Imager,

I don't know whether you should go or not.

I do know that the other trails mentioned as "experience" are relatively benign compared to the New Hance/Red Canyon. However, even on the Corridor Trails, people die.

It is good that you are planning on Nov rather than July (which would be prima facie evidence of insanity). <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Clearly there is some awareness of issues on the part of your group.

I'm guessing everyone in your group falls into the category of highest risk for having accidents/fatalites at GC: males in good athletic condition between the ages of 18 & 32. This is objective fact and should be carefully accounted in your thinking.

A couple suggestions for further research:
1) Read "Death in the Grand Canyon". Written by an MD who had been at the hospital there and had seen a lot plus researched a lot more. It has the humorous and amazing -- such as the actress doing a commercial shoot on the edge and took a tumble and was saved only by someone grabbing her bra; <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> or the kid that rode his bike over the edge and only got a few scratches. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> But it also gives instances of people who got in trouble -- sometimes fatally -- and reading it can give you a feel for the weight of what you are planning on doing.

2) Call the Backcountry Information Center. You can talk to them by phone in the afternoons (AZ time) from 1-5pm. Their number is (um, getting it off one of my permits) 928/638-7875. Tell them your story and follow their advice.

I'm glad you are not taking offense at the mention of "trolling". We have had some goofball posts here, and your initial post was such that legitimately a number of eybrows were raised and alarm bells went off with some of the regular posters here.