early morning at Monument Point, North Rim
Rather than the typical early morning start, I love taking off for a trip on a Friday evening. I was off work at 3pm, home by 4pm, and Charles and Dave came to pick me up by 5pm. We had a weekend planned on the Thunder River Trail.
The evening ride to the North Rim is always a treat – out through Cameron, sunset on the Echo and Vermillion Cliffs, dinner at the Navajo Bridge near Lees Ferry, and finally – on this trip – grinding along Forest Service roads in the dark to the sounds of Ted Nugent and other such appropriate rock-ness.
Night at the Bill Hall Trailhead was shockingly cold, and we quickly set up our tents and dove in our sleeping bags as soon as possible.
Morning dawned bright and warm, with the promise of another hot summer day in the Grand Canyon.
This was August 10, 2009, a mere three weeks after the tragic death of 20 year old Bryce Gillies, somewhere in the canyon down this same trail. At Monument Point we found a perfectly good, operable laser pointer in the grass, and wondered if it belonged to a members of the search and rescue party.
The Bill Hall Trail follows the rim to the west before descending into the canyon.
Bridgers Knoll
The Esplanade stretches endlessly to the west.
Now that rabbit has some big ears!
Rather than take the proper Thunder River Trail from the rim, we used the popular alternative, the Bill Hall Trail.
cruisin’ the Esplanade
group shot – photo by Dave
Don’t miss the next page (This day continued)
