Ken and Camerons Hike the Grand Canyon

In mid-September, the Cameron family (Blake [Shonna's husband], his dad and his brothers) hiked the Grand Canyon- down and back up in one day.  They graciously invited Ken to join them for their father/son adventure. They drove to the South Rim on Thursday, hiked on Friday, and came home on Saturday.  I will let Ken tell you about their adventure:

A picture of my kind, awesome Cameron Family hiking buddies (they are all hiking "animals"!), as we have boarded the early morning shuttle bus (I think it was about 5:00 AM) to Yaki Point and our trailhead, South Kaibab Trail. They are, from left to right, Blake (Shonna's husband), Mark (the father of the boys, but you'd hardly be able to tell that from this photo, right?), Brian, Bryce, and Brandon.

This is actually a picture of a "Utah's Dixie" sunrise, taken from the bridge over the Santa Clara Creek, near where it empties into the Virgin River in St. George. I try to keep myself in some kind of physical conditioning by taking an early-morning walk along the trails parallel to the Virgin River near our home. I normally try to get 4 to 4.5 miles in each morning, about 4 or 5 times per week. This activity, along with my regular bike riding activity, allowed me to be in good enough physical condition to keep up with the amazing hikers in the Cameron Family.

My hiking buddies, the Cameron men, silhouetted against the beginning of a sunrise at Ooh Aah Point on the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon. We hiked down the South Kaibab Trail to the Colorado River and then hiked up the Bright Angel Trail for a total of 16+ miles for the day.

Hiking down Cedar Ridge after leaving Ooh Aah Point.

Hiking down Cedar Ridge, trying to keep us with these fast-moving hikers.

The sun's first direct rays of the day in the upper canyon.

Looking northwest across the upper part of the Grand Canyon as we near Skeleton Point.

Photo stop at Skeleton Point so we can try to capture the impressive grandeur of the sunrise in the Grand Canyon's upper section.

One last photo at Skeleton Point before we drop down the switchbacks onto the Tonto Plateau.

A view of the switchbacks we must traverse in order to reach the Tonto Plateau, which is the mid-point in our descent to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

A northwest facing picture of the Tonto Plateau and a peek of our Colorado River destination at the bottom of the canyon.

The sun is now up! The temperature will now become a little warmer and more enjoyable for a few hours.

Looking northeast across the canyon as we begin our descent below the Tonto Plateau, into the lower reaches of the canyon.

Our first view of our bottom destination, the beach on the Colorado River near Phantom's Ranch & Bright Angel Creek's confluence with the Colorado River. Note the visible shadow of the Kaibab Suspension Bridge on the greenish waters of the Colorado River near the beach.

A closer look at the same beach as we get nearer the bottom.

Traversing the cave at the south side of the Kaibab Suspension Bridge.

Exiting the cave onto the south side of the Kaibab Suspension Bridge over the Colorado River.

Looking back at the bridge we just crossed and at the rim we just finished descending from. 

After hiking downriver a half-mile or so on the north side of the Colorado River, we now take a photo op as we begin crossing the Bright Angel Trail's suspension bridge. This marks the beginning of our ascent back to the top of the South Rim.

Bright Angel Trail's suspension bridge, looking from the north to the south across the Colorado River.

A final look back along the ascending Bright Angel Trail's route from near the top of the trail at the South Rim. The green area in the valley is Indian Garden, a lush, welcome oasis and water source halfway up the trail from the bottom. The hike out of the canyon was clearly MUCH harder than the hike into the canyon, as evidenced by the lack of pictures taken during the climb out. There were just as many beautiful sights and vistas on the way up as there were on the way down, but I must not have had the energy or focus to capture the beauty around me during my climb. In order to stay up with my physically fit hiking companions, I had to stay focused on the task of ascending instead of capturing the incredible scenery. What a memorable adventure. I don't know whether I will get such an opportunity again in my life. I am deeply grateful to Mark Cameron and each of his impressive sons, Brandon, Blake, Bryce and Brian, who each welcomed me into their family and treated me as one of their own. I am a blessed man.