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Walking the Grand Canyon
On the road at 5.15 for sunrise at Mather Point near the Grand Canyon visitors centre. This. is a beautiful spot with wide expansive views of the north rim. We got to ours guide's preferred location and waited for the sun to start peaking over the distant peaks. It was a cloudless day and the changing colours of the canyon walls and valley floor were sublime - new adjective!
Following this it was time for our hike into the canyon. Our guide told is that he isn't permitted to lead hikers into the canyon as the park management only want their own guides to lead people, a money thing apparently. So he proceeded to brief us on possibilities for our journey. As it can be 20 degrees hotter in the valley than at the rim of the canyon, he was particular in letting us know that he wanted us out of the canyon by 11am at the latest. The park newspaper listed the trails and included distances, times and levels of difficulty. It also suggested that you should allow twice as long to get back up as it took to descend. Our guide wanted to be safe and he suggested that in really hot weather, like today, we should allow perhaps 3 times for the return journey. So, full of information we caught a park shuttle bus to the South Kaibab trail.
Ooh Aah Point 2.9 k drop on elevation of 230 m. 1/2 hour down. Moderate difficulty
Cedar Point further 1.9 k drop in elevation 340 m. Difficult 40 minutes, then Skeleton Point. Further 2.5 km, a drop of 620 m and another 1 hour - going down. I think we had all conceded that Skeleton Pont was not possible so we set off for Ooh Aah point initially and then re-assess.
Well, it was switch- back after switch-back and going down at an alarming rate. We looked back up and saw the people "ants" high above us. Already we were re-thinking what we were setting out to do as what goes down in to the canyon must also come up again, and it was going to be much warmer on the return. Already the sun was rising higher and the trail was more in the warm sun and less in the shade. It was spectacular with both the view back up and down in to the canyon.
"Ooh Aah" it definitely was as we rounded a corner and the little point jutted out presenting a 270 degree panorama. It had only taken us half and hour which meant by the guides reckoning it would be an hour back from here. So far so good, although the trail down to this point had been a little slippery.
No real decision, but onwards to Cedar Point, still going down. Periodic stops for photos of the ever changing landscape, again the red and browns of the canyon walls contrasting with the green of the trees and the blue of the sky.
By 8.15 we had made it to Cedar Point. This was magnificent with the point proceeding well out on to a high ridge. There was a relieving drop toilet to assist those in need. We ate our snacks, tried to keep hydrated and walked out to the end of the point for the amazing view and countless photo shoots. With an hour down to Skeleton Point from here, the total journey back if we proceeded would be 4 and a half hours - arriving back after 2.30pm. Consequently there was no other decision to be made but to return from Cedar Point and pass up on Skeleton Point. We soaked up the majesty of this part of the canyon and set off back up at 9.00am. People were still coming down and as we plodded up the trail we could only wonder what it would be like for them later in the day.
The going was very tough but we made a point of looking up as often as possible, to take some more photos and to enjoy the scenery. We got to Ooh Aah Point and we were making good time. We came across some young people doing trail maintenance. What a good job they were doing volunteering in the hot sun with their shovels, rakes and jack hammers. They were spaced out about 20 metres apart obviously with their own area to repair and prepare for the winter months ahead. We also passed a volunteer guide whose job was to keep watch on the hikers and if necessary try to persuade them to return. She carried a radio and first aid kit and was talking to everyone who she passed. Another example of the organisation of the US National Parks Service. Our experience is that the country runs its National Parks very efficiently with excellent facilities attracting many thousands/millions of visitors a year.
Onward and upward with the sun beating down, drinking plenty of water, shuffling along, looking up at the ants ahead, enjoying the sublime scenery, talking to people from our group as we changed positions and others whom we passed. Sometimes solitude and quietness on such a mission is good and at other times we share the sore knees and tired muscles with companions.
The top of the canyon rim was in sight. Still there were people going down including a family with a little girl in a tutu! Finally the last corner was visible and we triumphantly reached the top. It was 10.30am. We had been on the trail for 3 and a half hours, enjoyed the closeness of the canyon, experienced the collegiality of known and unknown Trekkers and felt the sheer size of the canyon as we negotiated each step.
Those from our group who had gone ahead were waiting for us and after congratulatory high fives we caught a shuttle bus to Bright Angel Lodge for a well deserved lunch. As we left the restaurant we noticed a group of condors flying overhead. They were very graceful birds and seemed to be showing off to the excited crowd as they banked, dived and rose in the thermals. They are beautiful birds and they had a captivating audience.
After some procrastination from the others in the group, they decided to return to Tusayan. Joanne and I elected to walk further around the rim through Grand Canyon village then 1.1 k to Trailview Overlook and on to Maricopa Point another 1.1 km. The trail was well made with numerous lookouts and beautiful areas to rest in the shade and enjoy the views. We could see some trails leading down in to the canyon, different to where we had hiked, towards the river. It was a very long way down, yet even though it was now well after 1pm, people were still going down. Joanne and I were very pleased that we had extended our days hiking to include this extra bit.
Using the system of park shuttle buses, we arrived back in to Tusayan 3 buses later, feeling a little, (did I say a little!) tired, for a shower and then off to the IMAX theatre for a journey about the exploration of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River.- very exciting photography and informative viewing.
A wonderful adventurous day concluded with dinner in a different restaurant at Bright Angel Lodge then sunset viewing and our last look at this magnificent place - The Grand Canyon - one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World.
What a day!
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