My dad and I went on a 5-day motorized tour of the Grand Canyon through
Grand Canyon Whitewater.
The Big Leprechaun at the Grand Canyon.
Helicopter ride! This is worth it. And this was the best pilot
too, he
accelerated close to the ground!
Among hundreds of videos dad took.
It was great to take off the headphones, so that you could hear
the intense engine sounds instead of the crosstalk and classical
music.
Afterwards, we walked along the South Rim some more for a sunset
view. The golden hour.
The next day we decided to practice a little, with a trek
down the Bright Angel Trail to the 1.5 mile house.
View of the trail from the top.
Many, many switchbacks.
As you approach these rock faces on the trail, you really
appreciate just how massive they are.
My favorite panoramas. The bluff mid-way down is the 3 mile house, and
the green area
down a level beyond is Indian Gardens. There is water and a
bathroom at every 1.5 miles.
Also, after Indian Gardens there is a trail that goes to a point, but
that is not the Bright
Angel, it's a dead end (with what must be a great view). The trail goes
down the drainage
to the right.
This is a 360 view, it's a huge image if
you click on it (21MB), so be prepared to wait.
This needs to be printed out and pasted to the inside of a cylinder.
After the watchtower we went back to walk some of the rim trail
near Hermit's Rest to west of the village.
View from Pima Point.
The next day's hike all the way down started at 6AM.
Approaching the 3 mile house, at the bluff that looked so cool.
View from the bluff at 3 mile house.
Jacob's ladder, the switchbacks down to the next level.
At Indian Gardens, about 4.6 miles in, dad still trucking along.
Into the drainage after Indian Gardens, to get to the next level.
A view of the top, showing just how far we had come to that point.
Still plenty more to go, including Devil's Corkscrew, where it was
hot and arid.
At the beginning of Devil's Corkscrew, where it becomes steep again.
Finally at the beach. Pretty frustrated that they were not at
the beach, but at another beach a little upriver. I walked over
to see it, and brought the 5 of us who were waiting at the first
beach. Poor communication.
At the first campsite. There were two guides and 14 tourists
per boat. It's really great the way they take care of food and
toilet, and provide cot, sleeping bag and chairs.
But you are asked to contribute. We form a big fireline to get
everyone's stuff and the kitchen equipment off the boats in the
evening, and back on in the mornings.
The next morning. I felt refreshed in the mornings, though I did not
sleep well. I would wake up at least twice, once in the darkness
before moonrise, with vibrant stars in the sky; again, after moonrise,
when you could read a book in the moonlight.
Some morning fishing.
I missed a day with my camera, this is the third campsite. It was
the most like what I had expected, with the cliff faces.
The next morning.
I love the collapsed piece of the rock face we were sleeping under,
crazy.
And then another big day, and final campsite. I'm sure dad's videos
(coming soon) show all the missing parts, as I didn't have my phone
out on the river. He recorded ~230 videos, so there must be a few
good bits in there. I did have two underwater disposables I brought,
so I'll have to scan those in some time too.
One last night under the stars. A crazy and great
experience.
This is a 360 view, it's a huge image if
you click on it (21MB), so be prepared to wait. 
