Our First Journey to the Grand Canyon
It was one other thrilling Saturday morning. Alarm set with the solar, a full tank of gasoline within the truck prepared to be used, and the tenting gear able to be loaded into the mattress of Roxie. Our subsequent day for journey had arrived and we have been operating off of pleasure, anticipation and Einstein Bagels (our morning highway journey ritual).
This journey had been one thing we have been tremendous excited to have been capable of ebook; a weekend journey tenting on the Grand Canyon. Not solely would this be our first journey to see the Grand Canyon, it will even be our first Arizona tenting journey.
This journey was coming the identical weekend because the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s Purple Stride occasion which I had been fundraising for and deliberate on attending because it was the primary in-person occasion for the reason that pandemic began. Although I wished to attend in reminiscence of my dad, I knew that if he have been right here he’d say that’s very good, however go take the journey and benefit from the Grand Canyon – take numerous photos. Whereas I didn’t attend the PANCAN Purple Stride Occasion, I did make a degree to don the Purple Stride apparel in help from afar.
After waking up shiny and early we hit the highway and proceeded to drive to the south east aspect of the canyon.
For the following 5 hours we loved the drive, the hum of the highway beneath the tires, the looming tunes strategically organized into an uplifting playlist and hours of dialog. The lengthy talks of every thing from work and household, ups and downs, and all loved with smiles due to the privilege to have the time to take action in such circumstances and the corporate to get pleasure from all of it with.
Although I initially had anticipated to drive by means of the Arizona desert, rolling previous cacti and tumbleweed till we reached the canyon’s edge, whereas I used to be planning this journey I used to be pleasantly stunned to be taught that this space of the canyon sits inside the Kaibab Nationwide Forest. Not solely would we see the Grand Canyon, however we’d have the ability to get pleasure from a number of the dense inexperienced forest landscapes that we love.
As we approached nearer to our preliminary cease; the south entrance guests heart, the drive by means of the encompassing pine forests gave no trace of the nice abyss that loomed simply over the horizon. The anticipation of our arrival to the primary cease was shortly constructing. Upon reaching the Grand Canyon Village Customer’s Middle we discovered the closest path that led to the canyon overlook and made a b-line to the pathway, forgoing any restroom stops or snack breaks — seeing the canyon couldn’t wait. Because the railing got here into view our ft naturally picked up tempo with pleasure and immediately we have been greeted with the very view we had been ready to expertise.
Of all of the landscapes and parks I’ve visited there have solely been a couple of which have resonated with me to such depths (no pun meant) as this weekends go to. Excitedly strolling sooner to the sting of the trail to miss the vastness of the Grand Canyon that had now come into sight, the greatness of all of it immediately took over and I discovered myself with tears in my eyes.
Many individuals don’t have the chance to expertise pure surprise not to mention expertise one thing so spectacular that it strikes you to tears, however the overwhelming and rapid humbling impact is one thing in and of itself that no phrases might ever totally categorical.
All through my life I’ve seen quite a few photographs and movies of the Grand Canyon, however like attempting to write down about it, nothing ever fairly does it the justice it deserves.
Gaining composure and standing in full awe, I regarded on my telephone at a photograph I had saved of my dad standing in entrance of the Grand Canyon. I had hopes of discovering the identical location he was at, and as we stood there wanting round we realized that this in truth could have been the identical basic space. (After reviewing all our photographs I’ve discovered the precise place the unique picture was taken and plan on recreating it on our subsequent go to.) Extra smiles, one other picture op to recreate the second from the youthful model of my dad’s off guard pose, and we started our stroll alongside the little bit of rim path in entrance of us. Every step introduced new ridges and canyon breaks into view, and I couldn’t assist however discover myself staring out into the openness.
Having way more to discover, we determined to circle again on the pathway and take a look at the customer’s heart earlier than heading to the truck to proceed with the remainder of the day’s sight seeing. For this journey, being it our first to the park and solely a one night time keep, we took the chance to get our bearings and develop into accustomed to the sights, stops and accessible climbing choices fairly than dive proper into intense hikes and exploration.
That being mentioned, over the course of our go to, whatever the magnificence that the views on the guests heart supplied and that the campground promised, we made our solution to a lot of totally different overlooks between the 2 factors, each of us craving to embrace increasingly of the canyon with the distinctive viewpoints that every overlook supplied.
The winding drive from lookout to lookout was attractive in and of itself. Winding amongst the thick ponderosa pines and mountain mahogany, with solely occasional glimpses of the huge canyon, the juxtaposition of inexperienced lush forest and desert canyon was dynamic.
After giving myself a short coronary heart assault (metaphorically talking) by pondering I had misplaced my keys (which, I had unintentionally left on high of the tonneau cowl of the truck mattress and had fortunately gotten wedged within the Billie Bars on the truck through the continuing drive — a second I’m not proud to confess occurred,) we chosen the Grandview Level as our lunch spot and loved one of the spectacular lunchtime views.
