Re: [at-l] Grand Canyon Trip Report - Part 3

["Kristen Kupersmith" <kkupersmith@thor24.com>]

Twilight--

What wonderful memories you bring back for me! The Canyon is so special to
me... my favorite landmark in the world!

I've done all of the trails you mentioned, as well as climbed up the north
rim to Roaring Springs, which is a couple hundred vertical feet from the
top.

On the way up to Roaring Springs (not too far from Phantom Ranch) is a place
called Ribbon Falls... it is SO magical. I can't really describe it, and my
pictures do it no justice. But, it is the most breathtaking combination of
freefalling waterfall, hoards of moss, and gigantic rock. You can even climb
on top of the rock and sit in a little pool of water BEHIND the waterfall,
with tropical-looking flowers all around. Wow! Or, you can climb INSIDE the
rock, and there is this little "window"-type hole in the rock that made a
great Kodak moment.

Also on the way to Roaring Springs is a house. There is actually a family
that lives IN the Canyon, and has for generations. What a unique way to live
your life! They have all of their food and supplies brought down to them on
mules. Each person plays a musical instrument, and they use music to keep
from going isolation-crazy. I used to fantasize about living there.

I loved Monument when I was there. Not too many people make it out to Horn
Creek, Salt Creek, and all those, so not many people see Monument. I went
there in high school with a bunch of friends, and we went down  Monument
Creek for about 2 miles... waterslide style!! It was so shallow and so
slippery, that we would really get going!!!! And, there was always a pool at
the bottom of the waterfalls, so we "usually" had safe landings.  We always
sent this kid that we didn't like first, and if he didn't get too beat up,
we were always right behind him. Ha!

I also slept once on a tiny rock island in the middle of Hermit's Creek. It
was litterally only big enough for three of us... with no spare room. We
fell asleep watching shooting stars in the perfectly clear sky, watching
bats fly overhead, and listening to the creek flowing on all four sides of
us, the crickets, and the frogs. It was my favorite night sleeping out under
the stars.

Another great memory I have is when we were camping at Bright Angel
Campground (next to the Colorado River), and we were on our way back out of
the Canyon. Our permits said we were supposed to camp there for the night,
and then head out the next day. Well, we didn't want to do that last haul in
the middle of the next day, with the May sun beating down on us, so we snuck
out. (Kids... don't try this at home... you could get a $500 per person fine
if you are caught) So, the plan was to wait until after dinner, when the
Rangers had made their rounds, and pretend like we were there for the night.
(We even had our sleeping bags out... sneaky, sneaky!) Then when the Rangers
left for dinner, or what have you, we high-tailed it across the river and up
on the Bright Angel Trail.  I had a panic attack crossing the Bright Angel
suspension bridge... it was SO rickety.... I liked the S. Kaibab bridge MUCH
better! Once we got to Indian Gardens, we sat around outside of the
campground, waiting for it to get dark. Our goal was to get up to the second
outhouse on the way up, and sleep there. Then we would wake up at the crack
of dawn, and be out of the Canyon and in the shower by 9:00am. So, once it
was dark, we silently (one at a time) snuck through Indian Gardens, with no
flashlights. (we didn't want the rangers to see us, of course) We
night-hiked until midnight. I have never been SO exhausted. We had already
hiking from almost the top of the north rim to Bright Angel Campground that
day before dinner. What a LONG day! When we settled down for the night, I
was SO tired, that I'm not sure if I even took my boots off. I kept hearing
scratching, and I was thinking, "There are scorpion crawling on my ground
sheet." But, I was too tired to care. I just fell asleep. Well, the next
morning we woke up and picked up our stuff. Sure enough, I had slept with my
groundsheet directly over a scorpion nest. They were EVERYWHERE! You have
never heard me scream as loud as I did then!!!!

I am so lucky to have gone to a high school that provided me with so much
backpacking and canoeing experience. I know that I would not be the hiker I
am today if my teacher hadn't given me the Grand Canyon opportunities.

The second time that I went to the Canyon was the year that they released
the dam for the first time. It made the Canyon a completely different place
than it had been when I was there three years earlier. The Colo. River
actually had beautiful, WHITE, sandy beaches, instead of rocks and boulders
lining the water. There was more wildlife. It's amazing how much one little
man-made dam can effect an entire ecosystem, huh?

Twilight, I LOVED reading your trip report. I hope you don't think I was
trying to steal the lime light by sharing my stories, when you're the one
who just took the trip. I just got SO excited when I read your report. I dug
out all my pictures and journals, and went through them again. Guess I'm
just reliving my happy memories on the list.

And, WOW! If any of you are still reading this far along, I'm impressed!
Kristen

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