Friday, May 19, 2017, Grand Canyon Sunset

Our reservation at the Krazy K in Camp Verde, AZ, was for a full month, but the time seemed to fly by. We saw some beautiful scenery and historic sites and took our first helicopter ride. There were many hikes that will have to wait for the next time we are in the area - and we will surely return. I will miss my new friend, Norman, who taught me a lot about HAM radio.

Our next stop in Williams, AZ, the Gateway to the Grand Canyon, was a short drive of 83.5 miles (82,032.6 total). We last visited the Grand Canyon in 1978, so we were very much looking forward to seeing it again. I knew today's drive was an uphill climb as we gained another 3,500 feet in elevation. We were surprised to see there was some snowfall that was still frozen in the shadows along the roadside.

Humphreys Peak is just 10 miles north of Flagstaff.  It stands at 12,635 feet.

When we arrived at the Canyon Motel and Campground, there were about four inches of snow on the hood of the truck below, but it was melting so quickly Joani's picture shows almost nothing at all.

The cabooses are converted into motel rooms!

We were settled into our new site early enough to spend the afternoon at the Grand Canyon. Nothing looked the same after 39 years. I guess maybe that was to be expected. As we walked from the parking lot to the Visitor's Center, we passed several pretty docile elk. They were not bothered by Sam and he had absolutely no interest in them.

The elk were very at home around the Grand Canyon village (no bulls, just cows).  They were very near the paths and walkways.  Tourists feeding the elk can bring on a tragic result, but everyone seemed to leave them alone.

4:40pm

No matter how many times you look at the Grand Canyon, it will look slightly different depending upon the play of sunlight and shadows.

4:47pm

6:01pm

6:11pm

The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, about a mile deep, and averages ten miles wide.

6:12pm

6:15pm

Joani has been digging up interesting facts about the canyon: Geologists believe that the canyon, created by the Colorado River, is only about 6 million years old. The oldest Grand Canyon rock (mostly sedimentary), found at the bottom of the canyon, is 1.84 billion years old. The youngest rock layer, the rimrock of the canyon, is 270 million years old. Because the canyon's rims are convoluted, there are about ten times as many rim miles (2,700 miles) as river miles (277 miles).

6:37pm

In 1963, Lake Powell began backing up behind Glen Canyon Dam, just upstream of the Grand Canyon. The dam holds back the Colorado River's canyon-carving power. Still, 128,040 gallons per second surges through the inner Gorge during normal dam operations. About 1,000 cubic miles of rock were carried away by the Colorado River to create the Grand Canyon. The Colorado River drops about 2,000 feet, mostly in the rapids, as it twists its way through the Grand Canyon. There are over 100 named rapids on the river.


The suspension Bridge below, barely visible from the rim, spans 440 feet carrying hikers and mules 70 feet above the river to nearby Phantom Ranch.

6:49pm

I have maximized my camera's zoom capabilities for this shot.  I could not see the footbridge with just my eyes.

6:51pm

6:54pm

I love the indigo shadows the atmosphere creates in the canyon.  We are already planning a return visit at a different time of year so we can experience varied conditions.  I want to see this covered in snow!

7:07pm

7:34pm

Sunset was to be at 7:31 on May the 19th.  I think my camera's clock is a little off.

7:35pm

The sun was behind the horizon, but it was still playing with the clouds.  What a way to end the day!