SARAH SNELL, 48, A MUM OF TWO
FROM POLGOOTH, NR ST.
AUSTELL, DECIDED TO SUPPORT
CORNWALL’S ONLY MS THERAPY
CENTRE, THE MERLIN MS
CENTRE, WHERE SHE WORKS AS
THE PR AND FR MANAGER BY
SIGNING UP FOR A TREK INTO
THE GRAND CANYON.
HERE SHE GIVER HER PERSONAL
ACCOUNT OF THE EXPERIENCE.
GRAND CANYON FACT FILE
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Carved by the Colorado River in the state of
Arizona, USA
277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles
(29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a
mile (6,000 feet or 1,800 meters)
Recent evidence suggests that the Colorado
River established its course through the
canyon at least 17 million years ago
For thousands of years, the area has been
continuously inhabited by Native
Americans who built settlements within the
canyon and its many caves.
The first European known to have viewed
the Grand Canyon was García López de
Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540.
Overseas Charity Challenge – it all begins at home!
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Shopping done; freezer filled; beds changed; lawn mown; house cleaned
Parents down so kids, dog, and lizard sorted.
Four pages of handover for new work colleague and six pages for parents!
D-Day minus three days - ruck sack packed, boots, kit; first aid; food – so that’s oldest
son sorted for his Ten Tors weekend.
Now it’s my turn – ditto ruck sack packed, boots, kit; first aid; dollars counted; train and
hotel booked.
I think I am ready to go – so who said an overseas charity challenge was a holiday? Just getting to
this point was a challenge in itself, now the really tough time was to begin.
As the PR and Fundraising Manager, for a small Cornish charity, I see for myself the daily challenges
faced by people who are living with a long-term neurological condition like Multiple Sclerosis and
wanted to do something that would be a personal challenge in support of our charity.
So I signed myself up for our Grand Canyon Trek May 2014 alongside five others from across
Cornwall willing to give a huge amount of time and effort in support of the Merlin MS Centre – it was
to prove to be an amazing, but tough experience.
For me, fundraising began 18 months prior to departure (alongside the day-to-day fundraising I do as
part of my job) with a Las Vegas fun casino night, comedy evening; bag packing; treadmill run; car
washing and more.
The fitness training began a year ago – cycling and walking to work; circuits and then increasing the
‘time on my feet’ as the departure date loomed ever closer and I tried to fit in long coastal walks to
build up my stamina – all this between juggling work, kids, house, dog and plenty of fundraising
events.
On May 9, having said goodbye to my two teenage children, wishing the oldest good luck for his Ten
Tors Trek (and feeling a bit inadequate that he was attempting 35 miles in two days); my journey
began on the 10:58 to London Paddington.
My close friend Kate, also from Polgooth, was already on the train from Truro having dropped her
dogs off to her sister and we met up with Amanda, a fellow trekker from Tregony.
So the journey began……After a sleepless night in a Premier Inn, nr London – the noise of road and
air traffic so different from the quiet village I live in, it was off to the airport to meet our fellow
trekkers and guide, Jim from Global Adventure Challenges.
It was good to put faces to the names and Facebook messages that had been increasing in frequency as
our Grand Canyon adventure got closer. We were 15 in all (although two of the group - our Cornish
honeymoon couple Claire and Owen - were to join us in Phoenix, Arizona having already flown out to
the states to be with family) - the youngest trekker, aged 19 and the oldest in her late 50s.
A few hours at Heathrow Airport allowed us time to get to know our fellow trekkers and share our
individual training and fundraising experiences as well as work and life generally. Our 12:58 flight
was on time and we all settled down to the long 15-hour journey first to Atlanta – and a two hour wait
- and then onto Phoenix.
During the journey we crossed two time zones and I became totally confused whether it was night or
day; yesterday or tomorrow. We arrived at our hotel absolutely exhausted, but there was to be no bed
until we had a briefing from the three US trekking guides – Tim, Alex and Chris.
Despite a large comfortable bed, I saw the clock at 2:30am; 3:30am and 5am – waking again at
6.25am and got up. After breakfast, we met up and packed our cases into the trailer. Today, an
acclimatisation trek in Sedona National Park in the Sonoran Desert, was some two hours’ drive away.
