Return to the Grand Canyon: Part IV
Posted on Fri, Jan 20, 2012 @ 09:00 AM
I left this morning at 3:30 in the morning for Arizona. Our group will spend Saturday night at a lodge on the South Rim before beginning our trek before dawn on Sunday.
I was explaining to a good friend yesterday that a major component of the adventure is the mental aspect of stepping out of everyday life into the space of the Grand Canyon.
My mind has been drifting off to the first 50 feet of the hike. Imagine being in a small parking lot at the edge of a canyon so deep that you can’t see the bottom. It is just before sunrise. The wind is blowing up the canyon walls at 35 miles an hour. The temperature is 20° F (-7° C); wind chill makes the air feel more like 0° F (-18° C).
As you walk on a normal paved sidewalk, you begin to see the expanse of the Canyon. To the north, approximately 6 miles away and 1,000 feet above you is the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. There is nothing but air between your eyes and the beautiful trees on the North Rim. You are aware of the many souls who were here in physical form many thousands of years ago. You mentally honor their spirits as you enter their domain.
As you find the end of the sidewalk, you observe a narrow trail covered in ice and mule droppings. The ice is partially covered with snow. Before stepping off the sidewalk it is an easy decision to strap on your Yak Trax or Ice Trekkers Diamond Traction ice cleats. Now, you are ready to venture down.
Your first step off of the sidewalk has 100% of your attention. Your world rushes around you as your eyes see a narrow, ice covered trail meandering around the corner. This is dangerous and exciting. Narrow, ice covered trail, no rails, no one to provide the illusion of safety. It’s all on you.
Though I am afraid of heights, the sensation of stepping off the sidewalk is one I crave. I no longer have to explain my actions and I can live in the moment. I am with myself and my companions. Each person has elected to partake in the adventure. Each is there to take care of himself first and me second. Each shares the common bond of stepping back in time to a place that is both before, and right now. There is no future. The fact that camp is 7 miles away is not relevant. It’s all right now, one tentative step at a time.
I am free to enjoy! For now, it’s only the "right now".
Have you had this type of peaceful experience at the Grand Canyon? Or somewhere else in your travels? Share your experiences below!
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