Losing the Grand Canyon

Spending the night at the Love's Travel Centre was one of the better decisions we have made this trip. But I think that's how it goes when you are #vanlife-ing. You make very loose plans and hope that everything goes well, but you can't always account for closures, holidays, traffic, weather, etc. You find yourself in this state of zen, where you have to be okay with every eventuality, and that you might have to opt for Plan B, or C, or even F. For someone like me who likes structure and organization, who is visibly disappointed when plans get changed, it has been a lesson in letting go and letting things happen on their own instead. You'll have to ask Mario how I am doing this trip, but in my mind, I think I am getting better. I am still happy to have a pretty concrete general plan, but other than knowing in which location we would end our day, the rest is pretty fluid, and I am okay with that. 

So with last night's snow storm and slushy roads, camping in the parking lot of a truck stop turned out to be the winning option, especially when the alternative was possibly getting stuck in the soft red mud on a dirt forest road, with the local Sherriff having to come dig us out(which we did see happening to someone else while scouting out said forest road for ourselves). An unforeseen but very welcome perk? A 24-hour convenience store with washrooms, and showers at the truck stop - for a small fee. And when you have been showering in what can best be described as a closet, a long, hot, endless shower to get warm before bed feels like the best thing in the world.

This morning's plan after a bowl of hot oatmeal in the truck stop's parking lot? Hit the road, with our goal being a hike into the Grand Canyon. The sun was poking it head through the clouds here in Williams, Arizona, slowly melting away the clouds, and with them, the snow that covered the ground. It was going to be a beautiful day. Off we went, up the highway leading into the National Park, but we were also climbing in elevation. With every mile we drove, we climbed, and soon the snow cover was back, and soon the clouds returned, and then we were driving through a winter wonderland, and all around us was a dense, white fog. I bet you can image what comes next.

Where is it???

We arrive at the Visitor's Centre for Grand Canyon National Park, along with hundreds of other day-trippers, head out to Mather's Point for our first breathtaking views of the canyon and...nothing. The Grand Canyon is gone, hidden away underneath all that dense white fog brought in with the storm last night. And the only thing we can do is laugh. Of course the one day we are here, the one day ANY of these people are here for their once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Grand Canyon, there is fog. We hear the reactions of disappointment all around us, and some of laughter like us, and decide not to let it get us down too much, because we have other plans.

Back at the campervan, we head down Desert View road, along the South Rim of the Canyon, and find a spot to park. We make some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pack some dates and trail mix, lace up our hiking boots. We aim for the trailhead of the South Kaibab Trail, because you can't possibly come to the Grand Canyon without hiking down into it! The important thing to note, and one that was reinforced at the Visitor's Centre: "What goes IN, must come back OUT". In other words, the trail descends into the canyon, and steeply at that, along a whole series of switchbacks. It may seem like an easy trail, but we have to take into account that for every step we take down, we will inevitably have to take back up all those steep hills and switchbacks. 

Thankfully, we prepared for this before leaving the campervan, before flying out to California, even before leaving Montreal. We brought crampons and hiking sticks. With the snowfall last night, the trail was coated with a generous layers of packed snow and slush, making the trek otherwise very difficult - we watch as group after group of over-confident and under prepared tourists attempt to slip-slide their way down the slopes. We comment under our breath at their short-sightedness - they will have a much harder time making their way back up. But the draw of the canyon is often too strong for some, and overshadows any awareness of the situation they are getting themselves into. Meanwhile, with our spike-adorned hiking boots, we stick to the snow like velcro, and the walk is easy. 

Somewhere past the initial set of switchbacks, I notice that we are now below the clouds and fog, and the view of the canyon begins to open up in front of us. Suddenly, I can't take two steps without pulling out my camera for another picture. Even though it is cloudy, the view is breathtaking - the Grand Canyon has revealed itself to us, sleeping away under a thick layer of clouds, hidden from the wintery weather. We can't get enough of it, continuing further and further down, around each bend, where a new view reveals itself. It's a good thing we set an alarm to warn us when to turn back and begin the climb out, because I think we both might have keep walking forever into the depths of the canyon, just to admire its beauty.

As expected, the walk back out was tougher, but not horribly so. I saw many a hiker, as we began our trek, exiting the canyon with looks of absolute misery on their faces. I vowed to myself that if nothing else, I didn't want to be that person. I might take twice as long to exit the canyon, but I wanted to have a smile on my face when I did. I took my time. I gave myself little goals of completing two lengths of the the switchbacks at a time before pausing for a moment to breath. I walked slowly, but constantly. And for all my worries, it took me just a little long to exit the canyon as it did to enter, and not double the time I had set in my mind as my likely time. And I was truly happy with my hike as well as my efforts. I think Mario could tell, too - he was just as happy.

Heading back out.

Once back at the van, we changed into more comfortable clothing - a perk of having your entire home with you at all times - and made the drive back down from the Grand Canyon into Williams. We decided to spend a second night camped out at Love's, since there was no chance the Forest roads would be any less muddy tonight. Plus, the draw of the hot shower after all that hiking was maybe a bit too strong. After a good bit of fresh air and physical activity, we'll both sleep well tonight - which is good, because we are going back for more tomorrow.