When our kids were 11, 9 and 8, we took them to the Grand Canyon for a backpacking trip. The last time I witnessed this massive, almost inconceivable, chasm in the earth was B.C. (as in “before children,” B.C.). As Larry and I hugged the canyon walls while we descended deeper and deeper into the searing heat of the desert floor, I silently vowed never to bring my future children on these trails. Way too dangerous and strenuous for young kids, I thought. There was no way could they could fully appreciate the risk of falling off the trail’s edge, in many places to their death, not to mention the canyon’s greatest danger, the heat. They’d have to take it in from the rim, just like the statistical 99% of tourists who stand on the edge and never venture to its core, ironically missing the “big picture” held in the story of the canyon walls with each downward step towards the Colorado River.
I’m thankful that being a parent versus dreaming of becoming one has taught me to think outside that narrow-minded box–to consider the risk-to-reward ratio, based on their abilities, before drawing any conclusions. We’ve educated them extensively on the inherent risks of backcountry excursions, both large and small, and they’ve developed a strong foundation backpacking safely in our own nearby mountains. Ultimately, it was a calculated risk we were willing to assume, because of our confidence in their abilities to succeed.
Of course none of this removed all the risk and our fears didn’t instantly dissolve because of our confidence in them. Backpacking in the Grand Canyon has increased hazards associated with it, no matter how experienced the hiker. But just think about the life experience our kids would have missed out on if we had let fear get the best of us, despite believing they could handle the challenges.
They hiked out unscathed and took away much more from the journey than the wonderful memories we made as a family. They learned that trusting their courage, despite their fear, led to some of their bravest actions and most meaningful successes, which in turn boosted their self confidence and will trickle into every facet of their life. The natural world teaches with much conviction and clarity, and I love how these treks ultimately make life and its inevitable challenges easier paths to traverse.
We spent a day hiking the rim before our backpacking trip. Notice Aidan clutching the rock beside him?! They were a very safe distance from the edge, but it took him a little while to get comfortable with the idea of being even that close!
The next morning, we started our descent as the sun was rising around 5:30 a.m. (you can see me and the kids in the upper left corner). There was a chill in the air on the rim but that quickly changed with every step as we worked our way down the 6.3 mile South Kaibab Trail to the bottom of the canyon.
Just before rounding the bend to take this photo, when the sun had been beating down on us sufficiently to make us want to “be there already,” I told Wogene that we were almost there (and relatively speaking, we were). Well, when he could visualize the trail here and could see exactly how much “almost there” meant, I heard about it. 🙂
When you reach the suspension bridge crossing the mighty Colorado River, you know you’re almost to Bright Angel Campground, the campground at the bottom of the canyon!
You walk through a fun (and shaded!) tunnel just before crossing the Colorado River.
Bright Angel Campground is such a sweet oasis in the desert with a refreshingly cold creek running through it!
Once we arrived, we pretty much spent the entire day in the creek.
My meditating goofball
Yep, it felt every bit like 120 degrees (the actual temperature was 106 F). Even in the shade, it was stifling!
The following day, we hiked to and camped in Indian Gardens Campground, which is about the midway point back up the canyon on the Bright Angel Trail. We left early in the morning to beat the heat and we arrived at the campground around 9:00 a.m., which meant we had the entire day to chill out. The kids always enjoy playing Uno in camp.
And some of us enjoy sleeping instead!
The colors of the desert are amazing.
On the third day, we ascended the rest of the mileage to the rim. The kids did great, and we were fortunate enough to have cool (and rainy) conditions on the journey. It was a treat to see the canyon shrouded in fog and waterfalls springing up everywhere. It was a bit alarming to hear rockfalls in the distance though, never knowing where the next one would occur!
The 3-mile rest house was a great place for another snack and to get out of the rain for a few minutes!
So proud of these guys!!
Awesome post….thanks for taking the time……
Awesome correlation between things. It's amazing how many bumps, hazards and outright "talk to the hand" moments there are in the journey to start a school, and I know those well.
Good for you for taking the whole family on this amazing journey into the canyon.
Thanks, Elisabeth. You know first hand the frazzled look on my face I've worn nearly constantly this last year! We really, really appreciate your support through this endeavor.
I know you know these moments better than anyone! You are and will continue to be my role model for how to pull it off well. 🙂