A view looking backward from part way up the north rim towards the Colorado River. You get a sense of how narrow the path is and the drop to the side (exposure). I did not have a problem with the drop, but I can understand how some could find it tough.

I did a double crossing of the Grand Canyon, from the South Rim to the North Rim and back again. This is about 47 miles, but there are only two hills ;}

The double crossing took about 14 hours, with temperatures ranging from freezing to horribly hot, but outstandingly beautiful. Preparation is key to this run, as you are self supported. It is also important to choose the time of year carefully and plan to be able to run on one of several days. Bad weather can make this trip dangerous! The main danger is the heat, which can be intense, especially if it is unseasonably hot. The other issue is with water. There are several water opportunities on the run, but the pipes fail quite often. You need to be able to postpone the run a day or more to allow for repair time.

You should read the article on running the double crossing in the April 2008 edition of Ultrarunning magazine.

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jfsavage > My wife dropped me off at the Bright Angel Trailhead on the South Rim, the start of the 50 mile rim-to-rim-to-rim run. I was very grateful for her getting up this early.
The run started at 3:15am; the start time is a compromise. You want to start early to avoid the heat later, but running the bright angle trail in the dark is tough. The combination of what appears to be a bottomless abyss to one side, combined with the knowledge of deep puddles of concentrated mule urine make you cautious. There are many logs across the path to prevent water erosion, but these steps make the decent more interesting.
I considered the South Kaibab trail, which is shorter & steeper, but prettier. However, given that I would be at the bottom but sunrise, it seemed pointless. Coming up the South Kaibab trail is a Really Bad Idea, as there is no water.

jfsavage > At the Colorado River, 12 miles into this run. This picture uses a small tripod - a great device.

jfsavage > Taken by an early morning hiker. He had just set off from Phantom Ranch.

jfsavage > This is one of the two bridges that crosses the river. The mules won't cross this bridge because they can see through the grating, so they have to be taken to the only other bridge on a one mile detour.

jfsavage > This is one of the cabins available at the Phantom Ranch in the bottom of the canyon for hikers that don't want to camp. You have to book up way in advance. Phantom Ranch also has a cafeteria where those that stay in the cabins can buy breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

jfsavage > This is a view of a box canyon on the path up to the North Rim. The box canyon is quite pretty, but feels like it goes on forever. The slope is gentle, so you can make good progress both up and down.
The box canyon traps the heat, making it quite oppressive on the way back.

jfsavage > A view looking backward from part way up the north rim towards the Colorado River. You get a sense of how narrow the path is and the drop to the side (exposure). I did not have a problem with the drop, but I can understand how some could find it tough.

jfsavage > Another hiker took this photo. This is a good representation of how wide the North Kaibab trail north of the cottonwood campground. It is not too narrow, but the drop of is long and passing people can be worrying. Some of the trail is bare rock.

jfsavage > This is the Supai Tunnel; there is water just north of the tunnel, along with restrooms. This is the last water before the north rim, or it would be if there was water at the north rim! You need to carry enough water from here to get you to the north rim and back. A hydration pack is a necessity. I had a 70 oz pack and never ran out of water, though the temperature was unseasonably low.

A view looking backward from part way up the north rim towards the Colorado River. You get a sense of how narrow the path is and the drop to the side (exposure). I did not have a problem with the drop, but I can understand how some could find it tough.