08 Jun Grand Canyon Beauty

I have just finished my first week at Grand Canyon National Park and it has been an eye-opener and a huge culture shock. I have previously only lived in big cities, and the remoteness of the Grand Canyon Village has taken me on a whirlwind. Not only does my new living accommodations not have any internet or WiFi services, but my cell phone provider does not have any service at GRCA! Now I’m not saying it’s a bad thing – I’m so not used to it. I still have not gotten used to the disconnect.

I have met many amazing people here from all over the world. The Grand Canyon received nearly 5.5 million visitors last year, and word is spreading that even more people are flocking to see the amazing vistas offered here. Teddy Roosevelt was not lying when he said that every American should see the Grand Canyon, because it is absolutely breathtaking. I have hiked the South Kaibab Trail and the Hermits Trail on the South Rim, and while they were both intense in their own respects, what made the hike even more unbearable is the intense heat scorching down above you. Daily highs have been in the 95-98F regions, and the lower you get in the canyon, the hotter. Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon is getting up to 109 F! It is very important to know to drink plenty fluids, do not hike between the hours of 10AM-4PM, and to go at a slow pace. If you can’t talk and hike at the same time, you are going too fast. And while I’m barely on my first 3 days of work in just training, there are many things to get used to around GRCA: the “cut-off” of technology while living here, the new NPS acronyms to learn, the intense heat the Grand Canyon is experiencing right now, and learning the new structure of the Park Service.