Grand Canyon - South Rim - October 19 - 21, 2011

Photos © Peter Mansbach, 2010.
No commercial use without written permission.


View from Bright Angel Trail, about 3 mi in, overlooking Indian Gardens

Rim Trail - Oct 19

This trail winds along the south rim of the Grand Canyon for miles, with lots of great views. I arrived around 2:00, so I had several hours to walk along the mostly flat Rim Trail and adjust to the 7,000 ft altitide.

View of the canyon, near Bright Angel Lodge
Lookout Studio and Gift Shop, near Bright Angel Lodge



Rim Trail near Maricopa Point		   
Colorado River, in shadow at the bottom, seen from the Rim Trail



View from Hopi Point, just after sunset

South Kaibab Trail - Oct 20


Mule train, near the beginning of the trail
Along the South Kaibab Trail


I hiked about 1½ miles down the South Kaibab Trail, to Cedar Ridge, about 1000 ft below the canyon rim. A good place to stop for lunch, and then head back.

Looking down at Cedar Ridge
On Cedar Ridge



Another view from the South Kaibab Trail


Bright Angel Trail - Oct 21

The first photo below, taken at Trailview Overlook on the Rim Trail on Oct 19, shows the Bright Angel Trail from above. Today (Oct 21) I get to enjoy all those switchbacks. The next photo is of the first tunnel along the trail.

Bright Angel Trail, from above
Tunnel near beginning of trail


I hiked 3 miles down the trail, past the 1½ mile rest house, to the 3 mile rest house. This was about 2,000 ft below the rim. Then, of course, I had to hike back up. I hadn't trained for this trip, so I was pretty tired by the time I got back up. The shot on the left, below, shows the 3 mile rest area seen from afar. The "rest house" itself is the small open hut just below the center of the picture. The structure farther back, on the right, houses the bathrooms. The large photo at the top of this page was taken from roughly the same place on the trail as this shot.

3 mile rest house area
The Redwall Formation, the cliff just below the 3 mile rest house.

There are lots of layers in the canyon walls, but two are easily recognizable: the Coconino Sandstone is the very light colored layer near the top, and the Redwall is the reddish cliff several layers down. Both are visible in many of these photographs.

Heading back
along the
Bright Angel Trail



Almost back to the rim, just before sunset

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