Following are pictures of a trip to the Grand Canyon from 10-12 November, 2001. The trip was organized by Don Knowles and family members. Tye and Mark Williams tagged along.
Claudia worried about us going.
Looking from the South Rim down Bright Angel trail towards the Grand Canyon.
Tye playing aerobie in front of the El Tovar.
The cast of characters:
FIRST ROW: Tye, Meg, Mark, Ally, and Chris.
SECOND ROW: Brady, Mandy, Don, and Sydney.
John is in the back.
On the steps of the El Tovar Saturday morning
before starting the hike down to the Colorado River
and the Phantom Ranch.
Getting started: at the South Kaibab trailhead. Weather was great the whole trip; warm during the day (70's) and crisp (50's) at night.
Tye just down from the start of the trail; Kaibab limestone in the background.
Don't look down!. Switchbacks going down the Coconino Sandstone. Brady in the florescent yellow shorts.
Brady, which rock formation is this?
Tye with the Coconino Limestone behind him. The Coconino Limestone forms a "bathtub ring" around the Grand Canyon.
Meg and Mandy in front of what rock formation?
Down about a 1,000' below the South Rim on the South Kaibab trail, looking north towards the Colorado River. You can see our trail as it descends Cedar Ridge.
Intrepid explorers Brady and Tye following in John Wesley Powell's footsteps.
John Knowles studying the map at the Cedar Ridge rest stop.
Brady tossing the aerobie towards Tye right before konking an unsuspecting and probably foreign tourist on the head with the aerobie. Brady said the wind caught the aerobie. Moreover, the tourist "leaned" into the aerobie to make sure it hit him in the head.
Closeup of our descent trail down the South Kaibab trail.
Chris and his daughter Syd.
Coming up the South Kaibab trail the easy way. Ride a mule, walk like a mule.
Knowled family taking a breather. Where's the bathroom?
Which is older, the Century plants or Syd's dad?
Ally with the Colorado River in the background, just to her left.
Rest stop and sock change at the intersection of the South Kaibab trail and the Tonto Trail, a place called the Tip-off. Everyone's a little sore but in great spirits.
Getting close to the Colorado River. We have just hiked below the Bright Angle shale and are on the rocks that make the great unconformaty, just above the Vishnu Schist.
Lunch on the only shady spot, just above the start of the Vishnu Schist.
Looking down towards the "Black Bridge" over the Colorado River.
Syd and Chris with the Colorado River in the background.
Our first view of Phantom Ranch!
Don with a famous "temple" in the background.
Starting down the Vishnu Schist towards the Colorado. Our last pitch before we can rest our aching bones.
Confluence of Bright Angel creek and the Colorado River.
Funky picture. Right at the sun/shadow line, directly above the lead hiker, is a big-horn sheep.
Close-up of the bighorn sheep.
Knowles family crossing the black bridge over the Colorado River. Note the gaging station in the background.
Close-up of the gaging station. No, its not an Anasazi ruin.
A view of the black bridge over the Colorado River from the Phantom Ranch side. The picture was taken at the site of Anasazi ruins.
Next day, headed up the north Kaibab trail towards the North Rim. We hope to make it 6 miles to Ribbon falls.
Yes, the picture is right-side-up. At the ranger talk the night before, Ranger Allison said that you should place your legs above your head at rest stops to "rejuvenate" your legs, as in: Lactic acid, what a long strange trip its been.
Mandy leading the way with Meg and Chris right behind here.
Brady and Tye trying a new technique to reduce lactic acid buildup in their legs.
Sydney and Meg along Bright Angel Creek.
The Knowles brothers, John, Chris, and Don, in front of Ribbon Falls. They are standing in order of age and intelligence.
Someone sneaked in a picture of Mark.
Tye and Brady in front of Ribbon falls.
Close up of Ribbon Falls. There is a trail that goes behind the falls. Quite cool.
Eating lunch behind the falls.
Trying to show the falls hitting the top of the green tower. Didn't come out too well.
Don taking a shower at the top of the green tower.
Tye taking a shower at the top of the green tower.
Getting ready to hike out the next morning before dawn. Can you say "no fair". Tye, Chris, and Brady.
Cheery, early-morning hikers who can't wait to get walking on the way out: Don, Ally, Meg and Mandy.
Ready for the pre-dawn assault on the Bright Angel trail back to the south rim. The picture was taken on the steps of the dining hall at the Phantom Ranch.
Brady and Tye at the half-way point on the way back up. They made it from Phantom Ranch to Indian Springs, 4.5 miles, in one and a half hours. Truckin!
Tye out of gas, about a mile below the summit. You go through a cool tunnel here.
Hurts so good!