The North Rim: A Whole New Grand Canyon Part 2 (7/25 - 7/27)

SOn Friday morning Jay left for Flagstaff to visit his family in town for the weekend and Laurel and I woke bright and early for a mule ride!  

  Relative to horses and donkeys, mules are the best pack and riding animal for the steep canyon trails.  They are sterile animals with a horse for a mom and donkey for a dad.  That way, they get the size and brain of their horse mother and sure-footedness of their donkey father.  In years of trail riding at the canyon, wranglers discovered that horses get easily spooked and donkeys are not so cleaver, so using the best of both animals in the form of mules works really well.

Mules for the picking!

  When we arrived at the stable (well whatever you call the area where the mules are kept before the ride) we were asked about our skill and experience at horseback riding.  I have only been a  few times and Laurel rode quite a bit in her youth, so I was given an easier mule Ronnie.  But her Sweetheart seemed to be easy going as well.  

    I was scared at first, but ended up having a really good time once I got used to the saddle and the idea that I was in charge of Ronnie rather than her being in charge of me.  We had a great wrangler named Clint who told us all about his cowboy days and off-season work tracking animals including mountain lions.  The North Kaibab trail was beautiful and the mule ride was so much fun!

   After the mule ride it took some time to get our walking legs back, but once we did we spent the rest of the afternoon on a beautiful hike on the Widforss Trail.  The North Rim is so amazingly different than the South Rim that the trail reminded me of hiking in the southeast - lots of green trees and wild flowers along the way.

  For our last night at the North Rim, Laurel and I lost our space at the employee bunk house, but found a place with our friend Nicole in one of the park trailers.  It was not the most glamorous place I have ever stayed, but was a roof over my head and the opportunity to spend one more night at the amazing North Rim.

The North Rim: A Whole New Grand Canyon Part 1 (7/25 - 7/27)

Although a bit delayed, I am working to post about my last few weeks in Arizona and drive back to Atlanta ending August 25.  Life got hectic between finishing my internship and trying to enjoy my remaining time in Flagstaff, hence the delay, but hopefully it will still be fun to read about my adventures a couple of weeks after they happened.  Here is the story of my trip to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. 

Despite living 80 miles from the park, Jay, Laurel and I were able to visit Grand Canyon quite often this summer.  We even had the opportunity to visit the remote North Rim.  Only about 5% of the park's visitors last year made it to this park of the park, which is about a five-hour drive from the South Rim.  

Laurel and I packed our bags and headed up to the park separately from Jay, as we were headed to Zion National Park in Utah for the weekend and he was headed back to Flagstaff for his family's visit there.  We left around 2 pm on Wednesday and stopped along the way for a special shopping trip.  Details forthcoming, but the most interesting part was buying clothes for Jay with only his measurements.  Pretty good teaser huh?

To get to the North Rim, we drove up familiar highway 89 north through the painted desert of the Navajo Reservation.  When we were not quite to Utah, we took a left on 89A towards the North Rim.  Along the way we crossed the Colorado River at Navajo Bridge National Monument, took a detour to Lees Ferry (the put-in spot for Grand Canyon rafters and kayakers) and drove past the beautiful Vermilion Cliffs.  It was another amazing drive in Arizona.

American and Arizona flags at Navajo Bridge.

Navajo Bridge originally built by very tough
Navajo workers who were not afraid to be suspended hundreds
of feet above the Colorado.  

Rock formations on the edge of Vermilion Cliffs on the
drive to Lees Ferry.

Rafts and boats with supplies getting ready to launch
down the Colorado River on what must have
been a multi-day journey.

Laurel and I at Lees Ferry - well at least our shadows.

An amazing view of the Vermilion Cliffs on the way
the North Rim.

My attempt to smile with my eyes open and sunglasses off.

Laurel managing to the open eyes.

