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Grand Canyon

Fast Facts

Country Name: United States of America
Currency: US Dollar
Religion: Christianity
Population: 1,460 (Grand Canyon Village)
Climate: Differing according to elevation and with wildly varying temperatures.
Language: English
Time Zone: GMT/UTC-5 (Eastern)
GMT/UTC-6 (Central)
GMT/UTC-7 (Mountain)
GMT/UTC-8 (Pacific Standard)
Country code:+1

POPULAR

(must-sees for the 5-days-tourist)

We stayed locally in The Red Feather Lodge it was rather old fashioned and had a fifties flavour even down to the big sign outside pointing to the parking lot. This is a typical American lodge, and so has a family friendly atmosphere plus, free high speed Wifi Internet, a fridge, microwave, free local calls and more, the room we took was a King Room and cost $130.00. Click here for more information http://www.redfeatherlodge.com do watch out you have to book by email or phone, however no money will exchange hands until you are in the reception which is refreshing and they don't like booking agents and other fee based booking services so they are really pretty cool.

Day One

Ok let's get it over with, you have come this far, which could be a very long way for some, you may be frightened of spending money or you may just be frightened of flying but that isn't going to wash or to mix a metaphor cut any mustard here! You are in the Grand Canyon for goodness sake and the best way to see the Grand Canyon is by Helicopter so quit whining and let's go or do you really want to sit on a Donkey - Mule to some and inhale the gases from the Mule in front, no I didn't think so. We used Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters and had a 30 minute tour of the spectacular tour of the Grand Canyon more you can get more information here http://www.papillon.com, the cost well the full retail price is $145.00 per adult but the special offer we took advantage of meant that we paid slightly less $129.00 and $89.00 for children.

Day two

When we caught a glimpse of the Hoover Dam on the horizon of from the helicopter all decided that it was a must see. For all of its environmental awfulness it is an amazingly beautiful structure and let's face it, it does provide almost pollution less electricity, well after they flooded miles of valleys that is. We took the tour, well The Bureau of Reclamation has conducted tours through the Hoover Dam and powerplant since 1937 so they do know what they are doing and it shows with great organisation.
Today, nearly to 1,000,000 visitors a year take the tour and millions more drive across the dam. The cost of the tour was $11.00 for an Adult (the age range they use is 17 to 61) and $9.00 for people over 61 or under 17. Wee allowed a day for the visit but it is quite a way from where we were staying.

Day three

If you hire a car and frankly you would be mad not to then you can visit a few historical building which are either in the Grand Canyon Village or sit along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon they are well worth a visit if for no other reason than you have to admire the people who slaved in the heat to construct them, I saluted them with my third bottle of water and then my fourth.
Here are some of the buildings to look out for the Desert View Watch Tower, built by Mary Colter in 1932 it sits 27 miles east of Grand Canyon Village. Nearby is another of Mary Colter's structures - gosh she was a busy lady the Hopi House, built in 1905 it is based on the original Hopi structures of the area.

Day four

We went back to the Grand Canyon, no honestly for several reasons, we all agreed that we probably wouldn't get to see it again and just a day gawping at it wasn't enough and the kids had heard of a viewing platform with a glass floor, mmh didn't we all just have to try it? Of course and yes we took sick bags.
You have a car drive to Grand Canyon Skywalk it is about 120 miles from Las Vegas. Although the Grand Canyon Skywalk is not technically above the main Grand Canyon it is above a gorge called the Granite Gorge and the Colorado River flows at the base of the gorge. Still splitting hairs aside the horseshoe shaped glass walkway is 4,000 feet above the canyon floor and so it is higher than any of the world's skyscrapers and you are walking on the glass floor. It is great for thrill seekers of all ages.
The cost of admission is a almost as steep as the Grand Canyon, take note the owners are the Hualapai Indians and so you can blame them later. First they get you to pay $20.00 to park your car, and then $29.05 per person for a seat on a bus which takes you to the Skywalk a 10 minute ride, and then $29.95 (plus tax) to go on the Skywalk - at first I thought I was buying the damn thing and then I thought maybe the native American is finally getting their own back on the Europeans?

