Xanterra, the concessionaire on the South Rim, has a special service that allows you to have your duffel or pack carried from the South Rim/Phantom Ranch to Phantom Ranch/South Rim for a fee. This service must be reserved and paid for in advance.
The duffel service operates 7 days a week most of the year. It is slightly more limited in the middle of winter. Please visit their site or contact them for their exact schedule and to make reservations. Please do not contact me for more information or to make reservations! I am simply providing this information as a service. However, since Xanterra is notorious for changing their page URLs, I would appreciate being notified if the links become broken. Thank you!
As of this writing in summer of 2008, each duffel:
Duffel bags are placed into grain sacks for packing on the mules. Gear must be packed inside each duffel with nothing attached to the outside, such as walking sticks, fishing poles, canteens, etc. Count on your gear getting dusty and dirty!
They do not carry external frame packs. Gear can be transferred to a duffel and the empty pack and frame carried in or out by the hikers.
In-bound duffels mean duffels that are being taken down to Phantom Ranch. They must be presented at the Xanterra Livery Barn by 4:00 P.M. the day prior to the day they are to go down to Phantom Ranch. (Late Duffels are not encouraged. Duffels can be delivered to Phantom Ranch or to the boat beach (if rafting out).
Out-bound duffels mean duffels that are being taken out of the canyon up to Grand Canyon Village. They must be presented at the Phantom Ranch Loading Dock no later than 7:00 A.M. on the day they are to be taken up out of the canyon. The weighing, measuring and loading occurs only at Phantom Ranch. Recycled grain bags are provided for guests without their own duffels.
Duffels may be claimed between 3:00 P.M.and 4:00 P.M. at the Xanterra Livery Barn the day they are brought up from the canyon or between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. the following day.
Late pickup of duffels coming up from Phantom Ranch is accommodated between 4:00 P.M. and 8:00 A.M.
Delivery of late duffels going down to Phantom Ranch must be arranged for prior to midnight the day/evening prior to delivery at Phantom.
A $10 additional charge (late fee) will be collected for late duffels per call (not per duffel).
Guests should call the Xanterra switchboard at (928) 638-2631 so the operator can arrange for an employee to handle the late duffel request.