GAINING PERSPECTIVE

 GAINING PERSPECTIVE

During my fall break I had an amazing opportunity to join my friend and his uncle for a backpacking trip into the Grand Canyon.  I have always enjoyed the outdoors, hiking, and exploring national parks, but this was an experience like nothing else.

Living here in flat central Illinois, there wasn't a lot of opportunities for me to actively train for traversing the Grand Canyon, but I tried to make the most of walking around when I could, carrying my golf bag when I would play on the weekends and just trying to be generally active.

Our trek into the canyon was a 3 day affair.  On Monday we started at the South Rim and descended down the South Kaibab Trail to our destination for the evening, The Bright Angel Campground.  This leg of the trip was about 7 miles in length all downhill, with a decrease in elevation of 4,700 feet.  We had dinner at Phantom Ranch and slept under the stars.  Though it would not be a complete full moon until Wednesday, the moon was so bright it actually woke me up from my sleep a few times.

The second day of our trip we started our climb from the base of the canyon, crossed the Colorado River and then hiked about 4.5 miles towards the Havasupai Gardens Campground, with an increase in elevation of 1,320 feet.  Again, we slept under the stars and again, the nearly full moon woke me up as it traversed across the evening sky.

In the morning we set off to return to the top of the South Rim up the Bright Angel Trail.  This last day was our most challenging hike:  4.9 miles with an increase in elevation of 3,060 feet.  It was tough, but we survived.

What does one take away after hiking into and out of the Grand Canyon?  Lots of things.  For me specifically, I would say:

1. I was reminded of how small I am.

2. I realized how insignificant my problems are.

3. I reconnected with my passion to explore unknown areas.

4. I confirmed my love of documenting my journeys through photos and videos.

5. I realized how much fun trips and experiences are when you can share them with friends.



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