National Parks

Grand Canyon Railway: 2 trips in 1

April 13, 2009 by Shelli

The Grand Canyon Railway claims its customers get to enjoy two trips when they ride the historic train to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim: a trip to the Grand Canyon and a trip into the past.

It’s an accurate claim, and what a spectacular adventure!

Our family just returned from a Spring Break vacation that included 3 days in the Grand Canyon region. On our middle day we enjoyed the Grand Canyon Railway. We showed up at the Depot in Williams, AZ, located about 50 miles south of the South Rim, at 9:30 am. From there we got our tickets and then walked about 25 yards to the corral where we watched a great Old West gunfight skit and reenactment. It was really entertaining. Our three young sons loved it and we got some laughs at the great actors. My parents were along and also enjoyed the show.

We boarded the train at 10:20. We rode Budd Coach for our trip to the South Rim. Coach is the most economic option. There are four classes: Coach, First Class, First Class-Dome (“Observation Dome”) and Parlor (Luxury) Class. Coach, although the most economical of the classes, was still wonderful.

Seating was comfortable and entertainment was provided. We enjoyed interacting with one of the gunfighters in the Old West Show, as well as some great guitar music and singing.

The cars are historic and the train ride truly brings the Old West to life. It’s a great way to sit back and have a cultural experience that is also a lot of fun, and where someone else is doing the driving.

Around 12:45 the train delivered us to the Depot on the South Rim, near the historic El Tovar Hotel, where we walked about 50 yards to a free shuttle that took us to Maswik Lodge, where our group of 7 enjoyed a great cafeteria-style lunch where there was something for everyone. After that we walked a little ways to catch the Red Route/Hermits Rest shuttle system.

At Trailview Overlook during our train layover.

From there we took in great views of the Grand Canyon at Trailview, Hopi Point and Powell Point before heading back to catch the 4:30 return train.

Jerry, the kids and parents wait board the return train.

We moved up to First Class for our return trip.

For the return trip we had upgraded to First Class. Now that was extra comfy. Comfortable bucket seats and snacks and beverages were enjoyed. But regardless of what Class you’re sitting in, the return is packed full of entertainment.

For starters, we got robbed!

We were riding along visiting and enjoying the snacks and scenery when all of a sudden our young boys noticed a train robber/bandit on a horse racing right outside our train window. Wow, now that was exciting. Suddenly everyone got alert as our PSA informed us of how to protect our money and what to do if they overtook our train.

Five days later, our boys are still talking about the train robbery! It was a hoot to say the least.

In between all the excitement I had special press privileges to tour the Parlor/Luxury class sections of the train. Parlor Class has restaurant-type seating…comfy and roomy seating with tables, and lots of windows. Also, very importantly, if you’re riding in Parlor Class, you can enjoy the back outdoor deck. I was able to stand out back and listen and watch as the train took us down the tracks. It was very exciting! Champagne was another benefit, which I reaped when I was touring the back.

It was an adventure our family won’t soon forget, and it added to our Grand Canyon vacation experience. For our adventure, we took the 10:30 train, arrived to Grand Canyon at 12:45, enjoyed lunch and the free shuttles to major overlooks on the Red Route, including Trailview Overlook, Hopi Point and Powell Point before boarding the return train at 4:20 pm. It was just right for our family.

However, Grand Canyon Railway also offers packages that are very reasonably-priced and probably are the best package and value. For example, you can spend the first night in Williams at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, then board the train the next day and spend that night at a lodge on the South Rim of Grand Canyon then return the following day. There are all kinds of packages available and we’d highly recommend any of them. Go to TheTrain.com for more information.

Here’s a little video production that covers the adventure:

Hiking in & out of Grand Canyon in Same Day

April 12, 2009 by Shelli

The first sign is right at the start of the South Kaibab Trail: WARNING: Do not attempt to hike to the bottom of the Canyon and back in a single day. The signs are numerous, and for good reason.

We had seen them all before, though, 10 years earlier when we had embarked down the trail, and despite their warnings, had survived to tell about it.

You see, my parents had agreed to meet up with us for the Grand Canyon part of our Spring Break. They rented an RV for the first time and the plan was they’d watch our boys on Tuesday, April 7, while Jerry and I attempted to hike the South Kaibab Trail to the Colorado River and Phantom Ranch (at the Grand Canyon’s bottom) and back out via the Bright Angel Trail. We were pretty certain that we were not in as good of condition as we were the last time we did this. After all that was before we had kids and during a time when we were training for our first 50k trail run. Still, given the fact my parents would be there to watch the boys, we couldn’t resist the opportunity.

