GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, ARIZONA
Before the sun rose on Friday morning, four of us squeezed into a rented Jeep, every inch packed with “essentials” to survive the great outdoors in freezing temps. It was an 8-hour drive from Los Angeles to Mather Campground in Grand Canyon Village. I think we only stopped six times. 😁 Once to fill the tank and buy cheap but tasty coffee from the gas station convenience store, another for lunch, a third when my cousins saw a giant golf ball-looking dome along I-40 that needed investigating, a couple bathroom breaks, and the last was to peruse a general store near the park entrance. The selection of craft beer was sold by the can. As my road dogs happily created custom 6-packs, I stocked up on toe warmers in anticipation of that night’s low of 10 °F.
We reached the campsite with just enough daylight left to setup our tent, roll out the mummy bags, and put some drinks on ice. Although the sky was clear and beautiful, the shaded areas were still covered in snow. With only a few other groups braving the cold, we continued to question our judgment about sleeping outdoors. The trip had been my suggestion and so I felt compelled to give numerous pep talks over the last 24 hours. We’d all laugh, but I think each one of us secretly feared losing a few fingers or toes to frostbite.
As the sun went down, we started the fire and put on an extra layer of clothes (plus face scarves, gloves, beanies, and thermal socks). We decided on grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner, made with sourdough bread, Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread, Follow Your Heart Pepper Jack Slices, and tomato. Perfectly charred over a portable Coleman stove, it was warm and delicious!
We sat in our folding chairs around the fire for hours, watching the flames dance and “protecting the triangle”, which is how my cousin Tanya referred to the teepee fire lay she arranged. It was amusing that the beer stayed chilled in the icy air even though I took forever to finish each one. The only disappointment that night was that the moon was so bright the Milky Way remained hidden.
Lined up side by side in our matching cocoons, we slept nearly 12 hours! The 0 degree mummy bags and insulated sleeping pads had kept us nice and cozy. Eager to catch our first glimpse of the canyon, we got breakfast started right away — potatoes, Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream, salsa, and Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Cheddar Shreds wrapped in a flour tortilla. Yum!! Being the glutton that I am, I gobbled up two. 😳
It was only a couple miles from our campsite to the South Rim. Beginning at Mather Point and heading west towards the Yavapai Geological Museum, we took in the expansive view — multi-colored layers of rock contrasted by patches of snow and a perfectly blue sky. As impressive as it was, we were looking at merely a fraction of the Grand Canyon’s 277-mile stretch!
In preparation for the trip, I invested in a good pair of waterproof hiking shoes. It had been tough trying to find a vegan-friendly pair, with no leather or suede, but finally came across Adidas’ Terrex line. Love ’em! So ya…who doesn’t like breaking in new kicks? Short on time, we decided to hike the South Kaibab Trail which zigzags down the side of the canyon. Going down was easy. My cousin set a steady pace. But me, I kept stopping to let out a few ooh’s and aah’s and snap photos of the natural wonder that lay before us. Then I’d have to run to catch up with her, dodging donkey poo while trying not to fall on the slippery ice.
South Kaibab Trail
After trekking about a mile along South Kaibab Trail, we reached the aptly named Ooh Aah Point, offering another stunning view of the Grand Canyon. This was my favorite part of our weekend adventure. I felt energized and happy to be alive! To think that the Colorado River slowly eroded the earth over millions of years to form this remarkable chasm was simply mind-blowing. And with the lowest layers estimated to be more than a billion years old, it made me wonder, “How well do we truly understand the concept of time and the miraculousness of our existence?”
I snacked on one of my favorite GoMacro vegan protein bars for a quick boost, and then off we went, climbing back up to the canyon rim. Next time we’ll try to tackle a day hike to Cedar Ridge or Skeleton Point. I would have also loved to get all the way down to the Colorado River, but it’s highly recommended that you make overnight plans if attempting to do so.
When we reached the trailhead, we took a quick shuttle ride back to the visitors center. We were rewarded with a sighting of deer casually crossing the lot to feed. Although the nearest ones kept an eye on us as they ate, they seemed to be well acquainted with humans and not at all afraid. True to form, the group consisted of about 7-8 doe and one buck. While writing this I learned that male deer grow and shed their antlers every year! So this little guy has yet to lose his but will likely do so sometime between now and March.
Before heading back to camp for the night, we stocked up on plenty of wood. We planned to have a fire as big and hot as Kevin Costner did in Dances with Wolves! And with tons of food and beer left over, we were living our best lives. For dinner we made chili cheese dogs with Amy’s Organic Chili and Lightlife Jumbo Smart Dogs. We also roasted Brussels sprouts over the fire. The meal was another win! 🙌🏼
In the morning we had to pack and eat quickly. The campground’s checkout time was 11 am. I had a banana and Kite Hill Artisan Almond Milk Yogurt for breakfast. (Blueberry is my favorite.) Since we had taken way too much food, we’d be enjoying Dr. McDougall’s Vegan Hot & Sour Noodle Soup and sandwiches with Tofurkey Deli Slices and Follow Your Heart Vegenaise the rest of the week.
We were back home by Sunday night feeling accomplished and ready for a shower. Kudos to Tanya for doing all the driving. Because of Jorge’s camping experience, we didn’t freeze. And thanks to everyone for trying (and liking) all the vegan goodies I took. We made a great team!