This adventure begins with a drive from Grand Canyon Village to Phoenix, Arizona, to pick up my little sister Emma. My wife Jessica had gone to El Paso, Texas, to pick up a wedding dress, and we had failed to coordinate dates properly and ended up not being able to be in the same place this weekend.  After I saw Jess off to El Paso, I started my drive the next day to Phoenix, Arizona.  I stopped in Flagstaff to pick up Jess a Sun Hoodie from Babbits Backcountry Outfitters and then I was off.  I did not have a plan for where I would spend the night near Lost Dutchman State Park because Emma’s flight was not landing until tomorrow.  I drove down past Lost Dutchmen State Park and Apache Junction Arizona.  I drove down to Canyon Lake and found a pull-off from which I could enjoy the beautiful view.  This would be my home for the night… I opened the back hatch of our new Jeep Cherokee and watched the sun finish going down.  My roadside camp was loud, with street racers driving by during the night.  I did, however,, get some sleep. 

The next morning I woke up and began my morning by enjoying the peacefulness of Canyon Lake.  Soon it started to rain… The sound of the water droplets takes attention away from everything else at that moment.   It was now time to head over to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, but first breakfast!  I stopped by a coffee shop that sold Waffles… I can’t seem to find the name of the place I went to.  I recall it was raining and this morning, desert rain is something so peaceful that one will never forget its calm.  I grabbed some more coffee at Sky Harbor International Airport’s Dunkin Donuts while waiting for Emma.  Soon, she came walking out of Arrivals, and soon we were off, driving back up the Coconino Plateau to Jess and I’s little home.  We stopped for Five Guys Burger and Fries and Flagstaff, and I showed Emma the little Chapel Jessica and I got married at, off Highway 180.  The next day we grabbed McDonalds for Breakfast and headed into the Canyon.  Down the South Kaibab Trail towards Tip-Off.  Over Cedar Ridge, we went to Tip-Off and then onto Tonto Trail East.  It was exciting to share a place that meant so much to me with my younger sister. Once on Tonto Trial East, it was not too long until we arrived at Cremation Canyon and Cremation Camp.  An area I had not yet been to within the Canyon.  The pair of us stopped for a rest break and shade beneath an overhanging boulder.  A rain swell danced across the Plateau just as we arrived at camp.  Being quick to set up camp to prevent the soaking of any gear.  We had our freeze-dried Dinner, and Emma used Jessica’s Mountain Hardware Puffy Jacket to keep warm and her MSR tent for shelter.  The original plan was to go to Phantom Ranch that evening but we decided to call it a bit of a calmer evening.  We climbed up an unnamed Butte behind camp to gain a different view of the Canyon.

We made our way back down for sunset.  Catching sunset just at the right time! 

The next morning the pair of us began our walk out of the Grand Canyon.  Both of us were shocked by its absolute beauty.  Like many places in the desert, a place that will captivate you with only a chapter of its story, a place that will inspire you to explore at every opportunity your entire life!

-Sky