Warning: Do Not Attempt to Hike to Colorado River and Back in One Day.

My dad was a trooper and awoke with us at dark thirty to drive us to the Bright Angel Lodge where we’d take the first hiker shuttle of the day, set to pick us up at 6 am. We’re early risers so this wasn’t a big deal. In fact it felt like sleeping in for us.

In the dark we swigged coffee while riding the shuttle to the trailhead.

It was beautiful out. The almost-full moon was still visible, and as we started down the trail in front of a few other hikers, I could tell it was going to be an epic day.

The biggest challenge about this hike isn’t the distance, although it’s long for a day hike. Certainly the elevation gain and loss is a huge challenge. We would descend 4,700 feet, and ascend 4,700 feet, all in a single day. Still, the elevation gain and loss is not the hardest part.

The problem with this hike is you go down, and then you go up.

I live in western Wyoming. Mountain country. Every hike I take heads up first, then down. I’ve grown accustomed to working first then getting the reward. Hiking up in the morning, down in the afternoon.

Hiking to the depths of the Grand Canyon and out is the exact opposite. I know: Duh, it’s a canyon, not to mention a big, deep one. But it’s important to mention this because if you do this single day endeavor, there’s almost no way to avoid walking up hill during the heat of the day and on tired legs.

Here are a couple of short videos that show some of the trail:

So, while hiking down the South Kaibab Trail at a fast clip we were very much aware that what goes down certainly must go up. The South Kaibab Trail begins near Yaki Point on Desert View Drive. The first mile takes hikers down more than 1,000 feet and 1.5 miles to Cedar Ridge, where great views surround you, and a bathroom is available. The next 1.5 miles drops another 1,000 feet to Skeleton Point.

We took a gazillion photos and video clips on the way down and made some brief stops to let mules pass, as well as to strip layers as it became warmer as the sun rose and we dropped to lower elevations. In a little over three hours we were crossing the Black Bridge across the Colorado River, at 2,400 feet elevation. In all, we dropped about 4,600 feet on the South Kaibab Trail.

At that point all we could think of was the Snickers bar and lemonade that awaited each of us at the Phantom Ranch Canteen. But it was about another half mile or so before we could reap that reward. The Snickers and lemonade met our expectations and before we knew it we were back on the trail by 10:30 am.

We stopped on Silver Bridge to watch the huge volume of water rush by below us and to watch a few groups of rafters navigate their way down the green Colorado River. Boy, that looked refreshing. (Note to self: Figure out how to experience a rafting trip without having to wait a decade)

Bright Angel Trail is the most heavily-used trail on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
The bottom of the Bright Angel Trail starts out as a mellow trail that parallels the river for a mile or two before changing its mood and rising more steeply. Still, for the first half of it’s 9.6-mile distance from Phantom Ranch, it’s a pretty reasonable grade.

About halfway up, near Indian Gardens, it gets a personality that’s wicked and unfriendly if not downright mean. After Indian Garden, it becomes a stairmaster for five miles. (If you must know, you still have 3,000 feet of vertical to hike up â€“ in just 4.6 miles)

Probably the cruelest part of the trail is when you reach the “3 mile house.” At this point you can see the teeny, teeny people standing on the Trailview Overlook waaaaayyy up above you and you are reminded in an “in your face” way the vertical distance you still have to travel. (Again, if you must know, there are still 2,000 feet of vertical to hike up.) It’s no accident â€“ or joke â€“ that there is a 911 call box on the side of the trail at this point.

The last three miles up Bright Angel are truly a course in character (and calf muscle!) building. Unless you hiked down in the wee early morning hours of the day and you’re a rapid hiker, you’ll be hiking this vertically-oriented section of Bright Angel in broad daylight and under the heat of the sun. Fortunately there is some reprieve from the sun against the rock walls.

And try as you might, you can see that there is clearly no other way up/out. It’s humbling to say the least. The sun was in full, not a cloud in the sky and we had hours and miles on our feet. We weren’t skipping anymore, and the smiles on our faces in the photos we snapped probably weren’t natural, if you get my drift.

Here’s a sampling:

The trail switches for a long distance, and of course you can see the switchbacks, which are not friendly ones. They are steep and seemingly never-ending. The scale of the Canyon’s rim towering over the trail is enormous. Hikers resemble ants, with their day packs or backpacks upon them, and appearing to be moving at a snail’s pace in a march up the mountain. A death march perhaps?

