For those willing to endure the challenge, a trek into the heart of Grand Canyon is nothing short of epic.
This particular stretch of the South Kaibab Trail sits about 5 miles (by trail) and 4,000 vertical feet below the South Rim. Here, as the trail descends the sheer walls of the Grand Canyon’s Inner Gorge, the average grade is sharp 22%.
And so while the South Kaibab is a wide, well-maintained trail, the steep incline and large steps makes the descent a “knee-buster”. Loaded up with a 40-pound pack filled with camping gear, this last mile-and-a-half was painful.
Painful but not miserable, however, as the epic views made the journey worth it. At the moment I took this photo, clouds partially blocked the sun so the late-day light highlighted both the igneous-metamorphic rocks of the Inner Gorge and the stoic profile of Buddha Temple, capped with its tan-white head of Coconino Sandstone.
Not to take anything away from the views from the rim, which are certainly world-class. But there is something special about to reward you get from being one of the 1% of Grand Canyon visitors willing to venture into its rugged depths.
That’s a wrap for today’s Daily Dose. Talk to you all next week.
-Jake
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