This morning was a first in Derian family history: all five of us were up before dawn, on purpose! We emerged from our cabins very early to watch the sun come up over the Grand Canyon. We voluntarily set our alarms and left the cozy comfort of our warm beds to come out in the dark in temperatures that were below freezing. Our resolve was rewarded, however. The sun gradually started illuminating the top layers of the canyon walls and slowly crept down. We took pictures of the sunlight moving down the canyon and of our sleepy selves. After we were sure the sun was up, four of us went to breakfast at the Bright Angel Restaurant, and one of us went back to bed.
Having viewed the canyon from the rim for several miles in either direction the day before, today we planned to go into the canyon. After packing up and checking out from our lodgings, we headed to the trailhead for the South Kaibab trail. Descriptions of this trail promised that it would reward us with fabulous views from a relatively short hike, plus it was less crowded than the very popular and easily accessible Bright Angel trail.
We started down. The trail was wide, not too steep and very scenic. We followed it past Ooh Aah Point and on to Cedar Ridge, which was our destination. The trail continues all the way across the floor of the canyon and up the other side, but due to our time limitations, we had decided to stop at Cedar Ridge for lunch and then turn around. It took us close to an hour to reach it. There, we found a nice rock, sat down and enjoyed our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the middle of one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
The hike back up was, not surprisingly, a little more strenuous than the way down, but not bad. We actually covered it in about the same amount of time, maybe because we weren’t stopping to take pictures so frequently, or maybe because we had promised ourselves ice cream when we were done. There were plenty of other hikers on the trail, although it was far from crowded. A group of mules and riders coming up the trail had reached Cedar Ridge while we were having lunch. Staying ahead of them may have been another incentive for us to keep going steadily toward the top.
Back on top, we treated ourselves to ice cream at the Bright Angel Fountain, wandered through the history room at the Bright Angel Lodge, and enjoyed our last views of the Grand Canyon before boarding the train back to Williams. The train ride was peaceful, except for the mock holdup staged en route by the same bad guys who had had the shootout the day before.
That evening, we thought we would relax in the jacuzzi at the hotel. However, both the pool and the jacuzzi were packed with kids, so we opted for the fitness room next door, which we had completely to ourselves. Later that evening, after another limitless repast in the Grand Depot Cafe, we all struggled to stay awake through “Galaxy Quest,” one of our all-time favorite movies.
Sunrise
South Kaibab Trail
Train Robbers!
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