Paper Bags and Grand Canyons
Trip Start
Feb 16, 2011
1
17
113
Trip End
Jun 11, 2012
Where I stayed
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Monday, March 28, 2011
After an interesting night spent in the Navajo Hogan in Monument Valley (no showers but one toilet!), we went back to the lookout to get a better view of the buttes because of the sunshine. We had plenty of time so we had an easy ride out to the Grand Canyon. The group was kept in suspense with heads down as we entered the park and we were told to draw a cartoon of one of the members on a paper bag. When we left the van, we were shown our cartoons (mine looked like a Beatle) and lead with bag on head to the side of the canyon. Once the countdown hit zero, the bags were lifted to the sight of the massive expanse of the Grand Canyon. Words cannot describe how big or how vast or how deep the canyon looks other than the fact that it just looks like a painting because of its size. There are so many points that you can sit by the canyon edge or even climb onto one of the rocks if you dare. We were on the Southern Rim where the information centre is and due to the cold weather there was even snow lining the very top layer of the canyon which I hadn't expected!
After 2 million photos it was time to head back to the hotel which was just outside the park. I had just enough time for a hot tub before making our lunch for the next days trek. We decided to go to the Best Western hotel next door for a few beers and dinner. They also have a 5 lane bowling alley and pool tables down there so we had a few games of pool before having an early night.
The next morning we got up at 5am so that we had enough time to get to the Grand Canyon to watch the sunrise over the canyon edge. The people that weren't doing the big hikes decided to go to the El Tovar Hotel for breakfast before setting off down the South Kaibab trailhead into the canyon itself. We got down past the Oooh Aaah Point, Cedar Ridge down to Skeleton Point where we were able to see the Colorado River poking out of the bottom of the canyon. The trek back up to the top of the rim was strenous and it took us 4 hours all up, but the views were just amazing. We took the free shuttle buses back to the El Tovar and relaxed in the sun until we were picked up.
Tomorrow we get to see the canyon from a helicopter! Sweet as bro...
