Camera set up for hiking

[Peter Collins]

Well, it also depends on what you think you will find there to inspire you to photograph. Sometimes the quite small can grab one's attention. Also, the Canyon has been shot a gazillion times. What will you see that might be new? Maybe some thinking along these lines will suggest a kit.

For something reasonably close, a variety of lenses will do. Compensate by moving the tripod. Just what I have done in other places.

[Drew Wiley]

Think about a gallon or two of water first, then afterwards, just what you REALLY need in terms of camera gear. It's been a long time since I've been to the Grand Canyon, but tended to lean toward longer views homing in on features of interest in the distance, so would recommend having a least a 300 along; but that's a personal preference. Pretty much a 200 Nikkor M and a 300 of the same would do it for me. It takes some patience to avoid cliche photos at the South Rim; breaking-up nasty weather helps.

[Leszek Vogt]

Les...your tune might be different if you had stayed a week down in the Canyon -- hiking down is the hard part...hard on the knees with a heavy pack. On two of my trips in with the heavy pack, my first day was 14 miles of downhill. Both times I had to spend an extra night at my first camp because of knee problems, with careful hiking for the next 9 days. One of the reasons I do not have great images. Hiking up did not make my knee hurt.

I usually hiked during the last two weeks of April -- starting to warm up some, but the flowers were blooming and water was usually available in the side canyons. I worked a summer (May thru Sept 1977). Took a lot of day hikes and over-nights...a different place in the summer!

Vaughn, have I done bit of thinking <that's a ha ha> we could have hiked across to the North Rim. We made no preparations....we totally improvised this. OK, I was 24 and any sort of pain or arthritis may have existed, but on another planet....certainly not anywhere near my cocoon. Going to the river via Kaibab T. was quick (7mi) and it seem effortless and fairly steep at some spots....almost forcing one to trot, but we knew that we couldn't return the same way as there were no water runoff of any kind on this trail.

My knees are still pretty good, but I'd talk differently if I dragged hefty backpack down into the canyon. Indeed, Summer in the cyn can actually be deadly (most folks don't know this). Anyhoo, had plenty of AHA moments and if I'd ever do something faintly similar, I just might reserve the "long-ears" on the way back....don't mind smelling like one .

Les

[Drew Wiley]

Just stay at the rim and take selfies; that's thrilling enough. More people have recently died doing that than probably every fatality inside the canyon itself. I heard that it was over 250 to date who backed up too far and went over the edge. A new thrill sport : Parachuting without a parachute.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

So I live just 2 hours from the Canyon. This was an example, but I have been down it twice, once to Indian Gardens (14 mile round trip roughly) and then to Phantom Ranch from South Kaibab and up the Bright Angel and the Devils Corkscrew. Going down is only hard on the joints if not done properly with training. Going up is a different story and every micro ounce counts! Last trip I had a 35lb load including backpack. Enough food for 3 days exactly and water. I went down end of November. The trip up was easy on the joints, but the sheer stamina needed was something else. It is one thing with no back pack coming up, but slap on 35lbs, let alone an additional 20-30 for camera gear and you are on your own. By the time I had got out at Bright Angel trail head, my black Under Armour Shirt was stained white from all the salt I lost, I was in grey spandex shorts, and I had not drank an ounce of water (I don't dehydrate easily) My pack was 35lbs when I left Phantom Ranch and was 35lbs at the top.

I am inquiring for long hikes and maybe not easy ones. If I know there is water on the way, I have water filters, purifier that I would carry for replenishment along the way. Food will be dehyrdated, msr burner, survival gear and Garmin emergency gps so I can navigate as well as summon help. I am not chopping off my arm or my leg if I get stuck! Plus, I carry a map of the area I am in in MGRS as well as the military compass I carried in the Marines. Best ever. gps is good, but if you don't know land navigation, especially in the desert, your dead,end of story. Plus one small tent, sleeping bag and ground pad along with clothes.

Anyway, the survival part weighs around 35-40 lbs for 3 days and probably almost twice that if it was a week or more. So, If I can keep my camera gear to 20lbs or less that is ideal. A 7 day trip would start out close to 100lbs, but I am sure I could get that down. Going in the Canyon with a 60+ lb pack is not smart depending on where you go. And if you get stuck and need help, the rescuers will not take your pack out. It stays where they get you and if your lucky it ends up in lost and found.

