On our last day at GC we decided that we would use the Shuttle Bus to complete the rest of the south rim. The buses run every 10-15 minutes and stop at each of the outlooks along the rim. You can get off at one of the outlooks and when done taking in the views simply get on the next bus and move on to the next location. Its a very efficient system and would prove to be an easier way to cover the remaining 8 miles of the rim that we hadn't seen. Charli would have to stay in the trailer as dogs weren't allowed on the buses.
Our first stop would be Yaki Point which is on the eastern end of the rims trail and a stop we hadn't made it to on Day 1. It was a quick trip with only one stop and then we headed back to the Visitors Centre. The rest of the day would be spent on the western route with 10 stops and the eventual destination of Hermits Rest. While all of the scenery has been breathtaking the western route seems to be more dramatic, if that is possible, than what we had seen on the first 2 days. Pima Point probably had the most majestic views.
I have taken a few hundred pictures while we were here and I did try to restrict the number of pictures I posted but I am afraid I wasn't too successful.
Mule Recipe: Take One Donkey, male. Take one Horse, female. Light some candles, put Barry White on the iPod, dim the lights and unless Donkey is extremely well endowed provide the Donkey with a stool. Wait 11 months and you have a Mule.
These guys look very much like horses, a bit shorter, stockier and bigger ears. Saw lots of people riding them up and down the trails below the rim.
Here is one of the trails zigzagging down towards the river. Perhaps next time we are here we will go down at least part way. Its an overnight hike if you go all the way to the river.
The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,000 feet or 1,800 meters). The south rim is at an elevation of about 7000 feet with the north rim being 1000 feet higher. The rocks are billions of years old and it is thought that the erosion that made the GC happened relatively recently, about 17 million years ago.
You can barely see the San Francisco peaks on the horizon. They are about 100 miles away and rise to an elevation of 12000 ft.
On the 3 days we hiked the canyon rim we packed lunches and never had a problem finding a seat with a great view.
The trees along the canyon don't get very big and some make for interesting foreground in the pictures. Most of the trees were Utah Junipers and Pinyon Pines.
This was our last stop. It had a souvenir shop and a spot to get some nourishment.
We found him. Remember back about 40 years ago this guy was in all sorts of TV Commercials reminding us that "Only you can prevent forest fires". Well he is enjoying life in retirement as a guard at the entrance to the GC National Park.
Here is our site at Grand Canyon Camper Village as we pack up to leave for Page, Az. The campground was mostly gravel and sand and the winds were blowing up to 30mph for 2 of the days we were here. We tried to keep the windows closed but we have sand everywhere. Will be doing some major cleaning when we get home.
That should be it for the GC as we are heading north and east to Page on Sunday. We are staying there for 3 nights and hope to have some good pics of the Antelope Canyons. Then we are hightailing it for home.
Later
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