Gluten Free Fulltime RV Living Grandma
This photo was taken at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on the Uncle Jim Trail in June 2008. You can see the charred tree trunks from a forest fire that burned all the way to the edge of the canyon, and the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona in the distance.
I am don’t normally have Wednesdays off, but this week I traded days off so one of my co-workers could spend time with visiting family members. Since my friend, Gaelyn from Geogypsy was also off, we decided to go for a hike.
(The beginning of the Cape Final Trail)When she asked me where I wanted to hike, I had originally suggested the Arizona Trail. The part of the Arizona Trail that goes from the entrance station of the North Rim to the developed area is 12 miles. She thought was too ambitious for me, and she was very right. I don’t know what I was thinking! So, we hiked the 4 mile round trip of the Cape Final Trail instead.
(A Horned Toad hiding in the pinestraw)
(Fire burned a hole between the trunks of these two Ponderosa pines, but they are both still living)The trail starts off on a gentle incline, through Ponderosa forest. It is rocky, which makes walking a bit hazardous until you get used to it. Although I took enough water with me this time, I think I wore the wrong shoes. Next time, I’ll wear my work boots for the support they give.
(the view from the edge where we ate our lunch)
(amazing!)The views up here are some of the best in the canyon, but I say that about every trail I go on. I keep telling people, “I can’t see it enough!” Every eyefull of this place is gorgeous.
(More ponderosa forest)
(Gaelyn on the edge.)
(precariously perched pile of rocks)
(Notice the layer in the rock–Gaelyn says it an ancient algae layer. I say gorgeous!)
(Me on the way down, at the Cape Final sign)
This photo is not the best ever made, but it is of me and my daughter, Becca in April 1989. She was the only girl in Girl Scout Troop 147 who wanted to go backpacking. I found a council sponsored two day trip hiking the Appalachian Trail near Cleveland, Georgia. We went to two evening training sessions, where they taught the basic things we needed to know about hiking, and gave us a list of what to bring.
I was a little apprehensive about it because I was not the most athletic person even way back then. But, I hiked for two days, carried my own pack and part of tent, and even climbed down a root ladder about 80 feet! Our guide got us lost, and we wandered around for a couple of hours in mountain laurel that was taller than me. We finally got to the place we were supposed to be to meet our ride back home. I was really proud of myself, but alas, this is the only picture that survived.
To see more Remember Whensday photos, click here.
(Sally and me on the North Kaibab Trail)
Sally and Bob have hiked the North Kaibab before, so they knew I could do this little piece of it. And I am very grateful to them for encouraging me to try it, and for going with me today so that they could be my “brains” and make me turn around when they knew I would want to continue.
They called it the “500 Steps” because from that bend in the trail, it is about 500 steps to the top, to the end of the trail. The going down was very easy, but I have to tell you, I felt every pound of the fat on my body going back up. Next week we are going to go to the Coconino Overlook. I can hardly wait!
Yesterday I forgot to take my jacket with me when I went out to the entrance to go to work. I’ll never forget again. As I drove in I could see the storm coming. It started raining, then it got cold, so I made a fire in the woodstove. A while later, the rain stopped and it warmed up, so it was too hot in the building. Oh, well. Live and learn.
After the storm, the sunset was gorgeous. I saw some deer cross the road, then come running back to cross again. I wondered if there was a coyote out there. There has been one hanging around in that area for a couple of months. The people coming through the gate have told me they have seen it, but I have not caught even one glimpse of it yet.
Today, we drove out to the Kaibab National Forest, down to Forest Road 610. The aspens are almost at peak color, the sun was shining, and the sky was full of big puffy clouds. It is amazing how big the sky is out here.
The road started out pretty smooth, but the last four or five miles were pretty rough. We passed an area where fire workers were cutting underbrush and stacking it. There were at least seven trucks out there. They do a great job of controlling the fuel wood so that if a fire were to be started by a lightening strike it would not spread far or burn too hot.
This last picture was taken from the beginning of the Nankoweap Trail. The drive out to the Nankoweap Trailhead was about 13 miles. We had planned to hike a little way down that trail, but it got steep really fast, and we know our limitations, so we turned back. We were a little disappointed because we wanted to go out there, but it is always best to be safe.
If you ever get to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, the Cliff Springs Trail is one you are definitely going to have to hike. FabGrandpa and I went on that trail today. The day was beautiful, with blue skies, a gentle breeze and the temperature around 65 degrees.
(The beginning of the trail)
The trail starts at the Angel’s Window overlook. It is a half mile to the springs, but you can go beyond that point if you want to. We went about a mile out, then turned around and came back. The views were breathtaking, absolutely beautiful.
(A huge boulder at the side of the trail)
The springs are more like a “drips”, as the water was dripping out of the cliffs onto the ground, making a small pool. Lots of plant life was taking advantage of the moisture there, so it looked cool and green. I can see why ancient Indians sought out this place in the summer as a respite from the boiling sun down in the canyon below.
(The cliffs, wow!)
The drive up the Cape Royal Road to the Angel’s Window Overlook is about 30 miles from the entrance to the park. There are four or five paved parking areas on the drive up so you can take advantage of the awesome view up there. At the end of the road is Cape Royal, where you can take a paved hiking trail out to the gorgeous viewpoints. You can see the Colorado River from this trail.
(Looking up. The cliffs hung over life a roof in places)
I’m going back up there in two weeks, because the Aspens are just starting to change to their blazing gold color, and I want to get some pictures of them at their peak. Of course, I’ll be putting some pictures up here for you to see.
(Looking across the canyon to the other side)
In other news, Becca and Ken have moved into their new apartment in Denver. She has already found a job, just two miles from home at the Williams Sonoma. She worked for them in Norfolk for years, so it was just a matter of interviewing with the manager there. Today they went sightseeing in their new hometown. I can hardly wait to make use of their guest room!
(Taking a rest on a stump)
The FabGrandson Owen had his first birthday on Friday. Judging from the pictures his mother sent me, he loved his birthday cake! And his Dad, Seth, told me he is feeling better than he has ever felt in his life since having his surgery for sleep apnea. His exact words “I feel high just from breathing”.
(Cliff Spring. Indians came here as early as 1100 A.D.)
Emily has gone back to school to get her master’s degree in education. She has her hands full with her teaching job, her own school homework, and her son, The FabGrandson Spencer. He is in first grade and doing pretty good this year.
(Another view across the canyon)
And my stepdaughter, Becky just got back from Mexico on a business trip, a two-day training class. Lucky dog!
(Click on this picture to see the tiny little people up ahead of us, to get an idea of the size of these cliffs)
(In some places, the cliffs where so low you had to crouch down to walk on the trail.)
(A gnarled tree on the edge of the canyon at Walhalla Overlook)
(A bee on a dried thistle flower.)
