This story is unique like all of them.  As every adventure is beautiful in its own regard!  Jessica and I’s friends Justin came down from Idaho to enjoy the Grand Canyon National Park backcountry.  The initial plan was for the three of us to explore Cedar Mountain… A summit near the East Side of Grand Canyon South Rim.  Once a climber is on the summit he or she is rewarded with over a mile of mountain top goodness!  Views reach all the way to Cape Solitude and the Palisades of the Desert.  Looking the other way one can see the Navajo Flatlands and out onwards.  Looking back the way you came, Desert View Watch Tower is visible high on the Canyons Walls.

Jessica was originally going to come with us but unfortunately did not feel good and stayed home while Justin and I headed up the Mountain.  The route takes Cedar Mountain Road from just behind the NPS Housing area.  The buildings here are residential and not to be ventured around by tourists.  Cedar Mountain Road is on and off again rough.  I would not take a private vehicle past the pull-off right after the water plant on the right.  Once here hikers will walk approx four miles down Cedar Mountain Road to the junction of Cape Solitude Trail and Cedar Mountain Road.  From this Junction, hikers should hang right and continue on Cedar Mountain Road. 

After we continued for what I would like to say was a half mile or so… You will come face to face with Cedar Mountain.  This is where cross-country travel begins.  Continue slightly, directing travel just to the left of the middle of the Ridge you see ahead of you.  The scramble itself is no more than V2 but could become more technical if one decides to push to the far left or right of the line we climbed.  The summit was windy that day and we spent a lot of time looking for a camp that day. 

Once Justin and I made camp for the night near the West side of the Summit, we went out to explore. The top of Cedar Mountain stretches over a mile in distance. Most of it is wooded and not exposed to the elements. We found a rocky outcrop near the North Side of the Summit and photographed the sunset here as well as at camp. Once night came, we were in awe of the stars. The Big Dipper Constellation sitting right on the horizon line (the South Rim of the Grand Canyon! A position in the sky I had never seen before for this constellation. This unique grouping of stars holds a special place in my heart also because from the time Jess and I were dating and working in Rocky Mountain National Park, I almost always would see the Big Dipper when talking to her on the phone. It seemed symbolic and meaningful as my wife was not able to join Justin and me on this trip. The next morning Justin and I packed up our camp and headed back to the Jeep that awaited us miles back. We were left with a a since of awe, for this area is special…. nothing quite can explain the intimacy one feels when exploring the Desert Wilderness’s of Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico. Once we made it back to my Jeep we drove back home. Soon Jess and I would convien with Justin at “We Cook Pizza and Pasta” in Tusayan Arizona. The town right outside ther South Enterance. Jess would get to know Justin more and we had a beautiful time talking memories and experiances.

-Sky