Grand Canyon, Day 4

The sun is up and the tent is warming. I'm done with my morning coffee and serial. I'll enjoy the morning in this final day in Grand Canyon, and the final day of my 4 months long expedition, before packing up. 

Who knew Grand Canyon was so beautiful in the morning? Probably everybody except me. It's a shame that all my cameras; I'm down to my cellphone camera. I've been saying that Grand Canyon is not as visceral as Yosemite or Alabama Hill. That is because it is so big, it becomes hazy and flat everywhere you look. It doesn't give you the sense of depth. Go up to Glacier Point in Yosemite, on the other hand, you can feel the height and depth on your skin, it makes you feel like a Mountain Bashee that soars above the cliff and then swoop  down to the valley. In the orange glow of morning light, however, the Grand Canyon turns into 3D in its full glory.

I was going to skip Bright Angel Trail after the struggle on Kaibab Trail with cold and all. But I didn't want my Grand Canyon end in a defeat. So I got up at 5:45 AM and got ready. The elks and deer were out on the road for breakfast and stopping for them, and the view of Grand Canyon in the morning light, impeded the travel. But I was finally on the trail at 7:50.

There is a reason why this trail is top rated in Grand Canyon. On the way down, the red rock cliffs will remind you of Zion, all the way to Indian Garden at 4.5 mile mark. Then you come to the Indian Garden,  an oasis in rocky desert, fed by spring water. It is a very good place for a rest and I took a nap there on the way back. At Plateau Point, the inner canyon looks just like the Black Canyon of Gunnison. Colorado river meanders at the bottom and the black canyons stands 3000 feet tall on either side. If you were to hike all they way to the river, that would be equivalent to hiking to Scout's Lookout in Zion and then tack on Gunnison Route at end, for the total of 16 miles of round trip. I'll come back for it someday.

By the time I went past Indian Garden, the cold took over the control. I was feeling drained and dehydrated despite eating and drinking along the way. I almost turned back, thinking that the rest of the way is a boring walk through desert to get to the rim of the inner canyon. And the view from there wouldn't be much different from the outer rim. I'm glad I didn't. The view from the Plateau Point was nothing like that from the outer rim. Up close, it was more like the Black Canyon of Gunnison instead. I had my lunch there, took 15 minute break and turned back. It was past 12 by then and I didn't have enough daylight to make it back to the outer rim which would take much longer than it took to coming down, no doubt. I did make it back surprisingly fast, however, at 4:10PM with plenty of daylight left. The final mile felt as if it would going on forever though. In all, it took me 8 hours and 20 minutes for 12 miles. That is a substantial improvement over 9.5 hours it took in Chesler Park Loop which was 9.5 miles long. And that is despite suffering from cold. 

Today, the drive back to Sacramento begins. I don't need to stop at Death Valley and do 4.5 mile loop through Zabriskie Point; Bright Angels Trail is more than satisfactory finale. I'll drive straight back, stopping at Crest Ridge for the night.