Life, food, events, and community in Albuquerque, NM

N. Arizona Adventure (Part 6 of 12) – The Grand Canyon (South Rim)

The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself. The resources of the graphic art are taxed beyond their powers in attempting to portray its features. Language and illustration combined must fail.
- John Wesley Powell

A powerful and inspiring landscape, the Grand Canyon overwhelms our senses through its immense size; 277 river miles (446km) long, up to 18 miles (29km) wide, and a mile (1.6km) deep.
- From the Grand Canyon National Park Site.

Once we climbed up 3,000 feet from Little Colorado River Canyon the dust storms subsided but the wind continued. It was brisk outside - in the high teens with the wind chill factor. The approaching storm from the north was driving wind gusts through the canyon and up the cliffs at speeds that could knock you over. But how can you complain when you're standing at the edge of something like the Grand Canyon?

Thank you Mary Colter for the Desert View Watchtower. Walking in from the cold and feeling the warmth of the giant fireplace (and smell) was something else. Climbing up through those beautifully muraled walls to the top of the Watchtower was an experience in itself. The view from the top is something I'll never forget.

When I experience the Grand Canyon it makes me want to find a secluded overlook where I can listen to R. Carlos Nakai's Canyon Reverie and sit for hours just looking at different parts of the canyon.

I always leave the Grand Canyon with the promise that I'll be back again and again. This was my wife's first time at the Canyon and she agrees.

Next: Part 7 - Montezuma Castle

Comment by jim on November 5, 2009 at 3:23pm: Thanks again for the great photos Doug. I made my first hike to the bottom of the Canyon in 1972 with my new bride and it changed my life. It is the closest I have ever been to a religious experience. I have hiked down at least a dozen times since and hope to make the trip again next spring. You might enjoy reading "The man who walked through time" by Colin Fletcher. He was the first to hike the entire length of the Canyon. He did it alone and arranged for air drops to resupply. It took him an entire summer. The book had such an influence on me that I duplicated a good portion of his trek in 1979.

Comment by jeff on November 5, 2009 at 4:08pm: i haven't been there since 1975. i think my daughters are old enough now to appreciate it (and deal with the roadtrip....).
this sequence has been pretty sweet doug - thanks.

Comment by Ron Da Bomb on November 5, 2009 at 6:48pm: I have never been. Which seems tragic, yet there is a silver lining. My sons (11 and 12) have never been either. We will experience this wonder for the first time, together.

@Doug R, wonderful travelogue. Thank you for taking the energy to share.

Comment by Doogie on November 6, 2009 at 7:17am: Thank you to everyone who reads my travelogues. I just want to share what I come across in this wonderful region we live in. Don't forget, this is easy for me. My wife takes all of the pictures (just about) and I just throw a few words in between the shots. The real challenge is picking out which pictures to post - she takes so many wonderful shots.

Comment by JeSais on November 6, 2009 at 5:25pm: ahhh... the Grand Canyon. My last trip there was several years ago with my Granddad, my sister and my cousin. You see my Granddad had never been. He was 90, a retired Admiral in the Navy and had crossed the U.S. twenty some times-- never ~~had time~~ took time,(Grandddad was always in a hurry) to stop.

Though Granddad wasn't up for huge hikes, and the altitude affected him adversely (we had come from San Diego-- sea level) we did manage to see a lot. We stayed at the El Tovar, and did a helicoptor tour. FANTASTIC...

tell you wife thanks for the awesome pics, and thank you both for sharing. Nice little memory flash for me.

Comment by Lee on November 6, 2009 at 6:17pm: I have a question for you all...
My wife and I went there last year, part of one of those great long road trips. We weren't really prepared for a hike down and back out, didn't have either the time or clothes for it. Some of you have clearly done so... I know we are physically able to go down one day and back out in a day or two.. but am not sure about camping at the bottom (and bringing all we need for that) or staying at their dorm or cabins down there...
Any opinions ?
Are we just big wusses for not wanting to bring the food/water/gear to camp down there ?
Doesn't really even seem very plausible to stay in the cabins/dorm though..requires a years forsight just to rent a cabin anyhow ??
I Would love to hear your opinions.. anyone

Comment by jim on November 9, 2009 at 9:06am: The Canyon is one of my favorite backpacking destinations. If you choose to do the trip in warm weather you can keep your pack weight down to a minimum. If you are going to hike the major tourist routes like the Bright Angel trail there is water available along the route and at the Indian Gardens campground. The Phantom Ranch has meals available even if your not staying there overnight. There are also a fair number of cancellations at the ranch so you may want to ask at the El Tovar before your hike down.

I have hiked long stretches there for 10 days in mid summer with a 60 lb pack (mostly water) and more recently for 3 nights with a 22 lb pack, filtering water from rain pockets and the river. I never bring a tent due to the weight - just a 1lb tarp for sun and rain protection.

We stopped at the Ranch for breakast several years ago and met an guy 80+yrs old who still hiked down one trip every year. He left shortly before us to hike the Bright Angel back to the rim and we never passed him on the trail. Get yourselves in shape in the Sandias, its an excelant training ground for the Canyon.

Comment by JeSais on November 9, 2009 at 9:19am: I second the "get yourself in shape" advice! one of my other trips to the Grand Canyon was with a now former boyfriend. It was July. It was over 100 degrees on the canyon floor. We mostly carried water and headed down on the South Kaibab trail which is steeper and shorter than the Bright Angel. And has no water. I did ok on the hike down, but considering how much water I had when we arrived at the campground I clearly had not hydrated enough...

On the hike up the next day, we chose the Bright Angel because there is water... we spent too much time at the Indian Gardens campground-- I was not doing well, cramping muscles, feeling weak, etc. Once we did get going, I was slow. At one point I remember (it's funny now) puking on the side of the trail and begging Bill to go on without me and send a helicopter. "I have a VISA card," I said. He did not. Instead he carried my pack for about a mile and a half. (I would have dumped me right then and there!)

Anyway, we hiked from dawn 'til dusk. Partly because I was not in shape, partly because I was not well hydrated and partly because I am a wimp...

I would totally do it again. I would just prepare better, and drink lots of water! OH and probably not pick July.

it is a stunningly beautiful place, and to see it from the inside is magical.