North Rim of the Grand Canon

We've  had 3 nights in a campground at Jacob Lake which is about 45 miles from the North Rim Lodge of the Grand Canyon. We drove up to the North Rim yesterday for a lovely albeit wet day. 

We managed a hike before the rain started, and then sat in the beautiful lodge, and on the veranda when there was a pause in the rain, watching the clouds over the canyon. We also had dinner in the very fine dining room with a window table and a splendid view. This side of the canyon is not nearly as heavily impacted by tourism as the South Rim. So it is much more reminiscent of the casual elegance of days gone by. 

Gary had Buffalo steak for dinner. It was very good, he said. We didn't know that there is a small Bison herd in the Park, which we passed as we were driving in. 

Coming back from the park after dinner last night, at dusk, we passed through a very open area, about 10 miles of meadow. There were hundreds of deer there. Everywhere you looked. We followed 8 motorcycles as we drove through the waning light. The front rider was keeping good watch for animals on the road. We had the same experience on the South Rim except it was elk we had to watch for. Very happy to be following those motorcycles. 

Today we decided to drive back down the Kaibab Plateau (from 8000 ft at Jacob Lake to 3000 ft) to the Colorado River at Marble Canyon. A bridge was built there in 1929, considered an engineering marvel in its day, called Navajo Bridge. This bridge replaced an archaic ferry that was the only way across the river previously - Lees Ferry. 

Today the old bridge remains a National Historic Landmark, adjacent to the new bridge, which was built to resemble the old one. We walked across the old bridge and took a photo of the Colorado River below, which at this point has left the Glen Canyon Dam, and is winding its way to the Grand Canyon. 

Old bridge on the right

This spot is arguably the start of the Grand Canyon. 

Then we drove over to the Lees Ferry site, had lunch by the river, and walked around the historic remains of the buildings which housed the Mormon family who operated the ferry. 

The final item for the day was a drive over to the historic Jacob Lake Ranger Station which has been charmingly preserved. It was built in 1910 and must have been really isolated. 

Rim to Rim and Other Hikes at Grand Canyon

The two principal runners, Mark Specker and friend, Chase, successfully completed the 26 or more mile run from the North Rim to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon yesterday. The rest of us hiked various numbers of miles down Bright Angel and back. All 4 kids including Chip and Penelope, hiked out to the Indian Garden Plateau Point for a total of about 13+ miles. Kristi did a 6 mile out and back. Gary did the 10 mile out and back to Indian Garden and hiked and jogged back up with Mark. I did a mere 4 miles but that's what my knees were telling me. Here are two photos of the Finish Line. Thanks to Kristi, our intrepid photographer and organizer par excellence.

Our beautiful National Parks

IWe've been without cell service or Internet for at least 10 days. Way too much to try to catch up on for this blog. So I'll post a few photos of our time at Capitol Reef NP, Bryce Canyon NP, and Grand Staircase-Escalante Natl. Monument. Except for yesterday and today we had perfect weather. But it rained steadily and hard yesterday, filling all the washes with raging red water in this canyon country. We arrived at the Grand Canyon this afternoon. Now it is very windy and we expect it to drop to mid 30s tonight and maybe colder tomorrow night. 

Photos from Capitol Reef and the wonderful campground at Fruita. 

Gifford house, a pioneer home

Slot canyon

On the rough road of Cathedral Valley

A rock that looks like glass

Bryce Canyon

Grand Staircase Escalante

Grosvenor Arch, named for the founder of The National Geographic Society, and a distant cousin of Gary's. 

Another slot canyon we hiked (Cottonwood Canyon)

Cedar Breaks National Monument

CCC era visitor center

Road to Cedar Breaks. Aspen at peak of color. 

Aspen in a lava field

Logging truck near Cedar Breaks

Arches and Canyonlands

Two National Parks today. So lovely!

Arches

Canyonlands

Manti La Sal National Forest

Another supremely beautiful drive today - a circle trip a portion of which was in the Manti La Sal National Forest east of Moab, Utah. We also did a hike that afforded some wonderful views. I'll post some photos. 

We went to a wonderful concert tonight at a venue on the Colorado River, set at the base of the soaring red rock cliffs. It was part of the Moab Music Festival which we stumbled on as we were reading some brochures we collected. Bought the tickets online. We heard a jazz pianist, Renee Rosnes and her Quartet. Really great.

West Elk Loop

To say that our car driving trip today was spectacular is not quite superlative enough. On the recommendation of my brother, we drove the West Elk Loop out of Montrose, CO.  I took a photo of the loop map at one interpretive sign we saw.  Here it is:

This beautiful drive in the mountains of western Colorado is the circle in the middle of the map involving a drive going west on the north side of the canyon of the Gunnison River, and circling clockwise north to Crawford, Paonia and Somerset, and continuing on to the east toward Crested Butte, and then heading south to Gunnison and back west to Montrose. Not important to know the exact route, only that it is a circle drive around a wilderness area. 

I lost count, but I think we went over 7 passes, on paved and unpaved road. The sky was pure blue, not a cloud, and the fall colors at the higher elevations are showing. 

Going through Somerset was especially good because this is where my father grew up, in this small coal mining town. He finished his first eight grades there but then went to Delta High School down in the valley to the west where he boarded. My grandfather was a coal miner in Somerset, and quickly became the mine superintendent. We drove up the hill past the now closed mine to the Somerset Cemetery where we could look down on the town. 

Here are some more photos of the area

We continued our drive, and I will post a few photos taken along the way. 

We had intended to drive to Crested Butte, but about 6 miles before we got there, we were stopped by a nice young man, a flagger for a road construction crew, and were told that there was a serious road condition ahead involving a marsh area near the road. They were closing the road for two hours at a time, then opening it for 15 minutes to let traffic pass, then closing it again. We were told of another road, also unpaved, that we could take, also beautiful, if we didn't want to wait the 1 ½ hour for an open period. So we elected to take the alternate route, and it, too, was lovely. We just didn't get to Crested Butte. 

A totally fantastic day!