The Grand Canyon, Arizona
Ever since I first experienced The Canyon in 1964, while on
a trip through the southwest with my father, I had a keen,
but unfulfilled desire to see below the rim. Although it
would be another ten years before I would visit again, it
wasn't until 1981 that I finally set foot below the rim for
an overnight hike. Having hiked here several times since,
I've now grown most attached to this place. My first trip
was not on one of the first time hiker recommended main
trails. It was the Boucher-Hermit loop hike off the South
Rim. This hike taught me very quickly about the demands of
hiking The Canyon. Subsequent hikes found me wandering
around Thunder River and Deer Creek, Powell Plateau and
North Bass Trail, and most recently, Tuckup Canyon. A few
years back, I reluctantly did the Bright Angel with my
nephew, his first time in The Canyon and my first down the
heavily traveled trail. Despite the crowds and the heat (it
was the middle of July), I was still able to enjoy the
inner canyon. I do dislike crowds though, and therefore
prefer more remote regions of the park, particularly those
leaving from the North Rim. Some of the most beautiful and
rugged trails in the entire canyon start on this side of
the Canyon. Because of its location and relatively short
season (May to October at the higher elevations), the North
Rim receives far fewer visitors than the South Rim. Not
that the South Rim is any less visually pleasing, but as
Edward Abbey put in print, "I find
that in contemplating the natural world my pleasure is
greater if there are not too many others contemplating
it with me, at the same time." To the right you'll
find links to journals I kept on some of these hikes.