Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Grand Canyon

 

So, we tried to get to Toroweap overlook which offers a 3000 foot drop to the Colorado river so I felt we should see that view. Sadly, it’s down a 61 mile dirt road and as a slight shortcut we decided to take a country road. The sign at the head of it promised no maintenance but we pressed on and  6 miles of rutted, 6inch deep mud and a lot of barely controllable sliding we figured it best to turn around. I found a relatively firm area of surface and did a u-turn.

The road back was just as much of a pain and we had to keep the speed up lest we bog down and have to walk 5 miles for a tow, but we made it sooner or later and were very glad to be back on the blacktop. I did enjoy it a bit, I have to admit! So we carried on west and we happy to see that the actual road we’d been trying to find and its own entrance a few miles later.

This was in much better condition so we took it for about 30 miles and started to feel good until we noticed the fork that took us to Toroweap and on to the gluey mud and snow, again! we did a mile or 2 of that and again were beaten back by the fear of a stranding. Back we go, down the ‘good’ dirt road and sprayed the car in a new shade of brown. The car did a great job, it must be said; the chunky tyres and 4wd got us in and out safely

mudThe very, very muddy road.

 

 

 

 

 

mud2

Steff inspecting the mud after we got back on a proper road.

 

 

 

 

On the way, we passed the north rim, but that’s shut this time of year. it’s 2000 feet higher than the south rim so the snowfall is much greater than the 11 feet that the south rim gets so closed it is.

We descended and found a place to stay on BLM land. BLM land is common in the west, and the rules are that you’re allowed to stay there for a few days for free! The best price, but you do end up being alone which can be a little un-nerving, not least when the Coyotes start howling and yipping.

The next morning we got the the south entrance of the grand canyon, so more on that soon.

2 comments:

  1. Ahhh. A healthy sized blog and from the Grand Canyon to boot! Nice. Stay outta the mud. Bad for the ole Burb.

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