September 25

September 25

Today we decided that we would hike into the canyon. Not on the Bright Angel Trail, which is more popular because it is less steep, but the South Kaibab Trail. Incidentally, the Bright Angel Trail was first used and created by the Anasazi (now called the ancestral pueblo people). The Parks service created the South Kaibab Trail early in the Park’s history when some guy decided to get rich by charging a fee to walk the Bright Angel Trail. People walk South Kaibab Trail because you get great views out into the canyon after only 2km (the Bright Angel Trail takes 9km).

We hiked down steep switchbacks to Ooh Ah Point, a narrow jetty of sandstone boulders. Mules, the traditional Grand Canyon transportation animals, passed us twice. We were told to stay to the inside of the trail, a good thing when the other side is a vertical cliff. Mules are a cross between a horse and donkey. They look like it too, with their long floppy ears, horse height and stumpy tails. They are used instead of a pure breed because they are don’t startle easily, are surefooted and have a very smooth gate.

• Look at the pictures, they describe what my words can’t.

After a rushed dinner at camp, we went to get an “inner city experience”—viewing the Grand Canyon Imax. The footage was unbelievable, giving us a very intimate view of the canyon. When the camera flew over the edge of the Canyon rim, I thought “so this is what it feels like to be a Condor”. The movie provided great information on the early history of how the canyon was discovered and explored, but no science or recent canyon history.