The Grandest of Canyons!

Sunday September 9, 2011

As planned, we went to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon yesterday.  It was a bit over 100 miles away.  Even the ride there was pretty neat.  At first look, my impression was, wow that's a big hole!

You really can't see clearly across due to air quality.  This was due in part to some wildfires, which actually had one view point at Imperial Point closed; also due in part to humidity as it did rain on us later; and finally just overall poor air quality.  There will probably be a time when you won't be able to even see the other rim, 11 miles away.  I waved, but didn't see anybody wave back from the South Rim.

The colors and texture of the cliffs and rocks was quite spectacular.  You can clearly see the layers of different types of rocks. The canyon was formed by water erosion, mainly the Colorado and tributaries.  A similar process as Zion and Bryce, freeze/thaw wash away.  Little or no wind erosion.

Again pictures just can't capture the immensity of it.  The last picture shows the Colorado River on the Unkar Delta.  Amazingly this area was inhabited by ancient Indians.  We wondered how they got there, and how did they get out?  Not sure how this all compares to the South Rim, but this side was pretty cool.  Some pictures follow.

From Bright Angel Point

The Colorado River at Unkar Delta

Well tomorrow we hit the road.  On our way to Moab, the Spanish Trail RV Park, to see Arches and Canyonlands.  If you are familiar with Aron Ralston's plight in the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Canyonlands is where he got trapped for nearly 10 days and had to cut off his arm to escape.  No, we won't be getting into any remote areas like that.