Day 9 Cross Country Adventure

Boy, did I pick a day to have our Grand Canyon hike. Yesterday was awesome. Sunny, not too freezing. I'm sure it was cooler at the Canyon, but, it still would have been sunny at least. It was god awful cold today. And cloudy. Windy. Very windy. Glad for the many layers we wore. At one point we stopped for lunch (eating outside. We had our chance to eat at the Bright Angel Lodge, but noooo, we weren't hungry yet, we could totally go further first). The five seconds I had my gloves off to unwrap my food, the tips of my fingers got so cold, it hurt down to the bone. Ilana suffered the same. Once we got back to moving around again, our hands returned to normal.
But seriously, it hurt. The views were totally worth it though. We hiked the South Rim trail. After lunch we turned back around and returned to where we parked. The guide said in total it was a 7-8 mile hike. In the summer, I would probably call the trail more of a walk than a hike. But, what with the snow-packed and iced over pathways, it made it a challenge. We might have done the Bright Angel Trail if there weren't all that snow and ice. The trail is super narrow at times, and you have to let mules get past you along the way. And there's no divider or something in case you slip. You fall, you die. So, not too upset that we didn't get to hike down into the Canyon at this point in time.

On the way to Flagstaff. The taller more snow covered peak is Mt. Humphrey.

Yeah, it was cold. Really, really cold.

 

Woo, panorama!! Yes, there is a stranger in the photo, but I kind of like his solitude in the photo. Really gives a sense of magnitude to how awesome the Grand Canyon really is.

Mandatory humorous pic: I like how one can "possibly suffer death."  Like it's a symptom or something.

You need to click on this one to see better. In the center are the mules I was talking about. That was the trail we would have walked on...

...again, click to see better. This illustrates a little more fully the possible fall-y to death-iness of this trail.

Anyway, it was a long day for Ilana and I- 6:45 AM wake-up, met up with the guide at 9 in Flagstaff. Finally got to the Canyon and started hiking probably a little after 11. Back in the truck around 3:15, made it back to the hotel a little before 6. We thought we might see a movie, stay up a little later so we don't wake up again at midnight thinking it's 5 AM from going to sleep so early.
But, exhaustion, full stomachs, and laundry called.
Tomorrow, LA!