Visit to Grand Canyon - South Side

 We have visited the Grand Canyon, both South Side (most popular) and the North Side (only can visit in summer months), 5 times, all of the visits between May and August.  I wanted to see the GC in the winter months, to see snow.  We asked our friend, Bev, if she would also like to see it with us and she had also not seen it in the winter months, and she said sure!

Kachina Lodge (right beside El Tovar)

Look out at sunset first evening

Explanation of Yavapi Observation

Attempting to get a hotel room was very hard.  You can only get a room via the internet which I am comfortable with, but the problem was getting two rooms for 2 nights (3 days) was crazy.  Some of the hotels within Grand Canyon Village are not open in the winter months, and cabins were also closed.  However, if we wanted to, we could reserve a camp ground site - well, no, we don't have an RV anymore so forget that.  I booked 2 rooms at the Kachina Lodge for February 16 and the 17th. The other problem - only one restaurant was open and that was in the El Tovar.  Prices were a tidge more, but food was excellent.  Trouble getting reservations for dinner - again, all on-line, but we managed to get in and have delicious breakfasts and dinners.

Snow piled up against glass

Hope the ice doesn't break the glass!

Bright Angle Trail could be seen from window

Were we surprised at the amount of people! And it was bitter cold, icy, lots of snow.  We were planning on doing some walking along the Rim Trail which skirts the south side for 13 miles but the icy paths and the bitter wind did not allow us to do much.  However, the free shuttle that runs every 20 minutes and we hopped on it and took it to the Visitor's Center and then hopped back on it to get back to the Lodge.

Dave and Bev walking up to Yavapi building

Woman who worked for Fred Harvey Restaurants

Look at bridge over Colorado River - in middle of pic

Kinda glad now we did not stay in the main lodge (El Tovar) for a couple of reasons:  to haul up our luggage and snacks up flights of stairs would have been ugly; the price was almost double to be able to be in the same place and not go outside if we wanted to get meals (no restaurant in Kachina); and 'no room at the inn' which meant the rooms were booked out until May.  

Train loading up passengers for return to Williams

Blurry - but elk were everywhere

Observations:  ALOT OF PEOPLE!!! in the dead of winter.  Yes, the GC is just as awesome in the winter as in the summer.  Sunsets are beautiful, even in winter. Surprising the amount of people hiking down into the bottom of the GC to Phantom Ranch (need reservations and permit to do this - you cannot hike down and hike back up in same day)on the Bright Angel Trail.  We met a guide who was meeting 4 people to go down to Phantom Ranch and he showed us all the provisions he was giving to the people to make the hike bearable. Average hiking down is 4 to 6 hours and average hiking time up is 6 to 10 hours. Nope.  Did see the train that leaves daily from Williams, AZ and travels to the south rim, saw it when it was loading up to leave to head back (leaves at 3:30 for return trip). Talked with a woman at the Yavapi Point Geology Museum, she was a Harvey Girl in during the 1970's and she was telling people that she had hiked the Bright Angle Trail (to bottom) numerous times but now she's too old (was maybe 60??) - well, if she's too old, glad we did not go.  Lots of snow and bitter cold.   The main south road into Grand Canyon Village had been closed up to the day before we got there and on that drive in, they were snow plowing the roads in front of us.  Talk about timing.

Would we go back to Grand Canyon?  Yes, but for sure the North Rim since it's one third the amount of people that visit that side, but would really have to bribe me to go back to the South Rim.  Cannot even image the amount of traffic that is there now that the weather has changed.  Crazy.