Scenic Sunday – Storm behind the Saddle

View east across the saddle from Point Imperial

A few weeks ago Mike and I went for a drive, and a few short hikes, during a storm. The canyon appears in many guises and I love them all.

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Scenic Sunday – Won’t be long

Won’t be long now before the aspens turn from green to gold and slowly drop their treasures to the forest floor yet still hold up their skeletal crowns.

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Scenic Sunday – Light & Shadows Grand Canyon

Saturday morning I saw the canyon in yet another mood.

Even though heavy clouds hung over the horizon morning sunlight found its way to light up the canyon walls and temples.

The air was crisp and clearer than I’ve seen in quite a while. Feels like Fall is coming on.

A shaft of light highlighted the tip of Angels Gate.

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Scenic Sunday – Crazy Jug view

We sat in the camp chairs admiring the views from Crazy Jug Point.

And studied the lay of the land. The Colorado River flows northeast between Powell Plateau and Great Thumb Mesa then curves around the Mesa to disappear into the west.

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SS – Angels Window into the canyon

Angels Window at Cape Royal

Today’s view of Grand Canyon was dotted with cloud shadows.

Paintbrush

Sego Lily

And the land was dotted with wildflowers.

While the air was filled with the sweet smell of Cliffroses.

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Scenic Sunday at Grand Canyon

Lookout Studio, designed by Mary Colter and built to compete with Kolb Studio in 1914, sits along the South Rim offering deck and balcony views into and across Grand Canyon. It is now operated as a gift shop selling books, postcards and souvenirs.

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Scenic Sunday - Weaver Mountain walk

Road into Weaver Mts
Finally got myself out of the house and motivated to walk on the first day of 2010.

Kissing rocks
About a mile from where I live in the boulders there is a gated access road into a someday housing development on the eastern flanks of the Weaver Mountains.

View east towards town
After climbing over the gate I can follow several miles of semi-graded dirt roads or take off across the landscape on animal trails.

I heard more birds than I saw, scared up a rabbit, spotted a few lizards scurrying into cracks in the rocks and saw the tracks and scat of coyote, deer, javelina, cattle, and maybe a bobcat.

Yes, a pond in the desert
I really do need to get outside more often and walk in nature. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, yet it does seem like a good time to make some changes. Karen at FabGrandma’s got me to thinking about goals for this year.

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Scenic Sunday - Snow in the Pines

The drive over the Bradshaw Mountains to Prescott takes you through a Ponderosa Pine forest.

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Scenic Sunday - Just outside my window

I am soooo lucky to live where I do with beautiful views outside every window. Yesterday you saw my southern view watching the birds at the edge of the dry wash. This is out the opposite window to the north and towards Berta’s front yard. The slabs are concrete from an old broken up driveway and there’s thyme growing in between the pieces. Berta got the rootwad/ stumps at a yard sale.

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Scenic Sunday - Burro Creek

Last winter a friend and I took a ride to Bagdad, and beyond. As it was late afternoon by the time we got to the gravel road leading into Burro Creek we didn’t go very far. I really need to return and camp out there to do some rock hunting: opalite, agate, pastelite and apache tears. Located off highway 93 in central Arizona it’s just north and east about 50 miles of where I live.

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Scenic Sunday - Grand Canyon

View from Point Imperial
I miss this place so thought I’d post a reminder just how fabulous and gorgeous and unbelievable the Grand Canyon is.

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Scenic Sunday - Joshua Tree Highway

Driving along a section of Highway 164 in southern Nevada I found a forest of Joshua trees.

Joshua trees, Yucca Brevifolia, are fast growers for the desert. New seedlings may grow at an average rate of 3 inches (7.6 cm) per year in their first 10 years, and then only grow about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) per year thereafter. It can live for hundreds of years.

The trunk of the tree is made of thousands of small fibers. The flower and fruit are edible and Native Americans used the leaves to weave sandals and baskets. Early Mormon settlers named the Joshua tree because it reminded them of Joshua reaching his arms up in prayer.

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Scenic Sunday - Fall colors along North Kaibab Trail Grand Canyon

The fall colors were almost gone on the North Rim when Amy, Jan and I started down the North Kaibab trail over a week ago.

Gambel Oak
But within 1400 feet (445 meters) down we entered Indian Summer.

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Scenic Sunday - Raven or Crow

How to tell the difference?

If you see a bird flying over head that is relatively large and black look closely at the wing tips and count the primary or pinion feathers.

Crows have three pinions and Ravens have four pinions.

So the difference is just a matter of opinion. ;-))

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Scenic Sunday - Painted Desert

Layers of primarily mudstone along with some sandstone and claystone deposited about 200 million years ago eroded into badlands called by some Native Americans as a “land of sleeping rainbows.” Mudstones occur in shades of red, gray, brown, purple, tan, orange and pink. Sandstone is typically beige or cream colored yet can be stained by oxidized minerals like iron (red) and manganese (blue/grey) as can the claystone. Wind and water sculpt the landscape.

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Scenic Sunday - Morning light at Grand Canyon

OK, I know I’ve probably mentioned before that I’m not a great morning person. But once up and about I just love to watch the morning light push the shadows deeper into the canyon. I must have hundreds of photos of this, yet am compelled to take another every time I see this. Hope you’re not bored with pics of Grand Canyon.

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Scenic Sunday - Shadows in Grand Canyon

View southeast from Angels Window overlook along the Cape Royal trail
I love the late afternoon views of the Grand Canyon from the Walhalla Plateau. The shadows change rapidly as the sun westers beyond the canyon walls. Then add a few clouds to float above and create patches of shadows that dance across the land.

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Sorry the Cliff Springs Trail didn’t get posted today. Ran out of time. Maybe tomorrow.