2015 02.15-02.19 * Rim To Rim and back

vera

刚上网看了一下关于Mather营地：“Reservations are strongly recommended from March 1 through mid-November.
Mather Campground is usually full by noon during the busy season.”

得到Backcountry许可证后，我们要在谷上露营一晚来为第二天入谷做好各方面的准备。Mather营地很大，可是很多loop都没有开放。以前大部分的露营经历，都是先找营地，然后返回入口处付费，一般都是放在信封里的。这次不太一样，我们在入口处看到类似付停车费的机器，我就试了一下，付费后以为它会给我一个营地的号码，结果只有收据，便觉得有些异样。我的逻辑便马上理解为肯定有位置，如果没有，那机器一定会不出票的，这不是显而易见吗？我们立刻进入营区，粗粗一圈下来，不由得紧张起来，因为一个空的营地也没发现。第二遍就不敢挑剔了，一个一个查看，但是一次次失望，因为别人预定好的receipt都在那里夹着，眼看着离loop的出口越来越近，心里就越不踏实，但就在这时，等待着我们的营地出现了，可爱的唯一的营地，不但瞬间平复了我不安的心情，而且兴奋指数大增！它的出现，让整个下午用来暖身的Rim Trail成为极大的享受。

What is luck? Actually luck is around everybody, but often not noticed or consumed by everybody. Who can say it is not our luck to have Grand Canyon? It's mine, its yours, it's everybody's. The point here is how to treat your luck. Dr always says "Unconsumed luck is not luck". So true! How many times we were blind to the blue skies? How often we have ignored our loved ones? Effort with no direction is Zero. I am lucky not just because I can explore Grand Canyon.

Easy said than done. Courage is required to use your luck.  Do you agree?

PanShiBo

The entire trail system through Rim To Rim corridor didn't need heavy alpine boots, obviously. Walking in Grouse Grind runners would be just fine, that's exactly what Vera did. 8)

PHOTO: North Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon, Arizona.

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Driving 5,000 km round trip from Vancouver was fun. Especially when gas prices 50c/liter. 8)

PHOTO: At the US gas station. $1.89 / gallon = $0.50 / liter

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TOPO of Day 4: see TOPO of day 2, only in reverse - from Cottonwood c/g to Bright Angel c/g. We also dropped by the weirdest waterfall I've ever seen (  yes, I've seen Niagara and was not that impressed). 8)

PHOTO:  Ribbon Falls, Grand Canyon NP, Arizona.

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独一无二

PHOTO: Ribbon Falls, Grand Canyon NP, Arizona

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TOPO of Day 5 : South Kaibab Trail  (blue line)

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PHOTO: Bright Angel c/g in the morning of Chinese New Year ( Feb 19, 2015 that is ). Famous Phantom Ranch ("Last Supper" place) is a walk away 8)

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If you have seen Capillano Suspension Bridge and never got excited, don't give up, this one might be worth checking out next, especially if you did  get excited. 8)

PHOTO: Kaibab Suspension Bridge over Colorado River, Grand Canyon NP, Arizona.

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Topo of entire trip ( 5 days )

Day 1 - red - Bright Angel
Day 2 - green - lower North Kaibab
Day 3 - magenta - upper North Kaibab
Day 4 - green - lower North Kaibab
Day 5 - blue - South Kaibab

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PHOTO: Transport mules approaching Phantom Ranch, Kaibab Bridge over Colorado river at the back.

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To get here by a helicopter you need to get a ride down not up. 8)

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Sunrise in Grand Canyon NP, Arizona

海泉湾

构图不错，视觉冲击力很强！

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As saying goes, "at the end of a long  journey we always see a better path", but this time was different: we didn't see any better path, and like a good food, it didn't leave aftertaste of being overdone, it was perfect. 8)

PHOTO: Grand Canyon, Arizona from South Kaibab Trail. Colorado River below.

PanShiBo

We emerged from below the rim after five days on Feb-19 of 2015, Chinese New Year. We were not exhausted, nor were we starving or thirsty, only our boots were a bit dusty. We never suffered during those five days: we ate before we got hungry and rested before we got tired, we even didn't get any blisters. We could have done the same route easily once again. But even a good party must end, no? Still, we decided to do one more little thing as a bonus, or as for a dessert, after all we thought we deserved it. 8)

PHOTO: At the trailhead of South Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon NP, Arizona. North Rim is far back.

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Before we headed home we stopped at Death Valley NP for a day hike.

There are hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulties, but most backcountry areas are accessible only by cross-country hiking. There are literally thousands of hiking possibilities. The normal season for visiting the park is from October 15 to May 15, because of summer extremes in temperature.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dea ... nal_Park#Activities

PHOTO: View from Wildrose Road near Wildrose c/g.

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We had a lot of choices. 8)

PHOTO: At the visitor's center, Death Valley NP, CA

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It was warm too. 8)

PHOTO: Thermometer next to Visitor's Center shows 88F ( = 31C). Taken on February 20th (winter that is), Death Valley NP, CA

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Here trees don't grow down in the valley, but do grow higher up.

PHOTO: Death Valley from Wildrose Trail, Death Valley NP, CA

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Definitely not +31C.

PHOTO: Filling cairn register at the Wildrose Peak, Death Valley NP, CA. Sierra Nevada Range visible at the back.