This was a short six-mile trek, carrying our day packs, for the guides to check how we coped with the
heat and terrain – it was stunning scenery with deep fire–red and orange rocks; cactus plants, birds of
prey, snakes and scorpions to look out for. It was not too difficult – the trial underfoot was uneven
with loose rocks and some river crossings, but a good way for the group to settle in.
We walked for about three hours and after lunch it was a two-and-half hour drive to our next stop the Grand Canyon Caverns Motel. From Sedona the road climbed another 2000ft to a large plateau –
we passed wooded areas, natural rivers and then the scenery become more desert like with an expanse
of dry earth and scrub.
We joined the famous Route 661 stopping at Milepost 115 for our stay at the motel – visions of the
US series Bates Motel; John Grisham novels; black and white cowboy and Indian films and desert
tumble weed came to mind.
1
Route 66 was one of the original highways within the U.S. Highway System. Established on November
11, 1926 it became one of the most famous roads in America, originally running from Chicago, Illinois,
through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending at Santa
Monica, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km). Route 66 served as a major path for those
who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and it supported the economies of the
The venue in its hey-day during the 50s and 60s had held nightly rodeos and live music with the likes
of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and other stars playing and staying there. It is still a popular stay for
people exploring the Grand Canyon.
The following morning (Monday, May 12) we had to be up at 4.45am in time to pack our kit into
duffle bags for the three night camping in the canyon – these would be carried by mules so we just
needed our day packs to trek with, but would be carrying a hefty four litres of water. We prepared
lunch and trial snacks outside in the warm windy atmosphere before heading for breakfast and then a
two-hour drive to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
At the top, the first site of the canyon was truly awe-inspiring – a panorama of orange, red dusty rock
formations stretching out as far as the eye could see – lots of wows from all of us.
It was still quite windy so most of us kept our fleeces on as we were given a health and safety talk
from Tim. The most important piece of advice was to “Give Way to Mules” – often tied together, the
mules trot past trekkers at a good pace and if anyone is in the way they are likely to be knocked down.
So taking heed to this and other advice, we began what was to be a long, arduous, hot and dusty seven
hour walk through the canyon to our base for the next three nights.
The first mile-and-a-half was steep switch backs down a section of the canyon wall – as the group
made their way down we started to spread out finding our own walking pace, but always with the
support of our guides front, middle and back.
The sheer vastness of the area is difficult to describe – photographic images taken from space can give
a full picture of the towering sides divided at the bottom by the Colorado River. When you are
walking in it, however, it is difficult to get a sense of being in a canyon as the terrain is a huge
expanse with layer on layer of rock - a geological history of the earth over millions of years.
As the hours passed, the heat rose and we realised the importance of drinking plenty of water – it was
to be several hours and close to the end of the day’s walking before we had our first glimpse of
natural water. However, the steep descent initially was now replaced by a more gentle descent so less
of an impact on knees and ankles.
Our lunch-stop enabled all the team to catch up and have a break beside the flat rock featuring bear,
snake and eagle images - the native story of how two village brothers were turned into pillars of stone
was retold by Alex.
After lunch, we were soon at a beautiful series of waterfalls- it was a great temptation, but we weren’t
able to cool off quite yet as we were heading for the village of Suapi – home to the Native Americans
who still live and work in the canyon. Buildings, quad bikes, machinery and animals had all been
transported in by mules or helicopter.
communities through which the road passed. Route 66 underwent many improvements and realignments
over its lifetime, and it was officially removed from the United States Highway System on June 27,
1985, after it had been replaced in its entirety by the Interstate Highway System. Portions of the road have
now been designated a National Scenic Byway of the name "Historic Route 66". Source Wikipedia.
We had been told there was no mobile phone signal, but most people were using theirs as cameras so
it was a surprise when a few discovered there was WI-FI in the village. Immediately, despite our
group having been at “one with nature” during those long hours walking, it seemed something of a
disappointment as people sat eating ice-lollies and contacting home.
After a short break and a rush to buy and send postcards from the USA’s last post office served by a
mule train, we headed off to Havasupai Falls –it was a steeper gradient down to this point, but what a
welcome! The milky pale turquoise of the pools and spray from the falls was so refreshing after the
dust and heat. Most of us jumped in fully clothed – apart from our boots – and what a feeling as the
cool water washed away the day’s sweat and grime.
Following our impromptu bath we headed down to our final stop for the day – our campsite on a flat
area under trees and alongside the water. Compost toilets the only permanent structure in this stunning
location. Our mule train had arrived with the camping equipment by now so before we rested,
everyone set to erecting the two-man tents and blowing up air-beds, while our lovely guides set the
stoves on for cups of tea and coffee.
