Late September - Grand Canyon

Final look at the canyon...note Angel Bright trail on the plateau below -

I hope to hike out of the Canyon on it some day!

Sunrise...

Sunrise the next morning...

We had to take a bus to get out to the most famous sunset point. The best part wasn't the

sunset really, just listening to all the different languages around us...

We saw this guy on the way back from Desert Point - we also saw three elk, two more deer, and hundreds of the most dangerous creature in the canyon - the finger biting canyon squirrel!

Dwight, this one's for you!

Grandview again...

This is Grandview point, right above an old copper mine.

They got sick of lugging the stuff out (ya think??) and it's all still down there.

We caught up with the Dutch bikers here. They were hilarious.

One last look...

I praised the Lord that the architect did too!

The inside of Desert View tower was COOL and covered with Indian paintings (like rabbits jumping over the moon and little Indian maidens with baskets of food on their heads) and Hopi furniture that Calvin looked really hot lounging in, but sadly they all turned blank :(

View eastward from the tower looks out at the painted desert.

This is the farthest east the road goes in the National Park

Lipan Point looking right (east)...if you look carefully (and I do mean carefully :))

you will see a flotilla (?) of rafts hitting a rapids.

Lipan Point (my fave cuz you can see so much of the river), looking left (west)...

Yaki Point

Look carefully and you will see the switchbacks

up to the top of the ridge - how the mules do it, I'll never know!

The view from Cedar Ridge. Next time we are going all the way, baby!

This blog would not be complete without a closeup of my super cool headgear :)!

Looking back up the trail we had come down on...very well maintained!

Calvin at Oo-Ah Point (yes, that's the name, and no, I did not dare)

Looking down at the trail ahead...

My hot hiker husband - on the phone with work!!!

When we started down the S. Kaibob trail, it was still in shade - nice!

My first time at the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon from the Plane

Calvin called from work one day with super cheap tickets, so off we went to see the Grand Canyon and the red rocks of Sedona, AZ. It was the best trip ever! I even loved the hiking! We flew down to Phoenix on Wednesday and drove about four hours north to sleep just outside the park. On Thursday morning we saw the Grand Canyon for the "first" time (Calvin had been to the North Rim), and then hiked about a third of the way down to Cedar Ridge on the South Kaibob trail. This is a very steep trail but has the most amazing views. When we turned around to hike back up I thought I was going to die after the first two switch backs but after that it was no problem and I was able to keep up with Calvin pretty well. It sort of helped that he stopped and talked to other hikers :)! After that we drove along the rim stopping at all the lookouts. It is amazing how different the views were - at my favorite spot we could see rafts entering the rapids. The whole area just cries out the majesty and glory of God. I can hardly wait to go back and climb all the way down to Phantom Ranch! That night we watched the sunset and then took in a ranger talk in the dark woods - I have never seen so many stars! The next morning we got up at 4:45 (yes, me) to watch the sunrise. Then we went back to our hotel, ate breakfast, and drove to Sedona. It is true - the canyon is so amazing you simply cannot wrap your brain around the awesomeness of it!

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