Grand Canyon v.74

     

The Grand Canyon is so vast, it is surreal.  You look out over the immense vista, and your eyes cannot process the depth; it looks like it could it be a painting rather than the real thing.  Then you start to walk along the edge.  The difference between this one and so many others we have seen, is that the Grand Canyon actually does just drop. Very little of it is fenced off, so you can actually look over the edge!

   

We hiked a ways into the canyon on Bright Angel Trail.  It is well maintained, has restrooms but no water (bring your own), and is pretty steep with no guard rails.  The National Park does a pretty good job warning people to use common sense, bring water, "hiking back up is more strenuous than hiking downhill".  Still we saw people hiking in flipflops, heels, with strollers.  Lots of eye rolling opportunities!

Life sized model of a condor!

The Grand Canyon is one of several areas where the California Condor has been re-introduced into the wild.  We didn't get to see one here, but this Ranger gave an excellent program about them.  He actually "performed" his version of the condor mating dance!  He explained the process in kid friendly terms, comparing it to the middle school dance, where the guys hang out on one side of the room, and the girls on the other, both pretending not to notice the others, but seeing everything.  Then one guy gets brave enough to make a move... and viola! an egg.  At one time there were only 23 condors left. These were captured, and an intensive rescue program began.  There are now over 300, half released in the wild.

 Another Junior Ranger opportunity!