Yes we did go down this 9 mile trail for a couple of miles... Just to get a taste how it feels like, descending the steep, around 15% incline, narrow path.
Tuesday, September 2nd we're on the Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon...
Yes... Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon - America’s Most Dangerous Hikes ←click it.
We are aware of this dangerous hike, so we only did stay for about 2 hours on the trail; that is down and the hardest part, climbing back up!
Starting at 6,840 ft or 2,085 m and soon you will see the Upper Tunnel, mentioned at the top.
You can find the above info in Grand Canyon National Park's Pdf on pages 13 and 14, just click the pink link.
Here we both look down onto other hikers, passing through the Upper Tunnel...
When mules pass, stand to the inside of trail and follow mule guides instructions...
We were lucky as no mule passed!
Now it's me, reaching the Upper Tunnel.
The trail is wide open, into the depth that is...
Pieter, standing next to the same rocks that he did capture on camera in the previous photo.
13 minutes later I took this photo of Pieter with the Nikon, a sign just before some steep hair-pin bends!
Do you see the trail ahead of us?
Look at that line in the center of the photo...
Here again you can see the trail in the center of this photo, taken two minutes later...
Pieter ahead on the trail, looking at the vast view of the Grand Canyon.
Different behind each bend we take, winding down to the bottom where the Colorado river runs.
Three minutes later, Pieter gave up and sat down but I wanted to still see what's around the next bend!
Pieter argued that our way back up would even be harder!!!
Six minutes into my solo descend I saw this...
Tempting to go on...
In Every Walk With Nature One Receives Far More Than He Seeks ~ John Muir...
We were lucky as no mule passed!
Look at that line in the center of the photo...
Different behind each bend we take, winding down to the bottom where the Colorado river runs.
Pieter argued that our way back up would even be harder!!!
In Every Walk With Nature One Receives Far More Than He Seeks ~ John Muir...
A perfect quote!
Do you see the two red ◄? That's where I somewhere left Pieter behind and you can see people on the trail...
Both of us went back up and it was good we had plenty of water in our small back packs and also some salty snacks.
We did rest at Bright Angel Lodge, with a coffee and snack, before we walked back to our Maswik Lodge where Pieter took his well earned nap!
Related links:
Grand Canyon Bright Angel Trail 360 panorama view from the bottom up; select 8x speed...
BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL - History info and photo showing steep switchbacks further down...
{Grand Canyon South Rim Motorcoach Tour} | previous post by me
{Riding the Grand Canyon Railway} | previous post by me
{1881 Williams, Arizona - Gateway to Grand Canyon & Wild West} | previous post by me
What an amazing trip, I so love this kind of excursions right into nature and mountains, of course, we have a few of the tallest. The pictures you just shared are out of this world magnificent dear Mariette!
ReplyDeleteYou and Pieter are in great shape, so keep it up my friend this way your health and hubby's is guaranteed! Thanks for your lovely visit, I love it when you do.
Have a terrific weekend ahead.
FABBY
Dearest Fabby,
DeleteThank you for your kind comment!
Both of us are really blessed for being able to do this and we thoroughly enjoyed our Arizona trip.
Wishing you a blessed weekend as well.
Hugs,
Mariette
Truly amazing scenery !!
ReplyDeleteDearest Helen,
DeleteIt was such an awesome sight and experience!
Hugs and happy weekend to you.
Mariette
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteich freue mich über deinen wunderschönen Post.
Alles Liebe
Elisabeth
Liebe Elisabeth,
DeleteDanke ich teile es gerne mit euch! Ein jeder sollte so etwas erleben können in wirklichkeit!
Liebe Grüsse und schönes Wochenende,
Mariette
so very pretty, but i do get a bit of 'heeby-jeebies' from such grand heights without glass or railings to protect. :)
ReplyDeleteDearest Theresa,
DeleteIt is very pretty but less so, if you do have problems with grand heights. Fortunately, none of us have any problem with such heights.
Hugs,
Mariette
OMG!!! It sure seems a challenge to enjoy the view. But I'm happy for you two to have such a WONDERFUL excursion, Dearest Mariette. The picture your husband standing with the camera worried me a bit p:-)
ReplyDeleteSending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend in America, xoxo Miyako*
Dearest Miyako,
DeleteWell, the trail is narrow that is for sure and luckily there were no mules passing us by! But it is quite an experience for going below the rim, if only part of the trail. So quiet and it is such an unreal sight this Grand Canyon.
Hugs and love,
Mariette
Just wonderful , dearest Mariette!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sight!
Happy weekend to you,
Love and hugs,
Claudia
Dearest Claudia,
DeleteThank you it was unbelievable and we enjoyed it.
Happy weekend to you as well.
Hugs,
Mariette
Ohhh wie schön liebe Mariette!
ReplyDeleteDie Welt hat wunderschöne Plätze. An manche Orte werde ich nie selber hinkommen, deshalb ist es um so schöner sie auf Bilder oder in Filmen anschauen zu dürfen.
