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1997 West Vacation -- September 13 through September 27, Part 3
Index
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| My 1997 West Vacation. 14 days, 5440 miles. |
Little Colorado River Gorge
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You've heard the words: "Awesome", "Grandeur", "Majestic"... They don't begin to describe the feeling you get when you first step to the edge of the Canyon and peer into its depths. You *know* the scale of what you're seeing, but I don't think your mind understands. The Colorado River, some 300 feet wide at this point, appears as a small ribbon, visible every once in a while past the spires and walls of the Canyon.
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado (and his army) is credited as the first European to see the Canyon in 1540. He was a Spaniard looking for the seven cities of gold. Of course, the seven cities of gold never existed, but hey, at least we still remember his name. (He got as far as Kansas before he got the confession that his native guide was lying to draw Coronado away from his people. Coronado was convinced there were no precious metals in all this country.)
Grand Canyon National Park, South Rim
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I was talked into camping in Wahweap, so we pitched the tent, and unrolled the sleeping bags. It was an unusual day in Northern Arizona, it rained. It rained, and the storm retreated in just the right direction, in exactly the right spot with the sun in the optimal position, and got a full rainbow, with one end in Arizona, and one end in Utah. Proof positive that you don't have to have talent, you just have to be in the right place at the right time.
Got a pretty sunset too. And I repositioned the tent so we could keep the door open and watch the lightning recede in the distance as night fell...
Wahweap, AZ / Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
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The Navajo bridge is one of two points that crosses the Colorado river for 60 miles in either direction. The bridge spans Marble Canyon, which at this point is 600 feet across, and 500 feet deep. Grand Canyon National Park starts just South of here, and Glen Canyon NRA is just to the North.
Navaho Bridge / Colorado River
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The Lee's Ferry unit of the Glen Canyon NRA, was the first ferry service across the Colorado river in this area. The Ferry was built in 1873 operated by John D. Lee of the Mormon Church, who is a story in himself. The ferry service was discontinued in 1929 when the first Navajo Bridge was completed across Marble Canyon. There's access to the Colorado River here, as well as some very cool rock formations.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Lee's Ferry
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End 1997 West Vacation Part 3
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