As if the beautiful drive was not enough reward, we made it in to the park in time gaze at the beautiful meadows, ponderosa pines and aspen groves on the drive from the North Rim entrance to our employee housing for the night.  It was so beautiful and green!  We we made it to the park we were greeted by our manager Tom, who arrived earlier in the week, and Jay who arrived hours earlier because he did not make stops at Lees Ferry, Navajo Bridge or the fun clothing store in Flagstaff (it will make sense soon, I promise).  Tom brought his amazing new camper and we enjoyed a cookout feast there with Tom and two park friends Nicole and Quin.  As at any good cookout, we also told some ghost stories just in time for Jay, Laurel and I to head to the employee bunk house while Nicole braved the night in one of the park trailers and Quin was the bravest staying a campsite.

We woke up early Thursday for Tom to take us on a tour of the North Rim. The tour started with the Visitor Center and a short nearby trail to Bright Angel Point.  After exploring the area around the Visitor Center and Grand Canyon Lodge, we hopped in the car and took a 30-minute drive to hike along the North Rim at Cape Royal.  We saw some more amazing views of the canyon - the North Rim feels so different than the South Rim.

View from Grand Canyon Lodge.

View from Bright Angel Point.

Visitors enjoying the view on top of Angel's Window.

Tom, me, Laurel and Jay at Point Imperial.

Point Imperial.

After our morning adventures, we attempted some work in the afternoon, but had internet connections.  We did manage to get in some photo-taking for our business plan when we caught our friend Nicole in action with a group of volunteers in the park (VIPs).  

When we finished photo-documenting the volunteers for the business plan, we changed into our new and amazing clothes from the vintage store in Flagstaff for a photo shoot of our own.  The following are some of the amazing photo results.  There is also a video, but it is too long to post here, so the photos will have to do.

As if we had not had enough fun for one day, we went to the North Rim Cookout where we ate delicious food and heard some fun music and jokes by Woody and Cleeta Jane.  

Woody and Cleeta Jane lent us cowgirl hats for the photo!

For a beautiful end to an amazing day, I enjoyed the sunset over the canyon from the lodge balcony before hitting the sack.  What an amazing day!

- 

Rocky Mountain High (7/20 - 7/22)

As if I my amazing life in Arizona were not enough for the summer, I also worked in a trip to Colorado for my friend Brent’s wedding.  I arrived at the Denver airport at about 10 pm, met my friend Lauren and headed off in our rental car to Granby.  The drive turned out to be longer and harder than I expected - especially late a night.  We arrived at at nearly 2 am and promptly crashed.  

Lauren and I woke up early to meet our friends Sowmya and Candice for breakfast - yay for high school buddies who are as great as they ever were.  We caught up for a bit and then Lauren and I headed to the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park.  There were some nice hike options at the YMCA where we stayed, but I could not resist getting to see Rocky Mountain - if only for a few hours.

We arrived at the visitor center seeking advice from the ranger and volunteer there.  When we asked what we could do in the park for only two hours, we were laughed at - Rocky Mountain is a big and amazing park.  Sigh.. two hours is better than nothing!  Armed with hike recommendations, we headed for the Adams Falls trail.  The entire trail is about six miles, but we turned back part-way to make it back in time to get ready for the afternoon wedding.  Although short, it was an amazing hike with views that encourage me to get back to Rocky Mountain as soon as I can!

Adams Falls.  Not quite Abrahms Falls in the Smokies,
but still pretty beautiful.

Lauren and I got in our hiking and managed to get ready in time for the wedding.  I don't have any photos of the beautiful ceremony, but did get some with friends afterwards and at the reception.  It was a great day and super fun ceremony with something like five hours of dancing.  I really enjoyed catching up with friends I have known since I was 15 - a nice connection with home while I was away for the summer.

With the girls at the amazing outdoor wedding.  Laura,
Sowmya, Candice and Lauren.

The happy couple - Brent and Meghan - cutting the cake.

Brent and his high school ladies!

With feet sore from dancing all night, the group managed to get up for a goodbye breakfast before heading to Denver to fly back home.  The drive back to Denver was less scary in the daytime - thank goodness - and Lauren and I left early enough to spend some time in city with my college friend Becky.

Hanging out wit Becky after a delicious brunch in
downtown Denver.

It was a great weekend in a beautiful place and I am so happy for Brent and his beautiful wife Meghan!