People hiking up at this point in the trail, regardless of where they’ve come from or how many miles are on their legs for the day, seldom say much. On the other hand, hikers descending the trail are giddy and skipping and seemingly oblivious to how the return trip is going to treat them.

Finally, we made it to the top. It took us a little over 9 hours. That includes several very short stops, mostly to take photos or to capture videos.

We don’t recommend this single day hike for people who are not used to hiking up and down mountains or for those who can’t take the heat. I would never recommend this during the summer, and in fact wonder how anyone could do it, or better yet, why anyone would choose to.

All that said, this hike remains one of our favorites. It’s a huge accomplishment to think at the end of the day that we started at the top and walked on our own two feet all the way down, across the Colorado and back up. Certainly it was a physical accomplishment, but also a mental one.

The Grand Canyon is one of the most studied geological landscapes in the world. It offers a record of three of the four eras of geological time. To walk down into and through this exposed and massive land erosion is quite the unique experience. I felt tiny and insignificant in the spectrum of time as I took in the great abyss that surrounded us.

To be sure, the aforementioned hike provides an interior view of the Grand Canyon that is unmatched.

Here is an 8-minute video that pretty much covers the entire hike:

Over Mountains to Mesa Verde National Park

April 6, 2009 by Shelli

On Day 2 of our Spring Break vacation, after driving through a blizzard, we headed south. We had hoped to travel from Ridgway State Park south over the “Million Dollar Highway” to Durango. My husband, Jerry, had been researching (freaking out about) the scenic drive for weeks if not months leading up to our trip. I so wanted to travel that stretch. I’ve heard how exposed it is and as a result, what a scenic road it is. Jerry had a little anxiety trouble when we traveled Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park a year ago so he was a little concerned about how it would go.

Lucky for him, the weather didn’t cooperate. The sign at the start of the route flashed “Caution Ahead” and advised no unnecessary travel. Well, damn, I thought. But it wasn’t worth risking our lives, and what the heck, Jerry’s birthday was the next day and he had deserved an alternative route.

With that, we took an alternative route that took us near Telluride and over the 10,222-foot-high Lizard Head Pass, which is beautiful drive in its own right.
Here’s a glimpse into the great views along that scenic stretch of road:

Soonafter, we arrived to warmer temps in Mesa Verde National Park, in southwestern Colorado.

About 1,400 years ago, long before Europeans explored North America, a group of people living in the Four Corners region chose Mesa Verde for their home. For more than 700 years they and their descendants lived and flourished here, eventually building elaborate stone communities in the sheltered alcoves of the canyon walls. It’s an amazing place.

Mesa Verde, which means green table in Spanish, became a national park in 1906 to preserve the archeological heritage of the Ancestral Puebloans, both atop the mesas and in the cliff dwellings below.

The sites in Mesa Verde are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States.

Once in the national park, we drove 15 miles to the Far View Visitor Center where we purchased tickets for the Ranger-led tour of Cliff Palace. ($3 each, and the only close-up view of Cliff Palace requires the Ranger’s presence)

Cliff Palace is Mesa Verde’s largest cliff dwelling. It has 150 rooms, plus an additional 75 open areas. Twenty-one of the rooms are kivas, and 25 to 30 rooms have residential features. The number of Ancestral Puebloans living in Cliff Palace at any one time was 100 to 120.

Our sons, ages 9, 7 and 2, loved the tour. When we asked what their favorite part of Cliff Palace was it was learning about the human remains that were found there, and also getting in and out of the cliff dwelling.

Climbing ladders to get out of Cliff Palace

To get there you descend sharply in tight and narrow passages between rocks. To leave you climb several ladders. It was a great adventure and a cultural experience.

Here’s a short video clip to give you a taste of the tour:

(Mesa Verde includes over 4,500 archeological sites, 600 of which are cliff dwellings.)

A Snowy Spring Break

April 5, 2009 by Shelli

Well, our grand plans for a “Spring” Spring Break vacation were dampened right from the start.

Our family’s plan was to go on a major road trip and camping adventure that would take us through 6 states in 7 days. Most of that would be in warmer, desert climes. Our destination was Grand Canyon, but this was a trip where truly the journey would be the trip.

But boy, was it ever not shaping up that way. It was looking like we may not even get on the road.

We barely got out of dodge (Lander, WY) on Friday late afternoon after Jerry, a teacher, and our boys got out of school. We left in a blizzard in hopes of covering at least half of our original Day 1 miles so that we might just make it to the yurt in Ridgway State Park on April 3, which would mark the official start of our adventure.

