The Grandest Of Canyons
There are moments in life in which you just need to get out of town. Hit the road, leave your worries behind and spend a couple of days wild and free. This was in this state that I found myself calling my big sister, Liz to suggest an impromptu trip...to the Grand Canyon. She readily agreed, this says a lot about my sister but also the fact that best friends never leave any each other behind nor do they want to miss out on the next big adventure. Two weeks later we sleepily greeted each other as the early dawn light filled the air. Throwing our camping gear and hiking boots in the car we headed out up I-70.
It wasn't long before we found ourselves passing Saint Kathryn's Cellars in Grand Junction. That was all the encouragement we needed as we doubled back on the highway to stop in for a quick peek. It was no surprise that we were one of two patrons present, it was barely 11 AM! My sister Liz, joined the wine club and two hours later we were back on the road slightly sidetracked but none the worse for the wear. After all, a true vacation should have no set schedule.
Later that afternoon, we arrived safe and sound at our campground about 30 minutes away from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We were chomping at the bit to see one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World but knew it would have to wait until morning. Our hike on the North Kaibab Trail was planned for the early AM and getting some rest was key before we began our 10 mile trek. The weather, to our surprise was beautiful and all assumptions that we would roast in Arizona dissipated.
Early the next morning we were met with drizzling rain and over instant coffee we jumped in the car, eager to finally see the canyon. Because of the weather the canyon didn't come into sight until we were on our way down the trail. Majestic is an understatement for the Grand Canyon. We were taken aback by its magnitude and picturesque beauty, speechless we both shared in open mouthed awe. A site that will never be forgotten as long as I live. EVERYONE should make the time to take a trip to see it person because pictures don't even come close to doing it justice. Of course, when your out in the wild, woods and the back lands of our world, pictures never really do ANY of it justice.
Roaring Springs Canyon- North Kaibab Trail
That day we hiked 5 miles in and climbed 5 miles out. The weather was our saving grace and the clouds provided us the cover needed to complete our entire climb. As we rounded each corner our breath would catch in our throat and we would grab each other. The beauty stunned you every time and tears pricked the corners of our eyes. Our hike back up was daunting but as we refilled our water packs and ate lunch before climbing out, there came an overwhelming sense of joy. Not because the hard part was behind us but because it felt so good to be there, immersed in the canyon itself. By the time we hauled ourselves out of the canyon that afternoon, getting from the parking lot to our car felt like a trek all on it's own.
We spend the afternoon at the North Rim Visitor Center, their view of the canyon stunned us yet again. We grabbed a couple local brews and settled into rocking chairs on the outlook. Being there, amidst the vastness of this masterpiece felt so incredibility good. Life's path might not always be the one you expected but life works in mysterious ways. Being in the Grand Canyon, with my best friend and big sister in August of 2017 was EXACTLY where we were meant to be.
North Rim Visitor Center
Although exhaustion threatened to take hold from the previous day, I shook my sister awake at 4:30 the next morning, crawling from our sleeping bags in the dark. There was no way we were leaving without seeing the sunrise! On our drive in we passed a herd of Buffalo grazing in the predawn light. As we parked the car and ran to the outlook, we had just two minutes to spare. As the sun crested the canyon and it was illuminated in light we forgot about the cold and the lack of sleep. The sun found every dark crevasse of the canyon and filled it all with light.
“Life is not measure by the number of breathes we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away. ”
We ate a quick breakfast of yogurt and granola, sitting on the edge of the canyon just taking it all in. By the time we left it was only 7 AM but we had our day packed with plans. We didn't want to miss a single point on the North Rim, we took numerous small hikes to all the outlook points and different views of the canyon. The canyon itself morphs and no single point looks the same. Bright Angel Point was one of our favorite spots on the North Rim. Our final evening there we built our last crackling fire and over Saint Kathryn's wine we reminisced. Our three days spent in the Grand Canyon felt like it flew by and we weren't quite ready to part. Time always flies when the company is good.
Grand Canyon at sunrise.
Early the next morning we packed up camp and headed out. Our destination was Colorado and as the miles flew by we both grinned at each other. "Grand Canyon" by The Wind & the Wave played over the radio, emulating exactly how we felt about this trip. It is a memory I will always cherish not only because of the Grand Canyon itself but because of the company I was with. Cheers!
- Kathryn
