The Grand Canyon

Since Nolad and I have gotten so far off topic in our Hawaii series I want to redeem myself and close out the Hawaii thread and get back to the National Parks!

I am going to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in two weeks. I actually reserved a week at " The Grand Canyon Lodge" two years ago, work got in the way, tried to go last year, and the reservation persists for next week. I hope work does not steal the occaision again.

If anyone has stayed there, the tips and suggestions are appreciated!

The closest I have gotten :



Canyonlands NP, Island In The Sky

Hey Marty,

I have never stayed there. My wife and I stayed at the North Rim about 9 years ago when we first got married. I hated my Grand Canyon experience, but honestly, the problems were mostly of our own making. LOL, I just could not take the heat!!!! I will be heading back in January for the Digital Wedding Forum's conference, and I look forward to taking a second crack at the Canyon...this time at a season that is more agreeable to my needs. :P

James

I stayed on the North Rim about 10 years ago in those little cabins near the edge of the canyon. We took the mule ride down and I was really glad I had a ride on the way up.

I wish I would have had better photo equipment then but then again I still think my newer equip is near the bottom of the line but at least I'm digital now.

I hope you have a great trip Marty

Here's a sunrise I'm glad I didn't miss.

Marty:

Never had the pleasure of staying at the Lodge, but did use it as a jumping off place for a backpacking trip across to the South Rim. The North Rim is much less crowded than the South Rim, and there are several excellent vantage points within "spittin' distance" of the Lodge. The most obvious being Bright Angel Point, about a half mile down a paved path from the Lodge.

But, there are a lot of equally good or better views to be had a little ways further down the trails. They are also likely to be less crowded than the ones by the Lodge. But try to pick a trail that the mules don't use. On a hot summer's day, those puddles of mule p#$% can be downright overpowering.

There are a lot of viewpoints along the road to Cape Royal. The folks at the Lodge can help you identify some good spots. The light at the Canyon changes constantly from pre-dawn, to morning, to sunset, to afterglow, so if you find a spot you like, plan on two visits. If you are lucky, maybe you'll catch a mid-day storm to provide some really dramatic effects.

Remember to carry plenty of water, and, if you wander down any of the trails, don't forget that it is UPHILL on the way back. Enjoy.

Tucson Jim

Thank's for piping up. I still may have interference from going at all, but with a little luck I will be the new expert on the place ! As far as the sunrise goes, I am glad for them all. And I'll bet the backpack across was a lifetime experience,Jim. That last mile musta been a bitch though........

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And I'll bet the backpack across was a lifetime experience,Jim. That last mile musta been a bitch though........

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You've got that right! Even though we camped overnight at Phantom Ranch, I like to died climbing Jacob's Ladder, a series of switchbacks a couple of miles from the top on the way back out.

But fortunately I was distracted by what seemed like a couple of dozen Desert Bighorn Sheep browsing alongside the trail at several levels.

More than once, I was startled by a couple of them leaping across the trail within arm's reach in front of me. Did I have a camera? Of course not. Any extra weight I was carrying was devoted to food and water. (Mostly water) Different priorities in those days.

Let us know if you find any particularly good spots, since your post inspired me to decide to head up there myself in June.

Tucson Jim