You hear the wind blowing round corners, sometimes you hear rustle of sand over sand. Never forget that this is desert country.

It is beautiful in all it’s starkness. It is plain, and yet has the most beautiful little flowers growing. What looked dead and lifeless from atop, is beautiful down there.

Then we bid a sad farewell to this special time and start the hardest stretch of the day. The heat picks up and the sun beats down relentlessly. Even the most talkative amongst us (yes me!), become quiet as it become a battle of will and mind to continue. Water is taken from pools along the way.

One funny story about this. Jonathan was very careful to purify his water. But, we shared water, and only later did he find out that he had been drinking “unpurified” water from me. It is a toss up to decide – do you drink the water as is, and take your chances, or do you throw those awful purifying tablets in. Well, we didn't get sick - so I guess I chose right!

At some spots, the water just looks bad, you can tell. We even dug for water at one point because the pool water was just yuk.

The team has set points at which they stop. They are so experienced, they know exactly how far we need to reach by each day, and everything gets paced accordingly.

Lunch is a welcome break. We look for a tree, bush or any thing to give some shade from the blistering sun. Lunch is usually snacker bars, provitas and if you have the energy to boil water - then soup. Peanuts, raisins and chocolates are also eaten. Food down in the canyon - tastes delicious. We laughed at stories told by the hikers who went home, told their families to buy whatever food they had taken with on hike, only to find out - it really isn't that nice. Down there - everything is delicious!

After lunch – there is usually only a short trip to our camp. An hour or 2’s walk. Once there, everyone packs out. You get your things ready for the night – because everything is easier done in daylight. The guys play games – wow – where do they get the energy?

This is the very best time of the day. They start a fire and people sit around to chat. There is plenty of time to make supper - which we do in teams.
Ha - washing up will freak you out. You don't use soap - it pollutes the water. You wash your plates out with sand and water. Yep - tomorrow you eat out of them again. You are too tired to care!
Did I say I wanted to do this again?

The last thing you do, is climb into your sleeping bag. You fall asleep looking at the stars and the moon, and the long shadows cast by the canyon wall... yes - I think I would like to do this again!