the Battleship!!

After our trip to Tanner Rapids and the Little Colorado River my mom and I continued our adventures in the Grand Canyon with a day hike to climb a large butte off the Bright Angel trail known as The Battleship!

We left the hotel in Tusayan and drove back into the park to the Bright Angel trailhead. The Bright Angel trail is the most popular trail in the entire park and I've hiked it several times, but this time the destination was a new one for me. We got started down the trail early, but there were already lots of people hiking down. We hiked through the tunnels in the Kaibab Limestone, switchbacked down through the Coconino Sandstone, and just after we get into the Supai Group we arrive at the 1.5 Mile Resthouse where they have water and bathrooms. From there it was just a few more switchbacks down and it was time to leave the trail and begin traversing cross country across ledges in the Supai. It took quite a bit of route finding and even a bit of bushwhacking, but eventually we found our way over to the saddle between Maricopa point and the Battleship.

Hiking down the Bright Angel trail

Traversing over to the Battleship

From the saddle we hiked around to the east side of the butte where the climb began. Starting as a class 1 walk up, getting into some class 2-3 scrambling, and then we got to the two chimneys which challenged us with some fun class 4 climbing! Once up the second chimney it was just a few more easy scrambles to the top. I've done lots of hiking in the Grand Canyon, but this was my first time ever climbing a butte like this. I'd seen it many times before from the trail and thought about climbing it and now here I was standing on the top. And I gotta say, it was SO AWESOME!! The views were mind blowingly beautiful in every direction. And the excitement of the rock climbing and the cross country just added to the epicness.

The second Chimney

Old carvings in the stone

Looking towards Maricopa point on the South Rim

Mom on top of the Battleship

Overlooking Indian Gardens

Looking off the front of the Battleship

We hung out on top for quite awhile. We took pictures, had some lunch, and soaked in all the absolutely #amazingnature that was surrounding us! But eventually it was time to go. Back down the chimneys, down the rock scrambles, back across the Supai to the trail, and back up the trail to the village on the South Rim.

Descending from the Battleship