This morning dawned cold, gray and windy at the Grand Canyon. Snow is predicted for later on today, which I’ll believe when I see. Otherwise, this morning is almost a carbon copy of what it was almost exactly this time last year. A couple of big differences: this time last year I was in Las Vegas, wondering what the heck I was doing on an airplane on a day like this, but, there I was, winging it over Hoover Dam, making my first trip to “Grand Canyon West”!
If you’ve been to the Grand Canyon at all in years past, I’ll bet your visit happened kind of like 
this: you stood at the edge, took a look down, and thought, “man, I’ve gotta get to the bottom of this thing!” So you asked around how to go about it and you soon found out that getting to the bottom of the Grand Canyon was HARD.
For most it boils down to two choices: 1. sit on a mule for two days (which you have to plan your life a year ahead for) or 2. hike 18 miles - 10 of those miles uphill! You also had to plan ahead to get lodging or camping at the bottom of the canyon. A 3rd choice is take a helicopter to Havasu Falls… (fun, but pricey). a 4th is to take a Grand Canyon white water rafting trip, which usually requires a 4-day minimum commitment of your time (with one exception). Long story short, getting to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back in a day was basically not an option for the average working person. Well, three words are changing all that as we speak: Grand Canyon West.
I’ve been to the bottom of the Grand Canyon the hard way. I’ve ridden the mules to Phantom Ranch and I’ve gotten there under my own steam, from both the North and South Rims. In both cases, the trip took a rewarding but exhausting two days. To this day, making the North to South Rim hike is one of the proudest accomplishments of my whole life. This time, however, we were getting to the bottom of the canyon and back in a fraction of the time, and the beauty part, with very little exertion.
Our day began bright and early at the Sahara, when we boarded our shuttle bus for the North Las Vegas Airport (editor’s note: most Las Vegas Grand Canyon Tours now originate from the Boulder City Municipal Airport). I knew we were in for an adventure, and I was right! We boarded our 19-passenger Twin Otter Vistaliner and off we went, eastward over the stark, shadowy landscape of the Nevada Desert en route to the Hualapai Indian Nation .
Soon, we were over Lake Mead, one of the world’s largest man-made lakes. On this particular morning, the waters were a beautiful, sparking blue-green color that particular morning. Other times I’ve seen it, the water’s been navy blue, almost black. It just depends on the light, which on that day was a dramatic contrast of ominous clouds pierced by stray sunbeams, reminiscent of an Ed Mell painting.
Next, the Hoover Dam came into view. Even from this far up, you can see the distinctive art-deco lines of this engineering marvel that unbelievably dates back to the 1920’s. We swing back over Lake Mead again, and just as the twinkling waters below the aircraft are about to hypnotize me, we hit the first big bump - a telltale sign that our destination, the Grand Canyon, is just up ahead.
Turbulence is a fact of life up here. Think of it as part of the adventure. Wind behaves much like water in this kind of terrain. Like water rises and falls when it flows over boulders in a riverbed, wind rises and falls as it encounters mountains and cliffs like those around us. We cross a pointy, angular uplift in the earth. The land rises up in front of us, and the blue-green waters of Lake Mead morph into the brownish-red Colorado River .
Our pilots fight crosswinds as we prepare to land at the Hualapai Airstrip. The plane rocks back and forth as our crew tries to land the Otter. No go. We pull back up – whoooooooooaaaa Nelly! – and swing back around for another try. Second time’s a charm. We disembark, glad to be on solid ground.
After getting my bearings, I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I’d actually been here years ago and had flown over the area many times. Back then, there was a whole lot of nothing out here. The occasional Cessna or Piper would flit in and out, ferrying Grand Canyon river rafters back to civilization. Now, there’s a developing visitor services complex manned by members of the Hualapai Nation. The terminal features a small gift shop, cafe and tour desk. Several helicopter companies operate here, and that’s what we were off to do next.
After a brief but thorough orientation, we boarded a helicopter for the ultimate thrill-ride – 4,000 feet down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon! This part of the trip was the most fun – just like the IMAX Movie , except it’s all for real. From a helicopter, you can see the various formations up close and personal, down to tiny little details, like a little creosote bush that manages to survive on a slab of seemingly solid rock, or a raven’s nest tucked into the crags of a cliffwall. This ten minute ride was better than any roller coaster!
