http-equiv='refresh'/> Tin TeePee/Log Cabin: Reminiscing

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Reminiscing

As there wasn’t much going on around here today except vehicle maintenance and quilting I decided to step back in time.  Bayfield Bunch Al mentioned hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon—he didn’t think it was impossible at this stage in his life but probably not going to happen.  That statement in his blog brought back many memories.

As I said in a blog the other night, my Mom loves to travel and Dad wasn’t so thrilled.  Daddy would go if it was something he really wanted to do.  Mom and Dad decided to ride the mules into the Grand Canyon—I think my scared of heights Mom spent the entire trip with her head turned to the canyon walls!!  A couple years later my Dad and my sister did the same trip.  Now, me, I have no desire to let some 4 legged animal carry me down a trail when I can’t see or imagine where the bottom might be! 

But in about 1995 my sister and Mom started talking about our hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  Reservations had to be made and money paid a full two years before your actual hiking date—Ann made the reservations, my friend Jill agreed to go with me and in April, 1997 Jill and I were waiting in the Billings airport for our flight to Phoenix meeting my Mom (who was 60 years old at the time) and sister Ann. 

There was snow on about the first 1/2 mile of the trail—kind of scary being on such a slippery slope but we survived arriving at Phantom Ranch late in the afternoon.  Phantom Ranch has dorm style accommodations for hikers—girls in one, boys in another and no sharing even if you are married!!!  Food was provided family style at two different seatings and was delicious.  We spent two nights and hiked back out on the fourth day. 

Everything brought to Phantom Ranch—food, paper goods, linens, anything—is brought in by mule train.  All waste is taken out by mule train.  We were passed by several mule trains and had been told to stand on the uphill side and let them pass—all righty, go right on by Mr. Mule—it was just plain scary to watch how close those animals were walking on the edge of that trail high above the canyon floor.  Hiking down into the canyon gives you a whole different perspective than does the rim.  There are shorter hikes which can be done in a day giving you some of that vastness feeling. 

These are photos I took way back then in 1997:Top-002Ann, Mom, Jill and me with a really bad haircut!

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Top-004Phantom Ranch, a welcome sight after hiking 9 miles!

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In May, 2000 we all went again with more friends from Montana joining us.  Jeane and Gerda along with Jill came on this trip.  Mom and Ann once again joined us.  It was hot, very hot the day we hiked into the canyon—we ran out of water on the way down—if we ever do it again, we’ll go earlier in the year!!

 TopGerda in the lead, Jill, Jeane, Mom and Ann. 

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Those were trips of a lifetime, I felt such a sense of accomplishment and had so much fun with friends and family. 

5 comments:

  1. I can't even imagine hiking down to the bottom. But my Dad made the hike with my brother and his scout troop. Dad must have been about 52 or so and he was never an athletic person. But he made it down and then he had to go back up. Couldn't do it, just couldn't make it. So they had to send a mule down to get him. My brother sure does love telling that story.

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  2. nice trip down memory lane and the trail to the bottom of the grand canyon!!!

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  3. Beautiful photos - amazing! It would take a couple of days just to rest up for the climb back up the Grand Canyon - that must have been something!

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  4. Liked those photos of the hike. I won't have to lace up my hiking boots & head on down there now because I have your photos to look it. Wished I had done that a few years ago before my legs began giving me some problems. Are ya gonna go again??

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  5. That has to make you feel proud of such an accomplishment. Perhaps if I were blindfolded in spots, I could make the trip down. Can't even fathom how rough the trip back up would be. I suck air just in the Ozarks hills.

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