Indian Gardens, being the closest improved campground to South Rim, receives a lot of traffic. Hikers, just passing through, and campers alike enjoy the unexpected shade in the middle of a desert environment. Water, picnic tables, and composting toilets provide a comfortable oasis to wait out the sun before resuming your hike, but all of us passing through are hard on the desert plants. Re-vegetation projects are in evidence all along the corridor trails in the canyon. Some creative placement of fencing, brush piles, rocks, and well-planned paths are allowing vegetation to return along in high-traffic areas.
The view from whence we came.
We are climbing Jacob's Ladder...
Every rung is higher, higher...
After many breaks in shady spots and a peanut butter roll up at Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse, the last tunnel before the trailhead!
A happy, healthy crew, ready for ice cream. We left Indians Gardens at 5:45 and reached the South Rim at 10:15. Pretty good for the old folks. I had to take many breaks and let my heart catch up, but the worst our crew has to show for the effort is 4 blue toenails, and we got those on North Kaibab. Toenails grow back. We will get to keep the memories.
A rim-side cabin and a little relaxation to celebrate our accomplishment. Rim-side cabins get mixed reviews. Some people expect privacy and quiet. I enjoyed being in the middle of the action at South Rim. As we cleaned up and relaxed after 5 days and 4 nights below the rim, we could hear the murmuring of the 95% who only see the canyon by walking the Rim Trail right in front of our cabins. We had a different experience. Only 5 percent of the visitors to Grand Canyon get to the Colorado River. It was a privilege to be in that group.
Bright Angel Lodge where you check in to Rim-Side Cabins, Thunderbird, and Kachina Lodges, as well as the shuttle to North Rim and mule rides. Busy place at times.
Elk appreciate the watered grass at Thunderbird, Kachina, and El Tovar Lodges.
Indian Gardens, being the closest improved campground to South Rim, receives a lot of traffic. Hikers, just passing through, and campers alike enjoy the unexpected shade in the middle of a desert environment. Water, picnic tables, and composting toilets provide a comfortable oasis to wait out the sun before resuming your hike, but all of us passing through are hard on the desert plants. Re-vegetation projects are in evidence all along the corridor trails in the canyon. Some creative placement of fencing, brush piles, rocks, and well-planned paths are allowing vegetation to return along in high-traffic areas.
The view from whence we came.
We are climbing Jacob's Ladder...
Every rung is higher, higher...
After many breaks in shady spots and a peanut butter roll up at Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse, the last tunnel before the trailhead!
A happy, healthy crew, ready for ice cream. We left Indians Gardens at 5:45 and reached the South Rim at 10:15. Pretty good for the old folks. I had to take many breaks and let my heart catch up, but the worst our crew has to show for the effort is 4 blue toenails, and we got those on North Kaibab. Toenails grow back. We will get to keep the memories.
A rim-side cabin and a little relaxation to celebrate our accomplishment. Rim-side cabins get mixed reviews. Some people expect privacy and quiet. I enjoyed being in the middle of the action at South Rim. As we cleaned up and relaxed after 5 days and 4 nights below the rim, we could hear the murmuring of the 95% who only see the canyon by walking the Rim Trail right in front of our cabins. We had a different experience. Only 5 percent of the visitors to Grand Canyon get to the Colorado River. It was a privilege to be in that group.
Bright Angel Lodge where you check in to Rim-Side Cabins, Thunderbird, and Kachina Lodges, as well as the shuttle to North Rim and mule rides. Busy place at times.
Elk appreciate the watered grass at Thunderbird, Kachina, and El Tovar Lodges. 
No comments:
Post a Comment