I remember my first trip to the Grand Canyon in 1992–it was not only my first backpacking trip ever, but also my first memorable trip to a national park. We went over spring break, in late March, and it was snowing hard at the South Rim when we arrived. I remember being cold and wet the night before our hike began, being completely terrified on the icy (and steep) South Kaibab trail the following morning, and sweating as we walked into Phantom Ranch later that afternoon. The rest of the trip was rainy, often very cold, and wet.
Despite all of that, I had a great time. A funny thing happens after outdoor experiences like this one: we seem to forget all of the “bad” parts of a trip, remembering the good things. Do the bad experiences really go away? Not completely: We learn from them. As a novice backpacker, I learned several things about hiking in poor weather; I learned them the hard way, but I survived.
The thing that stuck in my memory more than anything else from that first trip to the Grand Canyon was the magnificence of the place. The sheer drops, layers of sandstone, and of course the power of the Moenkopi-colored mud flowing in the Colorado River. I’ve returned to the Grand Canyon more than almost any other national park. During my first trip it was simply breathtaking; since then it has become breathgiving.
Vishnu's Sun Salutation, May 2011
Since 1992, I’ve backpacked the Grand Canyon once more, and have camped on the rim multiple times. Each time I say to myself, “Why don’t I visit more often?” Yes, its packed with people, especially on the holiday weekends when I find time to visit, but there’s a magnificent peacefulness that surrounds it. There are small pockets, places, you can go and hide, and despite the hordes, its almost as if you have this huge amphitheater to yourself.
Just like so many other geologic wonders on the Colorado Plateau, there really is nothing like the Grand Canyon on earth. Although I’ve enjoyed it for 19 years, I just now have images of it. Click the image or here to see the rest.
Beautiful very simple and graphic.
Your first paragraph really rang true with me. I am going on my first international trip in 18 years in September and the thought of the long flights & layovers has me kind of apprehensive, but I know it’s going to be so worth it 🙂
Great post Greg!
Same experience happened with us went to Himalayas, often, we were a bit suffered from bad food and the thin air, and came back home first thing we did were to plan the next one.
Chinese says, the sweetness after the bitterness are more precious.
Thank you for sharing this little proverb, Juanli! I like it a lot, and will definitely remember it!
Nice one Greg, it really is a wonderful place. Juanli and I only made it once so far, but I am sure we will make it back to the SW again…
You have a typo in the second last paragraph – gogo 🙂
Oh-oh thanks for pointing that out Alister! I blame the illness. 😉
Great image Greg. And so true about our less-than-ideal experiences in the wilderness – the magnificence and wonder always quelches those memories we’d just as soon forget.
Interesting, Greg – my first backpacking trip was also in the Grand Canyon in either 1991 or 1992. My friend and I did 40+ miles in 3 days, we got lost and badly dehydrated and had to drink from scum covered pools of water, my knees flared up w/ a raging case of bursitis (sp?) and it was, for the most part, miserable. As soon as we got to the top and back to our car I knew I’d be a lifelong backpacker. The entire experience was one that transcends words. The Grand Canyon holds very special meaning to me now and always.
Thanks for a great read and for stoking some wonderful memories. Amazing photo, too!
A great image, the whole GC collection looks great, and an interesting and easy to identify with read. I was about to mention my first, less than perfect, backpacking visit to Franconia Notch. But then I read Bret’s experience and realized my trip was not that bad actually. 🙂 I’ll just say that they’ve gotten better over the years, even the bad ones.
Acadia N.P. is similar in that, although the second most visited park after the Smokies, most folks hit all the popular spots and one can be alone easily in the less popular.
Greg,
Now you’ve done it! I MUST get over there again ASAP.
You spoke of that first backpack trip and how the pain goes away later and one only remembers the joy! I can relate to that. On a Mt. Rainier climb, I thought my knees would crumble but 2 weeks later, I couldn’t wait for the next climb!
So glad you found room to pack your camera along to the Canyon.
Joe
Thanks for all the comments! Its gratifying to hear from people about their own outdoor experiences that, at the time, might have been less than idea, but ultimately proved to be completely inspiring and motivating for another trip into the wilderness.
Really beautiful images of a remarkable place. You captured such interesting colors in stones too in the images in your gallery. While the other images perhaps show off the grandness of the scene a bit more, there’s something about the simplicity of the composition you included in the post that makes it my favorite of the bunch.
Pat, thanks for your thoughtful response to the images. The more I look at the images, I agree with you–the one above (in the post) is also my favorite. I like the simple, graphic nature, and the subtle, reflected light in the nearer structure.
The simplicity and tones of the image in the post also make it my favorite of all of your excellent captures of the Grand Canyon. I need to get out there again and make some photographs of my own. It’s been a very long time. We all owe a great deal to those who helped save the place from being dammed in the 1960s.
I think, that if it had been dammed, it would have been such a desecration (on the same order of magnitude as the loss of Glen Canyon), that it would take generations to recover emotionally–if possible–from such a loss.
I’m really happy it wasn’t dammed.
I agreed totally with Pat, Greg. Your whole set is beautiful but the shot in this post is stunning.
I have only been to the Grand Canyon once over 20 years ago and that only for a brief time. Dirck has never been so I think we need to plan a trip. 😉
Sharon
I think you should definitely plan a trip to Arizona, Sharon! The Grand Canyon is such a magical place.
Very nice series of images. It’s one of the must see places on this planet. The last time I was there it rained and snowed all night causing my tent to fill with water and then the tent collapsed under the weight of the snow. I look back on it now and laugh…..but not then.
Greg….
That sounds like my first trip! I never knew a tent could be like a swimming pool until then. And yes, hindsight is 20/20–I’m glad we can laugh about these things now.
I like your selection of Grand Canyon images, Greg, strong work. I wonder, is summer a good time to visit there for dramatic skies? I think it must be hot, but also could have monsoon-type clouds? What’s your experience? Thanks, Phil
Thanks so much Phil!
I’ve never visited during the “summer months”–June, July, August, but I think it could be really productive photographically. That whole area of the Southwest gets those great monsoon clouds in the afternoons that could make for really dramatic images. Hiking into the canyon is probably pretty prohibitive because of heat, but I would imagine the South Rim would be tolerable, with the North Rim being quite pleasant.
I could think of worse ways to spend your vacation. 🙂