The G Can
I went to the Grand Canyon for the first time. It was a strange experience, driving for seven hours and the last hour and a half heading straight North knowing in the distance is the Grand Canyon, but just seeing a wide open space. At some point there was the rim, it was just invisible until you are standing at its edge.
On our way we went through Flagstaff to a cool mountain supply store. We asked one of the employees for suggestions on hikes in the Grand Canyon. He said the hike we were planning on doing was "the highway of the Grand Canyon." Obviously we ixnayed that plan and took the advice to hike Grandview Trail down to Horseshoe Mesa. Leaving the store armed with what we thought would be a casual three mile in three mile out hike, we walked a windy block to a micro-roaster coffee shop. Sometimes when I go to other places, like Flagstaff, I think to myself, why am I not living here? We departed from Flagstaff and journey North to Grand Canyon National Park. SURPRISE! It was National Parks Week so we got in FO FREE. Then we set up camp i.e. hung our hammock at site 218 in Mather Campground. The weather was pleasantly cool and then warmed as we walked the mile to the Rim.
The Rim. The place where solid ground abruptly ends at a mile deep canyon so deep and wide it seems incomprehensible. Walking toward it we didn't believe we were walking toward anything. Then, we plateaued and began to see the tops of bright red walls of rock. Picking up speed, we reached the Rim and stopped. It's quite stunning. You feel very small and are suddenly acutely aware of the strength of the wind. We walked the Rim to all the touristy destinations, forgoing the group's usual innate desire to avoid all things cliche. We went in all the little gift shops, filled our Nalgenes with fresh Grand Canyon spring water, and took pictures.
We made dinner at our camp site, watched the sunset, and slept peacefully in our hammocks stacked two by two, exhausted from leaving at five in the morning. Then we woke up again at five the next morning to make coffee and go watch the sunrise over the Rim. The sun was just about to rise as we rushed to find a spot to watch. It illuminated the canyon with purples and blues and pinks, a bright orange ball of fire in a clear sky. We ate a breakfast of oatmeal with strawberries, packed lunches, and put on our hiking boots.
Grandview Point, the start of our hike, was also the hiking out point for many backpackers, so we got great advice about the trail on our way down. It was steep. Real steep. Almost three thousand feet of elevation over three miles and at least a mile of that was flat. There was skinny paths, stairs of rocks, slippery red dirt, and a myriad of cactuses to avoid. We quickly realized why our consultant in Flagstaff said this three in three out hike would be a substantial hike. We ate an early lunch at Horseshoe Mesa, deep in the canyon elevated half way between the Rim and the canyon floor. The hike out was in the heat of the day, exposed, climbing up evil rock stairs and wondering when the approaching top would stop approaching. We arrived back at Grandview Point to a multitude of people instead of the empty look out when we began and marveled at how far down we made it in and out before three in the afternoon.
Ergo, more adventures. We drove to a cool lookout point, returned to a different look out point, went to camp and chilled in hammocks before a bomb dinner of chili and a delicious dessert. Our campfire crackled in the wind and warmed us in the thirty degree temperatures. Getting into hammocks to sleep was always a process of trying to snuggle into a pile of sleeping bag, blankets, and jackets. I love sleeping in a hammock, the gentle swaying and cocoon is magical.
We left our campsite by five in the morning, heading back to California leaving Arizona tired but with a bundle of joyous memories for the last two weeks of school.
