Hiking Cape Final Trail at Grand Canyon National Park

Karen and I went hiking Wednesday on the Cape Royal Trail located on the Walhalla Plateau. Four miles (6.44 km) round trip through Ponderosa Pine forest to several awesome views of the canyon.

Mountain Short Horned Lizard
This little creature crossed our trail but didn’t hang out long enough for many photos.

View northeast into Grand Canyon
We reached the rim and ate our lunch with this magnificent view.

Then the trail returned briefly back to the forest.

Sego Lillies
These beauties waved in the breeze to us as we continued.

Karen, don’t jump!
The end of the trail provides spectacular views.

Yet you always want to be careful standing on overhanging rocks.

Prickly Pear Cactus
At the rim edge cactus still bloom.

View south across Grand Canyon
It’s about 8 miles (12.87 km) to the south rim as the condor flies. But we had to hike back 2 miles (3.22 km) to the trailhead. We were tired upon our return and Karen’s feet hurt. Need to get out there more often girl.

To read a very funny story about the serious subject of hiking the Grand Canyon check out this article from the Salt Lake Tribune.

Sky Watch Friday - The Sky is Falling into Grand Canyon

Storm over Dog Point
When I was out fossil hunting last week (I know, still haven’t posted the fossils but I’m working on it) the sky changed so rapidly I could barely keep up taking photos. This is what it looked like when I arrived at my camp spot overlooking North Canyon, one of many side canyons, this one out of the park but still part of the Grand Canyon.

To see more skies from around the world go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

Another Hitchhiker

Convergent Lady Beetle
Going hiking today with FabGrandma Karen and this little lady seemed to want to go along.

Remember Whensday - The Clown Boat-In

Our boat the Six-Pak
I grew up boating with my parents and we spent many summer vacations at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. We stayed in various resorts along the lake and spent day light hours on the water swimming and skiing. One of the favored places to go for lunch was The Clown, a floating hamburger joint with boat slips. The waitresses wore bikinis and always had to refill the bowl of sliced dill pickles several times for us and friends. I loved the pickles but figured Dad liked the place for the bikinis. The immense carp churned up the water enmass as they were fed fish food from the handy gumball like dispensers.

Sally from The (Mis) Adventures of Karl and Sally has started a new meme where the past is remembered through sharing old family photographs and this is #5. I love the idea and hope you will too. So join the fun by clicking here.

My World Tuesday - Stitch in Time

Enlarge please
I’m really into taking panoramic photos. Even before digital I used to line up the horizon as best I could and slowly take 2-10 pictures in a row. Sometimes those would be taped together in a rather collage look as I’m not always lined up right. Some of these I’ve scanned and stitched together very successfully even able to manually adjust some of the images using whatever software I had. I believe the last was an ArcSoft that no longer exists for my Vista.

So now I use Windows Live Photo and sometimes it has a mind of its own. Sure wish I could afford really good image software. Maybe someday. Any suggestions for free or inexpensive software would be appreciated.

For more glimpses into life around the world got to My World Tuesday by clicking here.

The Big and Small at North Canyon - Kaibab National Forest

On my last days off I took a drive into the Kaibab National Forest and headed to Marble View. Unfortunately the last .25 mile becomes very narrow with low branches so I set up camp overlooking a finger of North Canyon.

The sky continued to boil and brew but the storm kept skirting around me towards the west.

It’s like the weather really couldn’t decide what to do. Yet even with all this cloud cover I sunburned my back.

Desert Paintbrush about 3 inches tall
This open patch of ground on the rim is much like tundra in that the plants grow very small. Probably not much depth of soil over this broken up limestone.

Hairy Golden Aster

Wrinkled Grasshopper (yes that's what it's called)
I had my nose down low to the ground searching for fossils and saw this creature blending in with the rocks.

Fossil hunting
Some fellow Rangers showed up unexpectedly and also assumed the fossil hunting position.

This strange bug I can’t identify showed up on one of their hats. (This bug’s for you Joan.)

taken at 6:18pm
As the sun began to set the wind increased. Can you tell which way it blows by the tree on the right? Another reason for the small plants.

taken at 7:09pm
Here you can also see smoke low on the horizon from a prescribed burn near Dry Park to the west. I’m sure the rising heat had some effect on the clouds, but that’s not smoke high in the sky. The burn was almost out by the next day from rain.

taken at 8:09pm
As the storm blew in over me the temperature dropped and a little rain fell.

The wind rocked the camper but I was snug.

House Rock Valley and Marble Canyon
In the morning I walked out to Marble View at the very end of the narrow road. I might try to drive out there next time to camp. Yet I liked the western sunset view where I was. And I had the place to myself.

Oh yea, I promise to show you the fossils collected tomorrow, or the next day.