Ein toller Ausflug habt ihr gemacht.
Herzlichst
Julia
Liebe Julia,
DeleteJa die Welt hat sicher wunderschöne Plätze und ich geniesse auch immer bei dir so sehr!
Es war en sehr gelungener und toller Ausflug.
Ganz liebe November-Wochenend Grüsse,
Mariette
Leuk dat jullie een trail hebben gelopen, dat zal wel warm geweest zijn.
ReplyDeleteBeste Marianne,
DeleteNee, warm is het zeker niet omdat Arizona een woestijnklimaat heeft met lage luchtvochtigheid en mensen vergeten ook dat des te hoger je in de bergen bent, op deze hoogte van rond de 2,000 m, het nooit warm is. We hebben veel water gedronken omdat je ook veel kwijt raakt en het kan er winderig zijn ook. Maar we liepen zéker niet de volle 9 mijl van die trail. Dan moet je warmer gekleed zijn want beneden in de schaduw is het zelfs koud en nat ook. En niet zonder risiko, deze trail is niet voor niets een van Amerika's meest gevaarlijke. En er zitten poema's, ratelslangen, elanden en er is in oktober ook een wolf gesignaleerd. Dus je moet wel weten wat je doet en je mag maar in één dag naar beneden, overnachten en weer terug. Ook is het overnachten niet ongevaarlijk omdat de machtige Colorado rivier plotseling kan overstromen. Jongelui met rugbepakking leken erg vermoeid bij hun klim naar boven. Ze klaagden over het slecht slapen vanwege het brullende geluid van de rivier... Dus ik vrees dat niemand ooit een 2de keer de hele afdaling maakt!
Maar het was een pracht ervaring voor de ruim 2 uur dat wij omlaag, en moeilijker, weer omhoog klommen!
Liefs,
Mariette
｡°°✿⊱｡
ReplyDeletePaisagem perigosa, mas grandiosa!
Imagino como é emocionante estar aí.
Bom fim de semana!
Beijinhos.°✿⊱
°｡.✿✿⊱
Dearest Inês,
DeleteWell, it is dangerous but if you know your limitations and are cautious, nothing will happen and we only were inside the rim for about two hours... Very exiting indeed!
Hugs and happy November weekend to you.
Mariette
danke, liebe Mariette, dass Du uns zu diesen wunderschönen Plätzen mitgenommen hast - herrliche Ausblicke - Sonnenschein und Wärme - toll!!
ReplyDeleteliebe Drosselgartengrüße zu Dir von Traudi
Liebe Traudi,
DeleteJa, nur kurz für etwa zwei Stunden waren wir in den Canyon. Es dauert aber noch viel länger wenn man ganz nach unten geht und am nächsten Tag zurück. Wir kennen unsere Grenzen! Es war eine tolle Erfahrung und ich liess euch auch gerne mit reinschauen in diese Welt.
Liebe Novembergrüsse,
Mariette
WOW-WOW!
ReplyDeleteThat is quite an experience indeed!
What marvelous views this canyon offers!
I wonder if one can find many animals there but it must be very complicated!!
Fabulous and interesting post, Mariette!
Enjoy your sunday!
Dearest Noushka,
DeleteIt was a great experience, for the little part we went down, only a couple of hours, back and forth. Well, there is lots of wildlife but for photography probably only possible all the way down near the river and that is not without any danger as there can be flash floods etc.
We sure enjoyed it!
Hugs and happy Sunday too.
Mariette
Dear Mariette,what a great experience to visit such a fantastic place!
ReplyDeleteThe scenery is so beautiful!!You both look so happy and enjoying your trip!
Thank you for sharing!!Have a lovely weekend!Hugs!
Dimi...
Dearest Dimi,
DeleteIt is one of the world's seven wonders they say and that is so true. One cannot get enough of its view! We enjoyed it thoroughly and are glad we were there for about 3 days. That leaves you with a pretty good impression!
Hugs and wishing you a lovely November weekend. We will adjust our clocks tonight.
Mariette
Wow, what an experience! I didn't go on a hike to any trails when I was in Grand Canyon, but I really want to in the future. The view must be extra beautiful when you were walking there. Sounds like really steep way to go down and come up! But I bet it was totally worth it :-)
ReplyDeleteDearest Tamago,
DeleteWe are very pleased with our choice to partly hike this Bright Angel Trail, going down; just to get the feeling how it is and especially, how it looks like! Unforgettable and the vastness amazes you.
Hugs and happy Sunday to you,
Mariette
The Grand Canyon is one of my very favorite places on earth, Mariette. Hats off to you and Pieter for daring that two-mile hike (and back UP!). We didn't do that when we went about fifteen years ago - our daughter was too young. She wanted to ride a helicopter....but her mother didn't want to! xo
ReplyDeleteDearest Stacy,
DeleteOh with little children one has to be so careful. On our Motorcoach tour and walking to all viewpoints, there were youngsters that really stepped outside of the fencing! Just to look cool and to draw attention - how stupid and dangerous. Each year there are several deaths in the Grand Canyon... We knew our limitations and didn't hike far and still enjoyed it. There is wildlife down below as well, one has to consider all the risks.