So day one in the canyon was a seven hour walk – a few blisters, a few aches and pains, but a great
sense of achievement. And now we were rewarded by a delicious meal of chicken pasta and salad.
We all sat and chatted on the picnic tables by the camp kitchen and after a quick briefing most of us
headed for an early night under canvas.
Our group was a mixture of age, gender, background, home-town and fitness, but we all bonded really
well during the day’s walking helping and encouraging one another, sticking plasters on blisters,
holding packs during toilet stops and shouting warnings of horses as well as generally chatting.
Day 2 in the canyon - after a breakfast of porridge, honey, coconut and dried fruit, we filled our water
bottles from the natural stream, made our lunches and headed off for what was to be the most
challenging day for me as we had to descend down a near vertical 200ft drop to Mooney Falls using
the rock face and chains to cling on. No ropes, no hard hats and a pretty certain death if anyone fell
from the top. I am petrified of heights, so by the time I reached the bottom, my muscles had
completely seized up.
Our guides were brilliant and coaxed me and the others, who were also facing their fear of heights,
every last foot and hand hold. I was one of the last ones down and got a big cheer from the group, but
felt like bursting into tears – more from relief than anything.
My muscles felt as hard as the canyon rock, not from power, but from fear. So despite the beauty of
the next fall’s where we could swim and jump down into the pools below; the eight miles of walking
through beautiful green foliage; and the backdrop of the canyon, I had a nagging all day in the
knowledge that the only way to camp was the 200ft climb back out. I managed it, and somehow going
up was slightly easier than going down, but one thing was sure – I never wanted to do that again!!!
That evening, we again shared a delicious camp kitchen meal and enjoyed a longer relaxing evening
of chat and laughter. At bedtime though, my back had gone into a massive spasm and I spent a really
uncomfortable night on the air mattress trying not to wake Kate as I tossed and turned, attempting to
find a comfortable position.
Crawling out of the tent the next day I couldn’t properly stand up, but managed to use my walking
poles to manoeuvre myself out of the small tent - ironic really that I was now experiencing what some
of our service users have to contend with on a daily basis.
Day 3 in the canyon was a shorter walk involving a climb up and into an old disused mine- rich in
copper, but too costly to get out of the canyon to be profitable. We had more time in the afternoon to
enjoy a natural bath in the river (using of course our bio-degradable soap and shampoo) knowing that
the following day was the climb out.
Day 4 - After an early 4.30am wake-up and having packed up most of the camp and carried the
equipment to the mule stop we set off. The first two miles was a steep climb back to the village of
Supai where we filled up our water bottles - essential to carry 4 litres as there would be no water from
now on.
For the next four to five hours, it was a case of putting your head down for the long slow trudge,
before the final steep climb to the rim. By now it was hot and dusty - there was no view of the top
until about one third of the way up where the pin pricks of people above seemed unreachable.
Avoiding the mules trotting past at a quick pace, seemingly with little effort, it took another 90
minutes for me to reach the rim – at times every step was a huge effort and I seemed to be completely
drained of all energy. The heat was taken its toll, but although it was a snail’s pace, each step was a
step closer to the finish and to a big cheer from those already there. I knew the feelings of elation
would come soon, but for the moment I just felt nauseous and in pain from my back which was still in
a painful spasm from the earlier 200ft climb.
As each member of the group finished the others waiting in the shade cheered and clapped in
encouragement. It was then another hour in the heat waiting for the mules to bring up our kit before
we headed off for another hour and a half drive to Las Vegas, hot showers, a celebration night and a
lovely comfortable bed.
It is a stunning, awesome place and a magical experience - a lovely bunch of trekkers and hugely
supportive guides.
Thank you to everyone that has given to my challenge - small compared to the daily challenges faced
by people with Multiple Sclerosis and other neurological conditions, but one I am proud to have
completed.
I have met and exceeded my target, but would love to hit the £5000 mark so if you haven't done so
and still wish to make a donation you know it will be will go to a brilliant charity that makes a real
difference to people living with long-term chronic conditions. Go to
http://www.justgiving.com/sarahgrandcanyontrek.
If you would like to participate in an overseas challenge in support of the Merlin MS Centre,
please contact Sarah Snell on 01726 885530.
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