Day five

Las Vegas well after all that nature it is time for some shopping and a bit of sparkle and you get both in abundance here, as well as all sorts of other things to boot. Las Vegas is a place you either adore or abhor there isn't any space for other feelings. If you like to spend money then every establishment in Las Vegas can help. Enjoy. I am not going to recommend anywhere to eat or enjoy yourself - just wander in anywhere and you will have fun - this is a fun city and everywhere is in competition so drinks are cheap, meals are excellent and indulgence is paramount.

NATURE & GEOLOGY

The Grand Canyon is located in the Grand Canyon National Park Arizona and is one of the oldest national parks in the United States. The park is cut by the Colorado River. The area around the Grand Canyon is extremely rugged and remote and only really accessible by pack trails and backroads. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long is between 4 and 18 miles wide and more than a mile deep. Scientists who study the Grand Canyon state that more than two billion years of the Earth's history can be seen because as the Colorado River cut ever deeper through the rock it exposed layer after layer of ancient stone.
It is generally accepted that Colorado River basin and the Grand Canyon is just a part of that developed over the last 40 million years. The amazing depth of the Grand Canyon is due in part to the surrounding area rising up and forming the Colorado Plateau this uplift probably accounts for between 5 and 10,000 feet of the canyon's depth. The other effect of the up lift was to make the Colorado River flow faster increasing its ability and efficiency to cut through the surrounding rocks.
With regard to wildlife there is wildlife in abundance from mining Mules which broke loose and herded together, although this might just be a local legend to very discrete animals who come out mainly at night when the temperatures drop these include the ringtail as sort of raccoon, beavers, gophers, chipmunks, rabbits and bats.
The Grand Canyon is home to one of America's rarest and desperately endangered birds, the Californian Condor other birds that can be seen in the area include Jays of all types, Bald and Golden Eagles, Mountain Chickadees, several types of hawks including the Red-tailed Hawk and Wild Turkeys.

Among the large mammals you can see in and around the Grand Canyon there are, coyote, mountain lions, big horn sheep bobcats and mule deer.
More or less all of the animals in the Grand canyon and the Grand canyon National Park are harmless or at least to frightened of humans to approach visitors should remember that there are several venomous snakes to look out for, including the aptly named The Grand Canyon Rattler and the Diamond Back Rattler. In the main these snakes sleep during the day, but if you hear a rattling noise leave the area immediately and if you get bitten contact a Park Ranger as quickly as you can.

HISTORY

The Colorado River has been eroding the Grand Canyon since almost the beginning of time it would seem, definitely millions of years it is generally agreed that the exact figure is six million, however recent research now suggest s=that the Grand Canyon may have been created over 17 millions, what ever is the correct figure it definitely is a long time by any standards.
Before the Europeans settled in the area it was inhabited by Native Americans who lived in the Canyon in the caves and occasionally built small settlements along the route of the river, the people who lived their thought that the Grand Canyon was holy place and treated it with great respect.
In 1540 the first European to set sight on the Grand Canyon was a Spaniard called García López de Cárdenas, but it wasn't until a one armed Civil war veteran called Major John Wesley Powell that any record of visiting the Grand Canyon was made in 1869.
So it is almost within living memory that any recorded visit to the Grand Canyon was made and only as recently as 1908 when the Grand Canyon became a national monument and the Grand Canyon and the surrounding area took on national importance.
It is generally believed that environmental conservation initiatives and pressure from environmentalists are a modern phenomena but it was just such a movement that caused the Grand Canyon to be granted national monument status and probably saved the surrounding area now designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site from being flooded by the creation of the Glen Canyon Dam.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Access to the Grand Canyon is easy, most visitors travel to the Grand canyon on Arizona Highway 64, first you will arrive at the South Entrance the Grand Canyon National Park near the Arizona town of Tusayan once through the entrance you will find the small hamlet of Grand Canyon Village where the best views of the park are to be had. There is another access to the Grand Canyon but it is not as popular because it entails a five hour drive to the North Rim of the Canyon.

DOS & DON'TS

Don't light fires in the National Park. Don't ever leave litter and especially not near this wonder of the world. Don't go too near the edge. Do remember you are not Evel Knievel and so you can't fly across the Canyon on a motorbike.

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