We set down on a helipad on a rise just above the Colorado River, where a pontoon boat was waiting for us. We made our way down a short dirt trail, then a couple flights of stairs, then a small but steep ramp. I was glad that I chose to wear tennis shoes instead of boots, and make a note to warn people that this is the only potentially strenuous part of the day. Time to go cruisin’, Grand Canyon West style!
We motored briefly up the channel, then floated back. Our friendly river guide shared the history of the National Park, and its relationship to the many Native people who have called it home. Down on the river, I totally forgot myself, forgot that I had a camera and should have been snapping pictures. Maybe it was because of the clouds and the moisture, but on that particular day, the reds were richer, the greens were deeper. The gorge is a little shallower at this end, and the channel is narrower, but I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: it is no less beautiful than the areas upstream – just different.
After about thirty minutes on the water, we bade our guide “farewell” and headed back up the stairs for another helicopter ride that was a blast and a half, this time – goin’ up! Back on top, it was time to switch modes of transport again. We climbed aboard a motorcoach for a tour of the canyon rim, stopping first at Eagle Point, so named for the appearance of an eagle in flight in the rock face to the east.
This place is also the future home of the Grand Canyon Skywalk , a horseshoe-shaped, glass-lined walkway where you’ll be able to walk 70 feet out over the Grand Canyon, and all you can see between you and the Colorado River is … a lot of air! For months, I’ve been answering incredulous e-mails, usually accompanied by the artist’s rendering, always asking “is this for real?” In mid-2006 it should be (editor’s note: since then, the opening of the Skywalk has been delayed several times. Current estimates put opening in early 2007).
We continue to Guano Point, which is named for a now-defunct mining operation. Here, we sat down to lunch of barbecue beef, corn bread and veggies with the Grand Canyon providing our ”ambiance.” Gourmet fare? Nope. But the view sure couldn’t be beat! After lunch, it was time to head back to the airstrip, where our plane was waiting to whisk us back to Las Vegas.
Unbelievably, I actually dozed off momentarily on the trip back. I was overwhelmed. I couldn’t believe I’d actually been to the bottom of the Grand Canyon – and back – in a day! And what a day it had been. But that was just it – it hadn’t really been “a day” at all. We did all this incredible, amazing stuff – the plane flight, TWO helicopter flights, the raft trip, the rim tour, the barbecue - in about six hours; that’s HALF a day!
Back at the airport, we waved goodbye to our fellow Voyagers as they boarded shuttle buses back to their various hotels. We met up with our boss at Pumi Oriental Restaurant for a late ”2nd lunch” of miso soup and tiger rolls. Too bad we couldn’t have stayed another day. That tour had us back in time to take a nap, freshen up, maybe go out and do some karaoke. Some of us had to be at work the next day, so we hit the road back to Page, America . Oh well. We’ll do some karaoke next time. Know any good places?
A cool thing – well, a couple of ‘em actually – are that this trip runs year-round, weather permitting, making it possible to actually have a Grand Canyon rafting experience in wintertime. Also, there are no rapids on that stretch of the river, so kids as young as 3 or 4 can do this trip no problem. As long as you can make it up and down the stairs, you’ll be fine. AND: though the tour I described above took off from Las Vegas, you can do this exact same tour out of Grand Canyon South Rim, too. Watch a video right now!
Stay tuned – it’s “beginning to look a lot like Christmas” at many Grand Canyon hotels!
Arizona is located there, Cliff Dwellers Lodge and the Cliff Restaurant. The whole property including the lodge and restaurant are owned and operated by Terry and Wendy Gunn. Terry is a very outgoing, fun guy who really loves people and does everything he can to make sure you’re taken care of. Wendy is the strong type who doesn’t mess around and gets the job done, she also is especially concerned about how you’re treated as a guest at their establishment. “If you’re coming here expecting the Ritz Carlton, you’ll probably be disappointed,” said Wendy, “but if you’re looking for a comfortable place to stay with clean rooms, outstanding service and freindly people, then this is the place for you.”
entering don’t be taken aback by the small size and the typical cafe appearance, the magic is in the kitchen. I enjoyed the best biscuits and gravy that I’ve ever before tasted, no joke. I can’t imagine that any of the other dishes are any less tasty and filling. They offer breakfast, lunch (seasonally), and dinner.
opposite of what Sandy talked about, in other words, what NOT to expect from your Grand Canyon vacation. 
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