Hiking the Grand Canyon

What a way to start the year. My brother, Duane, flew in from Seattle on New Years Eve and then we left on New Years Day for the Grand Canyon. On January 2, we went down the Bright Angel Trail and then stayed 2 nights at the bottom at Phantom ranch. We took the extra day to hike around and just enjoy it. It was so amazing. We hiked out on Monday, Jan 4. It was such a fantastic hike. There was snow down the canyon about 4 miles into the hike. The hike is about 9.8 miles long each way. I had envisioned it being so incredible hard but really, it wasn't that bad. The worst part of the hike was the last mile coming out.





The start of the hike. Here we go.

And we all made it out with no problems!!

One things I enjoy on adventures like this is the people we met along the way. We met 3 guys from Brooklyn, NY who were on a 23 day rafting trip down the Colorado on a raft they rented. They stopped at Phantom Ranch for the night. They had this crazed look about them that was like they were on the greatest adventure of their life.

There was a group of Amish from Pennsyvalia there. One couple had gotten married and the whole family was on the honeymoon. They took the train from PA and all hiked down. The ladies were in their skirts and bonnets and looked like they just came from church. They hiked out the same day we did.

There was a lady in the dorm that purposed to get drunk and hike out with a hangover. Stupid.

There was a brother/sister pair from Japan. Cute as can be and super energetic.

There was a husband and wife from Tucson with the wifes brother from Seattle. Now there were an interesting group......


For more photos click on this link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/donnaruthruff/HikingTheGrandCanyonJanuary2010?feat=directlink