Havasupai Canyon, 2005

So 'cause I work at a highschool, and thought it was a good idea at the time (and in retrospect, was one of the best ideas ever), I chaperoned a school trip with 20 kids and 12 grownups to Havasupai Canyon in Arizona. Technically it isn't the Grand Canyon, but it is right next to it, so it is kind of like the Grand Canyon, or as we like to call it "a really big canyon". 'Cause it is. Really big. Anyway, the 32 of us flew out to Vegas, stayed overnight in the highly sketchy Cavern Motel, and then hiked into the canyon. Pictures and description as needed follows (there are a lot of pictures, so please be patient as things load):

 

This is Dave, one of our fantastic guides from Arizona Outback Adventures. He's from Canada. All the girls loved him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our first stop was to a crazy chocolate factory, where we took a tour (which was like something off of the Food Channel) and then looked at really expensive chocolates we couldn't afford. This is a group of our kids lounging in the factory cactus garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, on to the Hoover Dam. It really is that big, and looks just like it does in Superman--The Movie. Jeff really wanted to try skateboarding down the dam, here, but realized he didn't have a big enough helmet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is an excellent pair of statues at the Hoover Dam. I'm not quite sure what they represent, but they are very cool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here I am at the Hoover Dam. I have this habit of taking pictures of myself that are inevitably blurry or out of focus. Eh. It's my way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then came the actual canyon. This is the top of the canyon, in the middle of the Havasu reservation in Arizona. You really can't get the sense of hugeness in this little picture, but what are you gonna do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is us gearing up to walk 10 miles into the canyon. Notice the large amount of water and various hiking poles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here we are at the bottom of the first descent we made--about a mile and a half of steep switchbacks (i.e. we started way at the top of this picture). It was quite enjoyable going down. The way back up, however, was something of a living nightmare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Havasu village in the canyon has a population of about five or six hundred, and can only be reached by helicopter or walking the eight miles through the canyon. As a result, most things that come in and out do so on mule trains. Apparently, the only picture I got of the countless mule trains we passed is this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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