gAzSelin: Fourth Visit to the floor of the Grand Canyon

Wow! I just completed my fourth visit to the floor of the Grand Canyon. It was awesome! I loved it! I only hope it isn't my last.

My first visit was a hike and backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon was in June 1987 - some 25 years ago. I was about 4 months pregnant with Isaac. That didn't stop me. I went with the Glendale Stake Girls Camp adventure trip for 5th and 6th year Young Women. We slept on the south rim the first night, we hiked down to Bright Angel campground the second day, we hiked up to Indian Gardens the third day, and then the rest of the way out on the fourth day. There were at least 3 girls from my own ward. One girl on the hike with us did not make it out on her own - she was helicoptered out. The helicopter would only take her out - her backpack and all her "stuff" was divided up among the rest of our group and hauled out. I was lucky - because I was pregnant they did not ask me to carry any of her stuff out. I was glad too. But I have often thought about how much I loved that trip.

Note that I didn't take any pictures

on my first trip to the floor of the Grand Canyon.

But this is Evan trying on my pack

as I made preparations for the hike.

My second visit happened about 20 years later and was a different experience. I rode one of the Grand Canyon mules, Biddy* was her name, to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and stayed in Phantom Ranch. I didn't have to carry a pack. I didn't have to abuse my feet on the way down and my leg muscles on the way up. I didn't have to carry my food or cook it. It was a wonderful trip with great friends. I will always remember this trip very fondly. *Biddy was in a mule train that we passed while hiking just a few days ago.

Why can't I find a picture from my mule trip?

This is a picture I took of Biddy while hiking a few days ago.

I'll keep trying to find the right picture.

But I must move on!

My third visit to the floor of the Grand Canyon was another very different experience. It was a hike and backpacking trip. It was a Thunder River trip from the north side of the Grand Canyon. This hike was a lot more adventurous and so much more remote. We each carried waterproof headlamps plus a spare light source, a wet suit, some rope, and a pool noodle with us for this adventure. All this would allow us to get to the headwaters of the Thunder River - up to the cave opening, through the running water, up into a deep dark cavern, swim through water, then on land, water again, and finally sign our names on a register at the headwaters to prove we had made it. The pinnacle of the trip came on the first day. We gathered up our special equipment and hiked to the place where the spring/waterfall that shoots out of the side of the Grand Canyon called Thunder River. We skooched around some very high rocks and ledges to get to the mouth where the water shoots out. Then we spider crawled (feet on one side wall of the passage and backs on the other side - we moved first our feet and then our backs - you would have been amazed at me) into the cave. Back this far into the cave it was dark - very dark. Then we came to a high climb which is where my trip ended. I was the shortest one there and needed a boost - but they had left me to last. After one terrifying attempt and near fall into the rushing water (I thought I might be swept away by the swift water and shoot out the canyon wall) I told them to go ahead without me. I was worried that I might never see them again so I made my way out of the dark cave, spider crawled back across the water to the very high rocks and ledges, and finally to our packs. Whew! What a relief. The rest of the trip took us to a remote camp site the first night where the only living thing we saw was mice. Then we camped on the shore right next to the Colorado River the next night. On our walk to the river we saw a bighorn sheep - that was awesome! The next day we hiked much of the way out and camped there. Then out the next day. A very adventurous hike that my friend is thinking of doing again - will I go? Not yet sure - but I'd love to make it into that cave and to the register to sign my name. Maybe I'll bring a rope ladder!?

And this last hike was my fourth visit to the floor of the Grand Canyon. It was much like my first trip. Only we stayed both nights at the Bright Angel campground and hiked the entire way out in one day. We took a strenuous hike the second day to a great and isolated viewpoint called - Utah Flats. That was a scramble up and butt slide down - but the view was AWESOME! The trip out took 5 hours. I made some new friends. I liked most of them. The weather was perfect! The views were stunning!