As we sat on the sting of the path, consuming our lunch and staring down into the canyon, I immediately started build up aspirations of finishing a climbing journey from rim to river. Some day, this can be accomplished and I am going to have the ability to look out on the canyon realizing I’ve conquered it is depths. Some day.
One other astounding viewpoint was Lipan Level. Looking over the longest perspective of the Colorado River, we discovered that the small rapids we have been searching on have been in truth the Hance Rapids, one of the harmful sections of rapids on the Colorado River, because it falls the peak of a three-story constructing. Whereas I’ve at all times wished to provide white water rafting a strive, after studying extra about these particular rapids, there’s little question, the Hance Rapids particularly are undoubtedly ones I’d want to get pleasure from from land.
For this tenting journey we booked a spot on the Desert View Campground, a small however properly accommodating 49 campsite space. The camp host was the most effective host we’ve ever had and was good sufficient to tell us of a small path off the campground that results in the canyon edge. Making the journey nearly instantly after establishing our iKamper for the night time, we determine it will be a path we’d revisit once more at sunset. Till then we headed on a hike to the Desert View Watchtower and the encompassing buying and selling put up and market.
A gorgeous lookout level and praise to the encompassing panorama, we discovered that the Desert View Watchtower is a 70-foot tall stone tower that was inbuilt 1932. Although not an genuine Native American dwelling, this tower gained architectural inspiration from the Puebloan folks of the Colorado Plateau, certainly one of 11 modern tribes which have cultural hyperlinks to the world. The tower serves as an attractive nod to the cultural historical past of the Canyon.
Having wandered the grounds and now made our manner again to the campground, we’d determined to benefit from the subsequent couple of hours with some dinner, and relaxation for a bit from the drive and pleasure that the day supplied earlier than heading again to the canyon’s edge for sundown.
Sundown was beautiful. Sitting nonetheless within the silence as colours performed out earlier than us, casting shadows on the canyon partitions and washing a golden glow so far as the attention might see. It was breathtaking, however quickly darkness swept in and we headed again by means of the forest towards our campsite as soon as extra.
Whether or not it was because of the magic of the day’s views, the flexibility to recreate the same picture as my dad, the amazement that we weren’t solely at one other Nationwide Park however at one of many Pure Wonders of the World, or a mix of all three, I discovered that night across the campfire each humbling and emotional and tears flowed for a while underneath the huge starry night time.
Whereas the day before today had been excellent temperatures and climate, we woke within the morning to a wind chill and the promise of impending 55MPH gusts all through the day. Whereas we’d had our eye on a pair hikes for the day earlier than heading out we determined that standing on the sting of the Grand Canyon with 50+MPH winds wasn’t our thought of a thrill we particularly wished to tackle, so we opted for another stroll to the Watchtower, extra sight seeing at one other view level and one final journey again to the principle customer’s heart for lunch earlier than heading dwelling.
After having fun with a while across the Watchtower, we made our solution to a close-by overlook earlier than heading to the customer’s heart for the final time for this journey. Our cease; Navajo Level, the very best vista on the South Rim. With an early begin as our benefit, few different guests have been on the level. Eager to soak in every thing the view provided of the Canyon beneath, however being cautious of the wind, we mindfully stepped alongside the path. Easing our manner nearer to the sting whereas avoiding stepping too shut was a humbling reminder that nature is a steadiness of each magnificence and terror.
Again on the important Grand Canyon Village space, we grabbed some breakfast burritos to get pleasure from out on the rocks, learn by means of the hike particulars that encompass that space of the park and took in all of the magic of the views on a brief part of the rim path as soon as extra earlier than calling our journey to a detailed. Standing on the edge, disregarding the nippiness within the air or the wind, we embraced every thing that second provided for a ultimate time.
All through our go to one factor that constantly introduced a smile to my face was how regardless of the nationality, what language was spoken, or what number of occasions that they had seen it earlier than, each single one who regarded out over the canyon beneath had the identical response; surprise and amazement — the identical look of unbelievable disbelief in everybody’s eyes. We have been witnessing the spectacular outcomes of Mom Nature at work and everybody acknowledged it.
One thing about standing over the canyon and when enthusiastic about the typical human lifespan of 70, 80, or 90 years previous and studying that every one this that lay earlier than us passed off over the course of well-over 40 million years was mind-blowing. This geological masterpiece was so previous that dinosaurs as soon as lumbered alongside its rim, probably in the identical areas we have been now strolling as vacationers. The geological historical past is mind-blowing and one thing I’ll most likely by no means recover from.
All through my life, and particularly up to now 5 years, there have been a lot of experiences which have left a mark and without end modified me, even in some small manner, as an individual. When one thing strikes you to tears, it makes a long-lasting impression, and experiencing the Grand Canyon was a kind of moments for me. It was additionally a kind of locations that I’ll undoubtedly be returning to to discover additional. Nature has a capability to be imbued with a way of religious energy and consequently I do know that the emotion that this journey invoked will without end depart an impression on my life.
