Day 22: Touring the Grand Canyon North Rim

May 20, 2010

44F in the tent overnight, a bit warmer than last night. Got up at 6:30, but that would be 7:30 if Arizona observed Daylight Savings time. After breakfast I walked the 1.1 mile Transcept Trail which starts 50 feet from my tent. The trail follows the rim of a side canyon past the main campground to the lodge. I continued 0.4 miles past the lodge to Bright Angel Point which is the main overlook on the north rim. I took a few pictures, but it looks like the best views would be in the evening.

You can't see the Colorado river from any of the overlooks near the north rim lodge and campground. The north rim is 1000 feet higher than the south rim, but most of the north rim is set back farther from the river. The south rim has many overlooks with a partial river view.

Morning panorama at Bright Angel Point. The stitch software assembled it strangely.

Then back to the lodge to look around there. The main lodge building is actually quite small because it doesn't contain any guest accommodations. The guests stay in 114 cabins scattered throughout the forest, or in motel units 1/2 mile away. The accommodations are in a ponderosa pine forest near the rim, but only 4 cabins have a canyon view. I bet those cabins are booked years in advance.

The North Rim has many big ponderosa pines, but not many other types of trees.

The lodge building has many canyon views. The main public spaces are registration lobby, dining room, observation room, and a small auditorium. The lodge was completed in 1937, built on the stone foundation of a previous lodge that burned in 1932. I had a huge Navajo Taco for lunch at the dining room. I seldom get a meal I can't finish.

Observation Room in the Grand Canyon Lodge.

I bought a book at the lodge bookstore. Exploration of the Colorado River and its Canyons, by John Wesley Powell. It's the account of his scientific expeditions exploring the Colorado river canyons in the late 1800's.

There are basically no creeks or rivers on the Kaibab plateau, so at the lodge I asked where the water comes from. The water source for both the north and south rims is roaring springs, about halfway down the Bright Angel trail. It has to be pumped up 3000 feet to the north rim, and to get to the south rim the water is piped down to the Colorado river, across a footbridge, and pumped up 5000 feet.

After lunch I wandered around the area more and worked my way back to the campsite. I debated whether or not to bike to the other overlooks on the north rim. But getting to any of the other overlooks involves a 20-30 mile hilly ride. Another possibility is to walk partway down the Bright Angel trail. Laziness got the best of me and I spent the afternoon and early evening around the campground. I used the wireless Internet at the store, but mostly just rested in the shade. In the evening I walked back past the lodge to Bright Angel point. By then the sky was partly cloudy, so the sunset wasn't as bright and vivid as it had been last night.

I considered staying another day to see the remote overlooks or hike partway down the Bright Angel trail. But tomorrow's weather forecast calls for extremely strong winds from the southwest. I'm going northeast, so I want to take advantage of the tailwind.

In the evening another touring cyclist showed up at the hiker/biker camp. Matt is cycling from San Diego to New York. I didn't think about asking to take a picture of him.

Today was warmer than yesterday, with a high of 73F. It was sunny until about 6 PM. The evening was breezy but much warmer than yesterday evening. Great weather for 8100 feet elevation in May.

Distance: 0 mi.

Hiking: 7 mi. (11.2 km)

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