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Grand Canyon (South Rim), AZ

sivcpztan > albums

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Album Description:

Spectacular 16-mi dayhike from South Kaibab down to the Colorado River and up via the Bright Angel Trail (Day 13 of 18-day SW Roadtrip; April 11, 2005)

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Album Info:

Album Stats:

  • Photos: 54
  • Views: 55,686
  • Downloads: 3,461

6 comments

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    • album of volvob12

    • Hi Friend. I can now understand the meaning of the word Gand and Vast. Was here last year was amazed with the views. Nice to see the canyon through the lens of another photographer.Bernard.New Zealand

    • said volvob12

    • 2008.07.28 at 21:46:06 PDT
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    • album of fottral

    • this ablum is awesome. are you going to be uploading any new shots soon? I look forward to seeing your new adventures. take care and have a magical day, diane

    • said fottral

    • 2008.01.13 at 09:00:42 PST
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    • album of ykarelic4

    • Hi, this is a beautiful album. I enjoyed watching each and every picture here, they are all wonderful. Thanks for sharing them with us. Greetings from Israel, Yair.

    • said ykarelic4

    • 2005.11.18 at 09:22:01 PST
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    • album of gafferf

    • Wow. I thoroughly enjoyed these pics. I did the day trip back in '86. I was working at the Yavapai lodge at the time and living in an employee dorm. My roomate was a non english speaking Nicaraguan whos brother was an admiral in the Nic. Navy. Any way... I started my day trip around 11am, and went down the Bright Angel and up the Kaibab. Some of your pics are the same as mine. The foot bridge, the pic from inside the tunnel Etc. though in reverse. I remember the absolute euphoria I felt when I got to Phantom Ranch and dipped my bare feet in an icy creek. I then followed the river to the foot bridge and when I saw the Kaibab had to stop, as you did, and mentally prepare. Being young and stupid is a romantic notion in a book but I was miles from that sentiment, figuratively as wella s physically. I had packed 1 small bag of jerky, a small bag of dried fruit, and 2 quart bottles of water. 2 miles up the Kaibab the shadows were getting long when I took a break in the shade. A ranger walked by, stopped and asked me if I was o.k.. "Sure" I said though wondering about that myself. With the sun starting to fade I figured I better hustle. Based on your comments, and pictures, I know that you are aware you don't "hustle" going up the canyon. I was still 2 miles from the top when I ran out of water and the sun was setting. The 3 months I spent out there taught me you can't fight the inevitable so I sat down to watch a sunset I never got tired of seeing. I snapped a picture of a turkey vulture as it flew across the sun. Needless to say I chuckled at that. When I left that morning I recalled someone asking me if I had a flashlight and youth and stupidity chimed in with "No, but I'll be fine". Night falls quickly in the canyon. A mile and a half from the top I was enveloped in completet and total darkness. I don't think I have experienced that kind of total absence of light. Dehydrated, little food and out right exhaustion were causing some serious reflections on my situation. That last mile and a half was taken in baby steps with my back against the rim wall. Wondering what animal or wicked spirit might grab me at any moment. Due to some basic boy scout training panic didn't set in entirely. The bats are numerous in the canyon, and when you are in total darkness, you realize your position at the top of the food chain is tenuous at best. The bats would pick up my bobbing head in their radar and do exploratory dives veering off with just enough space to feel the breeze of their wings. You didn't realize they were there until the thupp, thupp, thupp of their tiny little membranes were 6 inches from your head. Again, the darkness was complete, except when I looked up and saw the stars. Think of standing at the bottom of a deep can, and looking up. When I got close enough to the top to makeout the rims silhouette, I was convinced there was someone behind me. The depletion of my bodily resources, the dark and the bats had really messed with my head. When I took a break and looked in the darkness of the canyon I saw 3 lights bobbing in and out, on and off the trail. 90% of me is ceratin it was an hallucination. The other 10% has it's doubts. I saw and heard some pretty funky stuff in the time I was there, and I came to believe that something as old as the canyon takes on life all it's own. When I got to the top, all fear, paranoia, and exhaustion evaporated. It was after 11pm. After the abyssmal darkness below the rim, standing on the top I could see fairly well with the moonlight and open sky. It sounds sappy but I raised my hands and shouted into the canyon "Yes". To date it still ranks as one of my great achievements of will. I hitched a ride back to my dorm, took a long shower, went to the bar, drank one pitcher of beer, 2 kamikazee's and went to my room and slept for 14 hours. This is the first time I have ever totally related this story to someone. It is impossible to convey the intimidating beauty of that hike, and the over all sense of WOW. Your pictures brought it all back. Thanks, and congrats! That day hike ain't easy, but it's worth it.

    • said gafferf

    • 2005.11.11 at 20:57:39 PST
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    • album of torretab

    • Hello and Thanks for Sharing This Wonderful Portfolio of these Grand Canyon Views! All Captures are Beautiful of this Gorgeous Scenic Imagery..Well Done!! Ted

    • said torretab

    • 2005.11.06 at 15:05:07 PST
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