I pretty much shoot exclusively with the 75mm, but I can see need for a 150 and 300. Or a 90/150/300,but my 90 is a big lens. Slot canyons are also on my list.

[Vaughn]

I am going to start calling you Doom & Gloom Drew! But there was a recent fatality on the Angel's Landing Trail in Zion, not too surprising.

Steven, I suggest drinking water, lots of it -- there is no such human beast who "don't dehydrate easily". One needs to be reasonably hydrated in order to burn fat for energy. Being well hydrated will help to keep your energy up for the uphill.

The Bright Angel Trail has a drinking faucet or two on it (above Indian Gardens) if they are still functional (the South Rim gets it water from below it, so the supply pipe is nearby). I prefer the Hermit Trail (it has a spring part way up from the Tonto, too). Far less people. The Desert View (Tanner Trail) to Horseshoe Mesa, then back up to the rim (Grandview Trail) was a nice un-marked trail -- though is probably a well-beaten path by now. It was difficult to follow without a map 40 years ago. Hermit's Rest to the Bass Trailhead is nice, too -- except the dry 16 mile hike back to Hermits Rest along the rim is a bit boring (a straight dirt road away from the rim with not much of a view)...I think one can arrange for a ride back for $$. Took a week trip in late December -- not a cloud in the sky and it never got above freezing in the Canyon except for the rare times one was in the sun...no mosquitos, though. Not my coldest hike, but close enough!

My big hikes in the Canyon were in the late70s/early80s -- in my 20s; played full-on basketball all winter, built trails and such in the wilderness all summer. Gave up basketball in 1997 when the triplets were born -- wanted to save the knees for backpacking with them. But I never got them to into the Grand Canyon -- too far away from home to travel and hike.

[angusparker]

Not that I hike any distance but the Chamonix 45 plus a 125/5.6 and 300/9 is my choice with the same filter size (52mm) so I can bring one set of screw on filters - orange, yellow, and green (instead of red which I rarely use). Then I bring as many loaded film holders as I can stand. But if it was a multi day trip I’d bring 3 holders and unload and load the film each night in my sleeping bag, putting the exposed film in a light tight plastic bag with card pouch you use for mailing exposes film.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I am going to start calling you Doom & Gloom Drew! But there was a recent fatality on the Angel's Landing Trail in Zion, not too surprising.

Steven, I suggest drinking water, lots of it -- there is no such human beast who "don't dehydrate easily". One needs to be reasonably hydrated in order to burn fat for energy. Being well hydrated will help to keep your energy up for the uphill.

The Bright Angel Trail has a drinking faucet or two on it (above Indian Gardens) if they are still functional (the South Rim gets it water from below it, so the supply pipe is nearby). I prefer the Hermit Trail (it has a spring part way up from the Tonto, too). Far less people. The Desert View (Tanner Trail) to Horseshoe Mesa, then back up to the rim (Grandview Trail) was a nice un-marked trail -- though is probably a well-beaten path by now. It was difficult to follow without a map 40 years ago. Hermit's Rest to the Bass Trailhead is nice, too -- except the dry 16 mile hike back to Hermits Rest along the rim is a bit boring (a straight dirt road away from the rim with not much of a view)...I think one can arrange for a ride back for $$. Took a week trip in late December -- not a cloud in the sky and it never got above freezing in the Canyon except for the rare times one was in the sun...no mosquitos, though. Not my coldest hike, but close enough!

My big hikes in the Canyon were in the late70s/early80s -- in my 20s; played full-on basketball all winter, built trails and such in the wilderness all summer. Gave up basketball in 1997 when the triplets were born -- wanted to save the knees for backpacking with them. But I never got them to into the Grand Canyon -- too far away from home to travel and hike.

I do agree on being hydrated. I have to force myself to drink sometimes. Bright Angel has three stops from top to Indian Gardens. 1.5 miles apart. I would like to hike some less traveled routes as tye Canyon has become over populated.

[Drew Bedo]

travel Wide with 90mm 6.8
Four or five film holders
Meter
Mini-tripod

[Steven Ruttenberg]

travel Wide with 90mm 6.8
Four or five film holders
Meter
Mini-tripod

Nice. I am considering only 2 lenses, a 75 and 300, with option for 150.