The Grand Canyon

We went  to the Grand Canyon yesterday and all I can say is WOW!  I have been there several times when I was in college but it still is an amazing sight and I can't imagine that ever changing.  It is about a two hour drive from where we are staying so we got an early start and since we were not going to hike any trails down into the canyon we brought Shadow with us. Pets are allowed along the rim but not on any of the trails down into the Canyon.  We did get a little side tracked when I got up to Flagstaff because of the snow.  We had to stop so I could take pictures, let Shadow run around and play in the snow and I could throw some snowballs.  We then continued the journey to the Grand Canyon.  There was snow at the Grand Canyon which I still think makes the Grand Canyon its prettiest.  The weather was cold  with temperatures ranging from 27 degrees to 35 degrees.  It did not feel that bad because the sun was warm and we managed to get out of the wind which made it a very pleasant day.  We walked the entire rim trail then did the desert drive to Desert Point just in time for sunset.  It was beautiful to watch and an added bonus for the day.  It was a fantastic day and I hope everyone, at one time, gets the opportunity to see the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon is a canyon  carved by the Colorado river. Most of the Grand Canyon is contained within the Grand Canyon National Park which is the 15th National park in the U.S.  The Grand Canyon is considered a Wonder of the Natural World.  The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6000 ft).  Scientists believe nearly 2 billion years ago the Colorado river and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted.  Their is some spectulation from scientists of the exact time frame and many are leaning towards 17 million years ago.  Either way, it was a long time ago!  For thousands of years this area has been inhabited by Native Americans who built settlements within and along the canyon.  The Pueblo people considered the Grand Canyon a holy site.  The first Europeans known to have viewed the Grand Canyon were from Spain around 1540.  American trappers came to the canyon as early as 1826.  In 1858 the first geologist visited the Grand Canyon and the first expedition down the Grand Canyon and the Colorado river was in 1869.  The Grand Canyon was made a National Monument in 1908 and a National Park in 1919 and attracts over 5 million visitors a year.
The weather varies at the Grand Canyon.  At the rim it can get snow and heat and the temperatures range to below zero to over 100 degrees.  At the bottom of the Canyon the weather is similar to the weather in Tucson, AZ and stays that way all year.  Have you ever wondered how many deaths have occurred at the Grand Canyon.  I know it is a little eerie but when you stand on the edge you can't help but wonder so here are the facts.  There have been about 600 deaths that have occurred since the 1870s and  the numbers broken down by the following;  53 deaths were falls, 65 were environmental causes, 7 were from  floods, 79 drownings, 242 from airplane or helicopter crashes, 25 were freak accidents, 48 committed suicide and there were 23 homicides.  Like I said when you stand on the edge or slip on a rock while walking near the edge you think about this stuff!
When we got to the Grand Caynon and went to take a look at our first lookout point the beauty we saw was amazing but the wind was blowing hard and we nearly froze.  My hands went numb in a matter of minutes, I know there is a thing called gloves, but I did not have any...I am from Florida!  Tim and I were both thinking this is going to be a tough day but as we continued along the rim trail we got out of the wind and the rest of the day was great.  It did turn cold after the sunset but that was also the end of our time at the Grand Canyon so we did not really care.  I took over 300 pictures and so I am going to have two slideshows.  I was able to complete one last night and will post it.  The second one will be posted later today so check  back see some incredible sights.  The camera cannot do justice to what you see yourself but it is still worth a look!  What a wonderful day!