Well first of all i need to thank Mother Nature for her kindness in allowing such an amazing and spectacular ski season free of injury and harm. The season ended nicely, but way to fast and the snow quality went from great to crap and spring skiing in the Wasatch was not good this year. However, instead of planning a great ski trip, we planned a 7 day backpacking trip in the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. A very remote and spectacular piece of this world. We packed up on the 9th of May and headed south past Kanab, UT and into no man's land. Now prior to leaving i was a bit worried....you see, the night before the big trip i had packed and unpacked 3 times and still could not imagine carrying a pack that heavy for a week. Oh and i still had not even put 2 gallons of water on it. My left arm would lose circulation within minutes. I felt i was doomed. Yet i packed up and prayed someone else would be packing some serious weight also (we estimated the pack weighed around 70lbs). Good thing a few other packs where as heavy as mine. Kerri won the award for lightest pack, weighing in around 35 lbs. The reason we had to pack in water was because we consumed a gallon a day and would not be able to filter water until day 3. Kind of a humbling experience getting down in the the canyon in the heat and hoping water would be there or that i would have enough to get through the days. And all in all, i made it just fine. However, i felt like crap on day 3 and 4 because of dehydration and just all over aches and pains. Motrin has never been such a cherished item. The views and the scenery where absolutely breathtaking. Words cannot describe the feeling of starting at 8000ft above sea level and descending steep, narrow, slick, and winding trail to a low of 2000ft where the Colorado river ran and realizing the beauty in everything in that canyon. It was hard to imagine such a desolate area to be capable of waterfalls and green oasis. The hiking was difficult, yet rewarding. It was such a challenge, yet i was so grateful for the experience. 5 people total from my work went and Kurt brought along a good friend of many years. He fit right in with us. We would wake up at 5am to be hiking by 6 and then after reaching our destination we would hide from the sun, lay flat (take naps), chase rattlesnakes, take showers (when available), and tell great stories. Hiking out of the canyon in two days was the hardest feat of the trip, but it was so cool to look back and see where we had come from and what we had accomplished. I will always remember this trip! I wish these pictures could capture the grandiosity of the canyon in its entirety.
4 comments:
You should be come a nature photographer. I forgot what they are called from yes man. I wish I liked hiking but it sounds like to much work. So keep being active so I can keep being lazy!
way to up date, can we expect other pix's before next ski season? hopefully you will get some of the bike race thing. love ya
Great trip report and the pictures are great. That's one place on our list to go. Glad you had fun
Ummm I think you have forgotten about your blog. Anyways I just signed up to do the 5k for biau(for charlie) are you doing it?
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