The Grandest Of Canyons

It's almost impossible to imagine the scale of a canyon that is a mile deep. Or ten miles across from edge to edge. All the books about the Grand Canyon tell you this, but for me, it was only when I saw it for the first time that I realised just how epic a scale this really is. 

Driving through the arid Arizona desert and then through the Kaibab state forest on the way to the Canyon, the landscape changes from tumbleweed and sandstorms to pine forest. We climb up to over 7000ft approaching the Canyon's South Rim. The North Rim, a 250 mile drive away, is still closed for the winter and won't be open until May.

We decided to stay in the Bright Angel lodge in the national park because we'd heard it was one of the lodges that is closest to the rim itself.  We didn't appreciate how close until we stepped out of the back door of the lodge and an icy blast of cold wind whipped around us.Just a few feet from where we stood the ground dropped away and ahead of us, stretching for 10 miles was an abyss - deep gorges, valleys, towering rocky columns that go on forever, as far as the eye can see. The canyon lives up to the hype and some.

I assumed we would be able to see the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon, but from the top of the South Rim, it's impossible - looking down at what appears to be the canyon floor is simply another ledge leading to yet another, deeper gorge where the river is hidden far below. 

Looking out across the canyon took my breath away - it was mind-blowing. One of the natural wonders of the world indeed. Neither of Stef or I spoke for ages. 

We arrived just before sunset and watching the rocks deepen in colour as the sun sank behind the rim was truly beautiful.

Seeing the canyon from the rim was spectacular, but we had heard that the only way to truly appreciate the size and scale of it was to hike down into it. So we were fully fired up to hike to the famous Bright Angel trail to the Colorado River and back in one day. However, inside the lodge we see signs everywhere saying 'Do not attempt to hike to the Colorado River and back in one day'. And a big poster naming the intrepid hikers who had tried to do just that and died of exhaustion, dehydration or both. It's not so much the distance but the difficulty in climbing back out of the canyon once you have descended the steep, windy tracks to the canyon floor. Apparently it can take three times as long to climb out of it as it does to get down. So it seemed our plan was well and truly scuppered. 

Thankfully because it is spring temperatures in the canyon don't usually rise above the mid-twenties, so we thought we would still be ok to take a long hike into the canyon. In summer it's a different story - it can get to 45 degrees.

We decide to hike the South Kaibab trail instead to a place cheerfully named Skeleton Point which is the first place you can glimpse the Colorado River and the bottom of the canyon.

It's a 6 mile round trip, which doesn't sound far, but when you have to descend 2000ft down a steep rocky trail at gradients of 15-20 percent it's tough going, especially when you have to take the exact same route back out of the canyon again. What goes three miles down must come three miles up.

The only other option is to go on an organised mule trek into the canyon. I can't think of anything more terrifying than skittering down a vertical ravine on what is little more than a large, flighty donkey, so slogging it out on foot is the only option.

Next morning we get up at 5am to watch the sunrise over the canyon. It is so peaceful, buzzards circle far below the rim and the light makes the rocks glow apricot. It as even more wonderful than watching the sunset because so few people are there at sunrise, it'like the canyon in all it's glory to yourself. 

We take a hikers shuttle bus to the trailhead and begin the South Kaibab trail. 

It's steep - steeper than I imagined - and follows an exposed ridge line down into the canyon. It's very windy and the trail is narrow. Once we have made it down the first cliff face the temperature in the canyon has risen dramatically - the sun reflects off the canyon walls. But the deeper we get into the canyon the more magical it is - it surrounds us and the different colours and stratas in the rock are much more visible than from the rim. 

When we reach Cedar Point, a rocky outcrop mid-way into our descent it is breathtaking. Standing as close to the edge as we dare, as we turn 360 degrees the canyon is all around us and above and below us. It made me feel very small indeed. 

Finally, after two hours of climbing down we make it to Skeleton Point. We've descended 2000ft but are still not even half-way in to the canyon. Far below us we can now make out a strip of green tinged with white - the churning rapids of the Colorado River. It looks tiny from where we are standing but we are so elated to have finally seen it - most visitors to the canyon don't make it this far. 

But from then on, the only way is up. Gritting our teeth we try not to think about it. The uphill climb seems never-ending. When a mule convoy trots past I'm beginning to think perhaps that wasn't such a bad idea after all. But eventually we are climbing up the cliff face again and suddenly arrive at the rim, dusty, sweaty and exausted but so happy.

I know that many people long to see the Grand Canyon for themselves once in their liftetime and I feel very lucky indeed to have done so. It really is one of the most awe-inspiring, mind-blowing sights I have ever seen and a true highlight of our time in the USA. I hope to see it again one day.