(This is the Grand Canyon group family letter)
Our latest adventure as recounted by a client journalist:
Hey guys, this is the other client T checking in with you all. This weekend, the clients were split into two smaller groups and sent on separate trips. My group was sent to the Grand Canyon. For some of us, this was the second time going to the Grand Canyon, but the experience was vastly different than before – we were blessed to see a side of the GC more true to its natural form.
On Sunday, we took a shuttle to the rim and began our descent down a trail called Grand View. Although the trail was difficult to traverse, it definitely lived up to its name. After the three mile hike, we reached Horseshoe Mesa, set up camp, and continued onto a short day hike. We attempted to reach the summit of a peak in close proximity to our campsite, but the final stretch of climbing was moderately treacherous, so we were unfortunately forced to stop short. Even though we failed to reach the final destination, we all had an enjoyable journey along the way.
The following day, we dropped down to a lower level of the Grand Canyon called the Tonto Plateau for a 6.5 mile day hike. With the blistering sun overhead, we traversed the rolling terrain and often hiked along a cliff that dropped straight to the bottom of the canyon. Although the plateau looked like a desolate landscape from above, a closer and more immersive inspection showed quite the opposite. Large cottonwoods, the occasional spring or creek, and flowers of beautiful red and blue hues could be found scattered across the landscape; we just had to take the time to stop and examine the beauty around us. At one point, a guide realized she had forgotten a bag at the previous place we had rested, so she ran back to retrieve it. While we waited, we had an AA meeting and kicked around a hackey sack in a dried up wash.
As we neared the end of the hike, we filled around 15 gallons of water and brought it all back to camp. Carrying that much water was a grueling process, but we prevailed. Finally, on Tuesday morning, we hiked back up the Grand View trail and made our way back home to Flagstaff.
The small groups combined with a gorgeous location provided a remarkably intimate experience that was unlike anything we have done so far. When exploring somewhere so profoundly massive and old, you begin to realize just how small you are in this world. In a place like the Grand Canyon, life’s petty annoyances suddenly seem so small and insignificant. We finally get a tiny glimpse of what true serenity is like.
That’s all for now folks! So, until next time,
The Other Client T
