The Grandest of Canyons

How long has it been since I visited here? I don't want to even venture a guess, but to just say that life got in the way. Since the last post about my Tokyo Disney trip (which I hope to finish one day), I've lost my mom and Juneau (my husky dog)...two incredibly important parts of my life. I'll maybe write more about it, but that's for another time. 

I don't want my first post back being a downer, so what better way to return than with another trip report? My wife Sue and I were blessed to finally visit the Grand Canyon in Arizona a couple of weeks ago. GC has been a bucket list destination for me ever since I saw the diorama inside the tunnel of the Disneyland train ride (see how I was able to get a Disney park into this post...LOL) back as a child. That view of the canyon with animals, foreboding weather, and light effects mesmerized me almost as much as the dinosaur scenes. I was bummed the train was closed on my last visit due to incoming Star Wars, but a journey to the real thing was a revelation!

No disrespect to the Imagineers, but the real GC is beyond magic! You truly sense a creative and intelligent hand involved behind this magnificent vista.

We flew out of Hawaii on a Friday evening, catching the red eye which landed early morning in Las Vegas. After an obligatory stop at In-N-Out, we drove the 3 1/2 hours to the canyon. Being an island born boy, I really enjoyed the drive, soaking in the southwest scenery that seemed to pop right out of Pixar's Cars. 

The first three days were spent on the South Rim...the more popular  tourist destination thanks to the warmer climate and lower altitude. While we didn't journey into the canyon (maybe next time), we did do our fair share of hiking paths and park buses. We were blessed with an incredible sunset on our last night while at the top of Yaki Point. I had initially headed to the lookout at the top but the colors turned out pretty drab. Calling it a bust, we headed back down a bit disappointed. As we got off the bus, the sky began exploding with color and I quickly set up my camera so we could do our "selfies"...LOL!

We also visited the Desert View Watchtower designed by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter...a major player in the architectural design of the park. It wasn't based on an actual structure, but modeled after several buildings found in that area from times past. Besides the usual visitor center, there's a small gift shop that sells some of the best coffee ice cream I've ever tasted. Definitely worth a stop if you're in this vicinity of the south rim.

From there, we drove over 200 miles to get to the North Rim.  another pleasant drive that found us alone on the road for the most part...passing more "Cars" like scenery. As we began to ascend, the climate got much cooler and wetter...with snow very evident in parts of the landscape. It took a few hours to get acclimated to the more rustic lodgings and quieter pace. Less amenities and tour options, but this area is your choice if you prefer a more laid back and less hectic pace. 

I made it a point to shoot the milky way out on Bright Angel trail the next evening. We had scoped it out earlier in the day and both Sue and I were uneasy with the sheer drops on either side of the path that provided no rail guards. However at night, with only a head lamp to light the way, I couldn't see any of the steep drops so I was fine. While sitting in the dark at 2:00 am, alone without a soul in sight, one thinks about a lot of things. My two main thoughts were "Are there any rattlesnakes?" and "Am I crazy shooting at this hour?". My wife often questions my sanity when the alarm goes off at midnight for one of these photo excursions...haha!

Earlier in the trip, our meals were mostly from general stores and snack shops due to lack of options and time. Sue came to the point where she didn't want to look at another sandwich, so the fine dining at the Grand Canyon Lodge was much welcomed! We were able to have an amazing breakfast and dinner there. I played it safe and opted for one of the best pasta dishes I've ever eaten while Sue went with the Braised Bison. She was kind enough to let me try and let me tell you...it was melt off the bone delicious! If you look closely at my breakfast order, you'll notice the plate was made of recyclable and environment friendly material.

We also did another obligatory selfie on the South Rim...so standby....here you go!

The two nights on the North Rim turned out to be a day or so too short. We really loved the cool weather and much smaller crowds. If you plan to visit GC, make sure to explore both rims!

Photographs Copyright 2019 by Len Yokoyama