Back in the Colorado sun.

A great day in the Rocky Mountain National Park!
Today I snowshoed to Lake Haiyaha, which means "big rocks" in Arapahoe.

Special Edition: South Rim

My trip to the Grand Canyon started with a visit to the beautiful South Rim. This shot is at an overlook at the Bright Angel Lodge. We had partly cloudy weather with occasional rain and snow. Being from Colorado this did not bother me in the slightest but kept the camp sites and attractions relatively “touron” free. For a day hike our group did the bright angel trail where we were pleased to see several California Condors and other wild life.

Special Edition: Supai Canyon

This is day two in a small slot of the Havasupai Canyon.Just a day prior we hiked 8 miles from the Hualapai Hilltop to our campsite above Mooney Falls. With a four day pack (~45 lbs) this hike is considered moderately difficult.
It starts off with steep switchbacks that wind down the hilltop for 1 ½ miles before entering the canyon drainage. There it gradually descents through the narrow canyon as you make your way to the Supai village. Along the way there were young Supai cowboys running pack mules up and down the canyon. These pack trains are not only the way the mail gets delivered but also most village supplies. For a small fee they will even lug you and your gear down there!(cheating) This one kid was running 25 horses up the rocky canyon with one hand on a rope and the other on his hat, grinning from ear to ear.

The village is full of life and smiles. People were tending gardens, caring for horses and maintaining trail ways. As we walked by the grade school, the children were at recess. They visited with parents, played volley ball and snacked before returning to class.The people of Supai appear to be living life happily, despite losing nearly 90% of their aboriginal land to the federal government in 1882 when the reservation was created.

This unique and beautiful section of the American landscape is enriched by these people. I am sure that my trip would not have been possible without them.

http://www.havasupaitribe.com

Special Edition: Supai Canyon

Mooney Falls

Special Edition: Supai Canyon

This is me falling back into the Havasu water falls.
You can see Cotton from the cotton-wood trees, at times it seemed like it was snowing. Crisp, crystal clear water and day time temperatures in the high 70’s resulted in pruned fingers and toes as we spend a whole day playing in the water!

As this water makes it’s way to the Colorado river it feeds a vibrant canyon. One section of this canyon is called Grape Vine Canyon. As its name indicates grape vines blanket the canyon floor and walls. The grape blossoms filled the entire canyon with a sweet fragrance. It seemed like something out of a story book.