Grand Canyon, The Battleship Rock

I decided on this fine cold morning to try and find my way to the top of, The Battleship Rock.

I had done this hike/climb before with friends that new the way and also helped me get up the rock in a couple places. I thought I would just see how it went and if I had too much trouble I could always turn around.
I started this adventure at the Bright Angel Trail-head in early December on a sunny, but very cold morning, around 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Only a short way down the trail I had the pleasure to enjoy a few Grand Canyon Big Horn sheep.

Grand Canyon Big Horn Sheep

Looking at The Battleship in the morning sunrise

To get to The Battleship Rock you hike down the Bright Angel trail past the mile and a half rest stop to the next big switchback. Stay on the main trail about 100 yards past the switchback to a large pointy rock on the left; this is a good place to cut off the main trail at about two miles in. From there you have to head off trail and stay as level as possible along the canyon ledges to the saddle at, The Battleship Rock. From the saddle you follow a trail to the right of the rock going north about a ½ mile and then scramble steeply to the base of the rock.

The Battleship from the saddle.

At the base of the rock you have to find where to start climbing up. It definitely helped that I had done this before but it was still confusing. I did get off track a couple times and almost quit and turned around three different times. Then I just kept telling myself I made it this far, I CAN DO THIS!, and kept poking around till a spot would looked familiar. Getting to the top was very challenging and took, rock scrambling, walking on some pretty narrow ledges, wedging yourself in an 18 inch wide crevice and shimming yourself up to the next level, then using rock nobs to hold onto and my upper body strength to pull myself up. I just kept picking away at it till I made it.
I do love the adrenaline rush I get when doing something dangerous like this.

Looking up the crevice

Looking down the crevice

At the top the views are awesome and there are some very old carved names in the sandstone from the 1920's and 30’s. After I spent some time enjoying the views I worked my way back down the rock. I thought it was easier getting down then climbing up. All in all it is about 9 miles round trip and a couple thousand feet elevation gain and some challenging free rock climbing. Not recommended for anyone afraid of heights.

I made it to the top!

The views are spectacular.

Carved name in the sandstone and also from the town I grew up in.

Looking off the top you can see the Bright Angel trail switchbacks off in the distance in the canyon

My signature photo. Also looking across at Bright Angel Canyon from one side to the other.

Views

Heading back down the rocks and crevices.

A selfee

Looking all the way to the North Rim.

Looking back at The Battleship.

Telephoto of the top of The Battleship Rock

Back on the top of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon looking back at The Battleship Rock.
What a great fun day!

Hope you enjoyed my Grand Canyon Adventure!

!steemitworldmap 36.056595 lat -112.125092 long, 'Grand Canyon, Bright Angel Trail' d3scr