2007 Grand Canyon Adventure :: Day 4
Today we hiked across the width of the canyon toward the base of the North Rim, on a trail that runs along side Bright Angel Creek.

We woke at 5:30am, broke down our camp and we were on the trail by 6:30 am. It was a warm, sunny day that was in the low 90's. The trail steadily rises in elevation from 2,400 ft. at Bright Angel to 4,000 ft. at Cottonwood, our final destination of the day. The steady incline combined with the heat made for a strenuous day of hiking. It is a beautiful trail, with an array of desert cactus, plants and wildlife that are nourished by the clear waters of the creek. Along the way lizards ran across the trail in front of us. Two hikers approaching from the opposite direction warned us of a rattlesnake by the side of the path ahead of us. Although we did not see it we could hear the distinctive defensive rattle of it's tail as we passed by. It is a sound that stays with you for a while.

We arrived at Cottonwood by 1pm, set up camp, and immediately afterward embarked on a side hike to Ribbon Falls. The falls are tucked away in a side canyon and are a spectacular symbol of life and movement on the floor of the canyon. Water falls from high above onto a cone shaped formation of mineral deposits that rise 30 feet into the air. The cone is covered in green moss and flowering plants and you can hike up behind the falls to watch the water cascade down onto the top of the cone formation. We climbed up to this location and sat for some time taking photographs and enjoying the view.

I have begun to see the deep sense of appreciation and wonder that Doug, Scott and Dave are developing for the canyon environment. When we are not hiking, which is an endeavor that you have to constantly keep your eyes on the trail ahead of you, they are looking and taking in the often surreal scenery within the canyon. They are often commenting on the beauty of the changing colors of the canyon, as the sun and clouds sweep overhead to create a living kaleidoscope against the red hued rock formations. Each of them has worked hard to raise money and awareness for this hike to support Believe In Tomorrow services. I was hoping that as a small reward for their efforts, the canyon would work its unique magic on each of them, and I believe that it is.

We left the waterfall and hiked the one and a half miles back to camp. Doug and I had brought fishing rods and were eager to try our luck on the trout that reside in Bright Angel Creek. The creek was about 75 yards from our campsite and we found several large pools to fish. Doug was using a fly and I was using kernels of corn. Within 30 minutes Doug caught two rainbow trout and I caught a brown trout. Doug is a very skilled hunter and fisherman and this was the first fresh water trout he ever caught, which made the moment a special celebration. We ate the trout that night for dinner along with rice and other foods we had carried with us. I have read that hiking the Grand Canyon from rim to rim expends the same energy equivalent as running one and a half marathons. What we are doing, by that scale, means that we are using the same energy as running three marathons. Each night so far we have made and consumed dinner with great enthusiasm, which at least in part, is a reflection of the difficulty of this hike. It was a wonderful night and the stars again filled the sky.

Tomorrow will be our hardest day as we climb to the top of the North Rim.

Day 5