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| VLA/Pie Town: | [Day 1] | Tue May 10 | Drive day | Drive day · 7 videos |
| [Day 2] | Wed May 11 | The Very Large Array and Pie Town, NM; on to Grand Canyon Village | The Very Large Array and Pie Town, NM; on to Grand Canyon Village · 38 videos | |
| Grand Canyon N.P. (South Rim): | [Day 3] | Thu May 12 | Grand Canyon South Rim | Grand Canyon South Rim · 16 videos |
| [Day 4] | Fri May 13 | South Kaibab hike | South Kaibab hike · 22 videos | |
| [Day 5] | Sat May 14 | Bright Angel hike to Indian Garden | Bright Angel hike to Indian Garden · 13 videos | |
| Grand Canyon N.P. (North Rim): | [Day 6] | Sun May 15 | To the North Rim; Bright Angel Point | To the North Rim; Bright Angel Point · 27 videos |
| [Day 7] | Mon May 16 | North Rim: Walhalla Plateau | North Rim: Walhalla Plateau · 27 videos | |
| Zion N.P.: | [Day 8] | Tue May 17 | To Zion; Observation Point hike | To Zion; Observation Point hike · 19 videos |
| [Day 9] | Wed May 18 | The Narrows | The Narrows · 12 videos | |
| [Day 10] | Thu May 19 | Angels Landing and Kolob Canyons | Angels Landing and Kolob Canyons · 21 videos | |
| Great Basin N.P.: | [Day 11] | Fri May 20 | To Great Basin National Park; Lehman Caves | To Great Basin National Park; Lehman Caves · 14 videos |
| [Day 12] | Sat May 21 | Bonneville Salt Flats and Great Basin | Bonneville Salt Flats and Great Basin · 9 videos | |
| Zion N.P. (II): | [Day 13] | Sun May 22 | Second visit to Zion, then on toward Bryce Canyon | Second visit to Zion, then on toward Bryce Canyon · 25 videos |
| Bryce Canyon N.P.: | [Day 14] | Mon May 23 | Bryce Canyon National Park | Bryce Canyon National Park · 29 videos |
| Arches N.P.: | [Day 15] | Tue May 24 | To Arches via Capitol Reef | To Arches via Capitol Reef · 22 videos |
| [Day 16] | Wed May 25 | Devils Garden and Delicate Arch | Devils Garden and Delicate Arch · 14 videos | |
| [Day 17] | Thu May 26 | Fiery Furnace and Dead Horse Point | Fiery Furnace and Dead Horse Point · 8 videos | |
| Canyonlands N.P.: | [Day 18] | Fri May 27 | Canyonlands: Island in the Sky and the Needles | Canyonlands: Island in the Sky and the Needles · 22 videos |
| Monument Valley/Mesa Verde N.P.: | [Day 19] | Sat May 28 | Monument Valley and Mesa Verde | Monument Valley and Mesa Verde · 16 videos |
| Great Sand Dunes N.P.: | [Day 20] | Sun May 29 | Great Sand Dunes: Star Dune hike | Great Sand Dunes: Star Dune hike · 11 videos |
| [Day 21/22] | Mon May 30 | Great Sand Dunes backup day, then the drive east | Great Sand Dunes backup day, then the drive east · 4 videos | |
| Route Map: | [Route][all maps] | |||
| Day's Summary: South Kaibab hike. Overnight: Bright Angel Lodge. |
I'm starting early: 4:30AM local time. Good description of much of the stuff that I've packed for the hike.
Remember, it's better to be overprepared than underprepared when going on a rough hike, especially at the Grand Canyon. Not preparing properly can result in injury or death.
At the trailhead of the South Kaibab, the hike begins. The plan was to hike to either Cedar Ridge @ 1.5 miles down or Skeleton Point @ 3 miles down. Obviously, double those numbers for round trips. I ended up only going down to Cedar Ridge and back, even though I mention in the video about a 6-mile hike.
I felt that after a nearly 16-mile hike to the Colorado River and back in 1999, and a 12-mile hike to Plateau Point and back in 2010 (both along Bright Angel), I didn't really have anything to prove to myself. No sense needlessly suffering. Just a wonderful hike in The House of Stone and Light!
Pretty certain (due to the rock arrangement and ability to see to the east) I'm at Ooh Aah Point along the South Kaibab Trail. Amazing view.
The South Kaibab offers less protection (shade) from the sun, there are no resthouses, and there's no water along the trail (unless you consider the END at Bright Angel Campground to be "along the trail"). I mention that I'm probably going to turn around at Cedar Ridge and make it a 3-mile hike instead of a 6-mile hike. I show O'Neill Butte at around 1:30.
If you're inexperienced, I strongly suggest hiking Bright Angel to the 1.5-mile resthouse or to the 3-mile resthouse and back up.
Shadows-a-plenty! I again mention shortening the hike.
It's not "Cedar Creek," obviously. I use my camera with a fold-out LCD screen so I can film myself to prove I was there! I also point out the partially-obstructed Plateau Point Trail around 0:44.
A good point I make about hikes to come: another reason I decided to keep it shorter is because I knew I would be visiting Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, etc., all with planned hikes. Didn't want an injury.
About my cameras, along this trip I actually used two cameras (with HD video capability): one small Canon without a zoom-while-videoing and one large Canon (SX20IS). I'm a huge fan of the Canon SX20IS, especially considering it allows AA batteries. To me, not having to worry about a lithium ion dying when taking lots of video is a benefit. Of course, a few lithium ion batteries would last for probably a whole day of filming.
Alone at Cedar Ridge. The sign at 0:12.
I show the path of South Kaibab around O'Neill Butte.
Looking out into the Canyon from Cedar Ridge.
A squirrel! (Sorry, not going to feed the wildlife.)
Zooming into the inner canyon and O'Neill Butte.
Looking back to Cedar Ridge as I begin the 1.5-mile ascent back to the South Rim's edge.
Another view of Cedar Ridge.
Seems as though the trail magically steepens on the way back up.
Continuing the ascent, stopping to film the Canyon.
Panorama of my position along the South Kaibab. I mention a jogger. You'd have to be in great shape to be JOGGING on a Grand Canyon Trail.
Great view of mules coming down the South Kaibab.
Near the top, stopping to look at my switchback accomplishments!
This video illustrates why you need to stay at the Bright Angel Lodge if you ever visit the Grand Canyon. It's all about the location. Pretty awesome, huh? Takes less than two minutes to get a view from the South Rim.
I'm not sure which rooms are nearer to the door, but imagine if you got a room near the door to the lodge! Less than a minute to walk to the rim, perhaps?!
There are two lodge buildings. The one directly across from mine as I walk out the door of the lodge is the Bucky Lodge. I'm at the Powell Lodge.
Charter buses bringing lots of tourists to one of America's greatest national parks!
Another breathtaking, "run-of-the-mill" view of the Canyon. The people on the left are viewing the Canyon from the Kolb Studio viewing area.
I know there are millions of visitors per year, but it didn't seem like it at night. It was serene and very relaxing. You can't really see much of the Canyon at night, as you can tell from this video.