We didn't ride a helicopter... saw the special airport but skipped that part.
Hugs,
Mariette
En de reis gaat gewoon door ,en wij reizen gewoon mee ...
ReplyDeletemet die mooie fotos ..kijk uit na volgende foto's
ik denk dat het in het echt er nooit van komt ,dus laat me maar lekker meegnieten
met jullie ....een fijne zondag !!!!!
Lieve Nieneke,
DeleteJa, we nemen jullie gewoon mee; tòch?! Het is een hele belevenis en maar goed dat er foto's zijn om er nog iets van mee te kunnen nemen.
Ook een fijne zondag.
Liefs,
Mariette
Oh my goodness what amazing photos
ReplyDeleteDearest Jo-Anne,
DeleteWell that was such a once-in-a-lifetime trip and photos are a great tool for keeping the memories alive!
Hugs,
Mariettte
Wow! Very courageous of you, dear Mariette!! I can imagine how harder it is to climb back up!!!
ReplyDeleteBut this must be an unforgettable experience!!!! Well done!
I wish you a nice Sunday and a happy month of November!
Many hugs!
Dearest Marie-Anne,
DeleteYou are right about climbing up; that is very hard but going down too, as you need to put the breaks on, sort of. Most back packers, mainly young people, were also so exhausted when we met them. They asked if it would be the last switchback they saw. No, I told them, not quite... that probably did discourage them. Imagine having all that weight on your back too! Bet none of them will ever do those 9 miles down and next day up again...
Hugs and happy Sunday!
Mariette
Lieve Mariette,
ReplyDeleteOp de foto's ziet het er allemaal al zó groots uit, dan zal het in het echt nog veel mooier en indrukwekkender geweest zijn.
Bravo dat jullie een heel eind gelopen hebben,ik doe het je niet na met mijn pijnlijke en versleten knieën.
Fijne zondag en lieve groet,
Ger
Lieve Ger,
DeleteJa, het is echt enorm diep en wijds... niet echt op foto te vangen.
We genoten er van en hebben ook niet téveel gedaan. Petje af voor Pieter dat hij dit kan, vier jaar na zijn open hart operatie met 4 omleidingen!
Ja, met probleem knieën lukt zoiets echt niet... Daar hebben we beiden gelukkig geen last van.
Liefs en fijne gezellige zondag met jullie vrienden!
Mariette
Prachtig Mariette, heel indrukwekkend lijkt mij.
ReplyDeleteFijne zondag, lieve groet
Beste Willy,
DeleteJa nou, dát was heel indrukwekkend!
Liefs en ook een fijne zondag.
Mariette
Dearest Mariette,
ReplyDeleteWe've all seen photos of Grand Canyon, but yours give a feeling of a personal connection to the place.
Thank you.........*s*
Dearest Suzi,
DeleteThank you, we tried to capture some reality there and preserve it as a photo... Never easy with such a grand place but we did our very best!
Hugs and happy Sunday to you,
Mariette
Dear Mariette! You are so brave... Amazing post! Hugs, Manuela
ReplyDeleteDearest Manuela,
DeleteThank you and glad you enjoyed it but I'm not that brave, just very fortunate for never having had any problems with my feet or knees. LOVE to walk, or hike!
Hugs,
Mariette
Hoi Mariette,
ReplyDeleteWat een waanzinnig mooi gebied. Geweldig om dat daar zo met eigen ogen te aanschouwen.
Ik denk dat je daar tijd te kort komt om alles te kunnen fotograferen. Geweldig!!
Groetjes, Marco
Beste Marco,
DeleteJa, we hebben hier dan ook eigenlijk 3 dagen besteed en het is inderdaad nóg niet genoeg... Maar we genoten er ontzettend van.
Lieve groetjes,
Mariette
Dear Mariette,
ReplyDeleteThank you for showing us this beautiful lodge, inside and out. I love the china and the rustic atmosphere. The views are incredible! Beautiful hike you also took us on, but I can see why Pieter might have to take a break in the shade as the hike looks very steep. So tempting to go forward, but easy to go downhill, not so much on the way back!
Hugs xo
Karen
Dearest Karen,
DeleteWe both enjoyed the previous day's lunch on the El Tovar's porch with view of the Grand Canyon and also our dinner on the last evening. Even if we couldn't stay there, we were still allowed to dine there; all on the same bill of the Grand Canyon National Park Lodges!
You are so right for the downhill hiking being so tempting... But Pieter was so right!
Hugs,
Mariette
First time I've been able to leave a comment. Enjoying your posts about your travels, Mariette.
ReplyDeleteDearest Sarah,
DeleteStrange, as I too cannot reply in Google Chrome, have to open in Windows Explorer... Blogger is tricky at times for whatever reason.
Glad you got to follow along our travels.
Hugs,
Mariette