Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Big Ditch

You'd think after all these years of RVing, I'd be done with the Grand Canyon. But I never tire of it!

This is the view from Pima Point, one of the stops on the free shuttle bus.


That's Granite Rapid down there. It looks pretty mild from here, but it isn't - it rates an 8 on the Park's 10-point scale of river difficulty.


Hermits Rest is the turn-around point for the bus.


The next day I took the bus again, this time to Mohave Point -



Where I tried to do a movie. It looked better in person, though.


Then on to Powell Point.


After the bus ride, I drove over to Yavapai Point. This is a great stop because of what you can see down on the river. Allow me to zoom in -


That's the 440-foot suspension bridge that takes hikers and mules across the Colorado River to Phantom Ranch and to the trail up to the North Rim.


And that is Phantom Ranch, where there are cabins and a campground for hikers.


I found a cute little baby elk in the campground. Mommy was there too. (I didn't stay there, I was just lost...)


Late in the day, just before sunset, we went to Mather Point.


The colors are much more brilliant then.


On the way home, ran into an elk jam. This poor little elk was just trying to cross the street. She finally did make it over to where her friends were.

28 comments:

  1. I never tire of the Grand Canyon, either. Looking forward to taking the grandsons there next summer.

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  2. the grand canyon looks spectacular!..on our list of must see's!!

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  3. What is the latest on your trailer repair??

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  4. There was a time when I hiked down (and up) the Grand Canyon. I was a lot younger then... :)

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  5. We saw the Grand Canyon years ago but after all the time we've spent in AZ we haven't been there with the RV. Need to do something about that. The baby was just too cute.

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  6. Did you ride on Chance's bus???
    Upriverdavid

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  7. Sorry, Barney, I keep forgetting to say that the rig is fixed and all is well. Took almost 2 weeks to get the new axle, and 2 hours to do the work.

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  8. Love the pics! Can't wait for the time when we finally make it there to see in person. Hope all is well. Commenting from the side of the road - Middle of Nowhere, WY.

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  9. Beautiful picture of the brilliant colors just before sunset. Though pictures don't do the canyon justice, this one comes pretty close.
    Love those elk.

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  10. Memories come flooding back with the grandeur that your photos invoke. Words nor photos can really describe standing on the canyon edge. Simply "awesome". Thanks.

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  11. Great pictures. I would say if you get tired pf the Grand Canyon, it would be time to quit traveling!

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  12. Next you need to see it from the river. We will put together another rafting trip and you must put it on your bucket list.

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  13. Terrific pictures! The colors are simply amazing.

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  14. Your pictures are really beautiful! Especially the ones taken in the late afternoon. I really liked the close-ups as well.

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  15. How could anyone tire of the Grand Canyon?!? My husband and I are currently training to do a rim-to-rim hike:)

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  16. I never tire of seeing images of the Grand Canyon. If you haven't been in winter, it's really magical ... though I wouldn't recommend going with the rig ... when we went in December 1999, -4F was considered a heat wave!

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  17. Thank you for the update on the trailer repair. The 22H axles are custom made for that trailer. I was afraid it could be months instead of weeks. Congratulations.

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  18. Great pictures. I've seen 'The Big Ditch' half a dozen times and still want to go back and do the North Rim to see it from a different perspective.

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  19. Glad you are up and moving again. Yes, I too never tire of GC views. Thanks.

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  20. Those sunset pictures are especially gorgeous.

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  21. Been a while since I visited the G. Canyon for sure--your photos make me want to go again...what a great shot with the sun hitting those rocks!! I dont know if I would enjoy riding a mule over that bridge--

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  22. The Grand Canyon is fantastic. I loved the little movie you did....... there were shadows that were beautiful!!!! Thank you for sharing the this remarkable part of our country!!!

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  23. Love the Grand Canyon. It's always better in person! My daughter, and grandson an I camped in the park in 2000, wonderful. Hope to go again again, and stay in the park, maybe do the North Rim too!

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  24. One of God's most beautiful creations!

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  25. Love Love this post, The Grand Canyon is the one place I do hope to see before I die, right now the chances are not looking too good though LOL I loved your little video and the pictures thanks so much. Im glad the little elk got over to her friends :o)

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  26. My husband took me to the canyon the year before we married. He was not inclined to speak romantically but in the first few breath-taking minutes of seeing the canyon he whispered,"the only thing on earth bigger than our love". Your photos took me right back to that moment.
    thank you.
    missy from the bayou

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  27. Next you need to see the Big Ditch from the North Rim. I look at it almost every day at work and never tire of the every changing canyon.

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