It took us 7 hours to travel 250 miles but finally we made it safe and sound to Craig, Colorado. Finally! Our ears were ringing with Are we there yet??

Needless to say we were all at wits end by the time we got there. It had been white knuckle winter driving conditions for Jerry, and we survived largely thanks to Apple (iPods) and a bottle. (No, not that kind of bottle, although it would have come in handy. : > I’m referring to a bottle of milk for our 2-year-old)

Arriving at the Best Western Deer Park Inn hit the spot. It’s a nice, clean hotel with a pool and free wireless. You can tell the owners take a lot of pride. Management was out helping people clear the snow off their cars in the morning.

We arose and traveled south to Ridgway State Park located about 28 miles south of Montrose, CO, where our first “yurt” experience awaited us.

It was awesome! Nestled in some pine trees and covered in snow was our warm, cozy and very affordable retreat from the winter conditions.

Inside was a gas stove, bunk beds and two king fold-out futon-type beds, a table and chairs, microwave and refrigerator. In addition, outside was our own picnic table, bench, fire pit and grill.

The boys had fun playing games and on the bunk beds, while Jerry cooked dinner outside in the falling snow and I curled up by the stove to start some leisure reading on the Kindle. (Pillars of the Earth, a 960-page treasure I was hoping to put a good dent in on the trip)

Night came and we all slept like babies as winter put a hush on our surroundings. We woke up to about 6 inches of fresh snow and headed south.

Here’s a clip of what the yurt looked like:

Next up: Mesa Verde National Park.

Grand Canyon or Bust: 6 states in 7 days

April 1, 2009 by Shelli

We are getting ready for quite a spring break adventure.
On April 4, our family will set out in our car, with tent and camping supplies in tow, to travel through parts of 6 states in 7 days.
It’s Grand Canyon or Bust. Or, perhaps The Wyoming Griswolds’ 6-State Roadtrip.

View Larger Map

Sure, Grand Canyon is our “destination”, but no question, the journey will be the trip.

We’re traveling south from our hometown of Lander, WY, to Baggs, WY, to Craig, Grand Junction and Montrose, CO, ending Day 1 in a yurt at Ridgway State Park in southwestern Colorado. Lovers of national parks, we’ll make a quick side trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Day 2 will be the Million Dollar Highway to Durango. For the record we were going to bring our camper, but after my husband, Jerry, researched the Million Dollar Highway, our plan to camp in comfort was swiftly tossed out. (The scenic byway better be worth it!) He had what we think was an anxiety attack when we traveled Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park last fall. Despite his experience at climbing to top of 13,000-foot-high mountain peaks, driving above treeline makes him uncomfortable.

Day 2 will be exploring the ancient cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park. We’ll spend our second night in another yurt at Mancos State Park.

Day 3 will mark Jerry’s birthday, so as a present, we’ll find a shower hopefully in Cortez, NM, before we head to “Four Corners”, where we have to travel for purposes of standing where the states of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado connect.

Then, we’ll point our vehicle to Utah’s Goosenecks State Park, Monument Valley and to the South Rim of Grand Canyon where our true “camping” adventure starts.

We’ll meet up with my parents on our third evening, who are renting an RV for the first time.

On April 7, “mommom and poppop” will head to Flagstaff, etc., to explore and be tourists with our three sons while Jerry and I do the monster hike… down South Kaibab Trail starting at 6am, stop in at Phantom Ranch for brief Snickers indulgence, then return via Bright Angel Trail. Should be a 10- to 12-hour hike for us and we can’t wait. We did it once before in 1999 but that was before we had kids and I had all my media capture gadgets and a blog to post them to. This will be part of what we are calling our We Can Still Do This Tour.
funnycar
Day 5 will be a blast. We’ll go to Williams, AZ, and watch an Old West gun fight reenactment before boarding the Grand Canyon Railway to the South Rim. Living history, interpretation and great scenery are promised during the adventure. After 2 hours, we’ll be dropped off at the South Rim to spend 3 hours on our own touring and taking shuttles to all the “grand” overlooks before riding the train back “in higher style.”

On Day 6 we’ll head West with our sights on the Historic Route 66 and Hoover Dam, before surprising our young sons with a night at Trump Tower, complete with huge swimming pool and near the circus circus festivities. (This is where we change the name of the trip to “From Rock Towers to a Trump Tower”, or from many stars to (just) five stars.)

Day 7 we’ll head to Salt Lake City, one of our favorite cities in search of another great campsite, before heading home just in time for the traditional Easter Egg hunt at my parents.