Canyons, condors and constellations

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Geo: 36.0262, -112.136

During the night we were awoken by the gentle pitter patter of rain falling onto the canvas. Within seconds, the ridge we had camped on came under attack from a torrential downpour, the rain hammering on the roof, while the wind whipped across the ridge, buffeting the tent with huge gusts of wind that shook the canvas and rocked the frame, causing us to shift position each time a new gust arrived. The rain did not abate for a good four hours and kept most of the camp up. In the morning, the rain had gone, but we opened our tent door to view the sunrise and were greeted by thick banks of clouds which blanketed the sky. We sat and watched the sky, waiting for the glowing red orb to peep over the edge of the valley and light up the monuments we had so excitedly camped in front of. However, due to the thick cloud cover, it simply got light, and we sat and watched the sun turn the sky from indigo to lilac while the two mittens in front of us slowly came into view. Despite the disappointing sunrise, it was still a stunning location to simply sit and contemplate the peace and quiet in such a spiritual setting. We then packed up and ate our breakfast in front of the monuments as the sun lightened the sky enough for us to see them unfolding before us on every side.
We jumped into the van and drove the scenic roads for the fairly short two-hour distance to our final tour destination - the Grand Canyon. This was the reason we had booked this section of our trip in the first place and a huge tick on the bucket list. Our first destination was the campsite, but on the way we were treated to our first glimpses of the canyon as we passed over the bridges and around the bends in the road. Its yawning mouth stretched for miles and miles, even in the very first snatched views, we could see the immensity of the rim, and the huge craters dipping down, ringed with reds, greens and ambers.
When we arrived at the campsite, we had to quickly put up our tents to ensure that they dried out ready for later. As far as campsites go, it was probably the least inspiring of all. There was no particular view, and the shower situation was not only limited to six minutes, but you had to pay to take a shower. The block was also a good fifteen minute walk away from the campsite. However, it was our last night of camping so we put up and shut up and got ready to go and see the main attraction. Today was Erica's birthday and so we enjoyed a birthday lunch together and then hopped in the van to get to the visitor centre.
We had a quick look around the visitor centre at an exhibition charting the rise of the historic Tovar hotel. Designed by Mary Elizabeth Jane Koltar, a school teacher-turned architect, who designed many of the monuments and buildings in the park, the hotel began as a haven for the wealthy, who were arriving on the innovative Grand Canyon tourist train in the 1920s. The hotel was an extension of the five star service received on the passenger train, and then later became a Mecca for the middle class masses who began to travel and tour by car in the 1930s and 1940s. It was a stunning building which incorporated many finishing touches and styles that were initially used by the native Americans in the area.
After the quick look around the centre, we stepped out of the building and immediately found ourselves on the rim of the canyon. It was an absolutely astounding moment. Having heard so many accounts of the canyon, and seen so many photos and videos of the rocky crevices and crags deep inside the open mouth of the canyon it was almost like gazing into a film set. As we stood on the rim, it was difficult not to be overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of the canyon. It runs for miles and miles right across the Arizona desert and had an average depth of one mile. Below us, we could see just a fraction of its huge size and depth. We saw the Colorado river winding along the canyon floor below us and then watched as it slithered towards the edge of the ledge we could see, before plunging off into the valley floor even deeper into the canyon than we could see. Suddenly, we heard to distinctive screech of a bird of prey and looked down to one of the vast sides of the canyon. Perched in the edge of the rocks below were 4 huge California Condors. They were resting, their vast wings tucked beneath them, their pink bald heads standing out against the rocks. Every now and again, one of them would stretch for a second, unfurl the huge span of their wings to demonstrate their prowess and then settle back down to the important business of doing nothing.

To walk down the valley floor and back in one day is not recommended, due to the extreme heat, the huge difference in altitude and the steep, rocky and winding terrain. We therefore decided to undertake the shorter 3 mile round trip of the Bright Angel trail which led us deeper into the canyon, below the rim. It was a daily easy hike to begin with, although we were drinking lots of water as we descended. We hiked to the first tunnel and felt incredibly smug as this was one of the options we had been given and it had taken a matter of minutes. However, the path soon began to disappear steeply beneath us and the constant downwards trudge began to take its toll on our knees. We were stopping every few minutes to take a different picture of the shifting landscape, but eventually we began to realise that, due to the size of the canyon, the view of one small part of it does not really change if you simply hike down beneath the rim in one part. To get a full appreciation of the place would have taken hours of hiking or getting into a helicopter, which sadly was not an option this time. After a mile of hiking down towards the valley floor, and reaching the second tunnel on the trail - more of an arch that spanned the path creating a new viewpoint of the rocks beyond it, we decided to head back towards the rim. As we had climbed further down, the heat had begun to rise and, having had very little sleep the night before, we were really finding the hike difficult. We took our climb slowly, posing for different photos, selfies and jumping shots and resting to take in the spectacle before us. The climb back up seemed even steeper than it had on the way down and it took a long while to ascend back to the rim.
Once back at the rim, it was time for a well-deserved drink so we headed to the bar at the top of the canyon. I sampled a cocktail which had prickly pear syrup in it, and I have to say, it was delicious! Once we were joined by our fellow hikers who had taken different routes, we went back outside to sit on the rim of the canyon once more to take in its beauty By this point, the sun was beginning to set and the colours of the rocks were once again changing in the fading light. We saw more condors, this time soaring majestically around the rocks just below the rim of the canyon. We then set off back to the campground for a quick freshen up and achieved an excellent find - we saw the number plate for Wyoming, taking the total number of states to 47 and leaving only 3 to find. By this point, the whole group was on the look out for the elusive Mississippi, South Dakota and Delaware - desperately hoping to get us the full set by the time we leave the USA. We quickly changed and got ready for our last night as a group. As it was a special night for the birthday girl, we decided to absolve ourselves of the hassle of cooking and instead opted for a pizza supper at a nearby town just outside the canyon park. The pizza was great and we then headed to the nearby bowling alley for an all-American game! The beer was good, the bowling was fun and it was a perfect way to end our tour together. After a fabulous evening, it was back to the campsite for another early start ready for an even earlier sunrise at 5.15am. Due to the different states in the area observing or not observing daylight savings time, we had gained an hour on crossing out of Utah and into Arizona, so the sunrise seemed an ungodly hour to us! Walking around the campsite in the pitch black, however, we gazed up at the jewelled sky above us. Millions of stars, seeming brighter than I had ever seen them were twinkling in the inky darkness. As we stared at the stars, we could make out the dusty swirl of the Milky Way and the stronger outlines of the more familiar constellations. It was a stunning view for our final night in the wilderness, and boded well for the sunrise in the morning.
States added - Wyoming

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