Cal and VA | Adventures | Grand Canyon 2011

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grandcanyon2011 — I arrived at the Grand Canyon around noon and decided to visit the west end of the South Rim ending up at Hopi Point for Sunset. This is the first stop - Maricopa Point.

Awesome sight. I really liked the cliff on the left.

grandcanyon2011 — Maricopa Point has a great view, but this cliff attracted me - beautiful colors with the reds in the background.

Within view of Maricopa Point is a uranium mine, which is a big scar on the canyon wall. I hiked around the mine on the path to Powell Point. Sad to see all the 'Danger' signs and the work to clean up the site. It has been closed for decades.

grandcanyon2011 — I hiked from Maricopa Point to Powell Point and on to Hopi Point. I took a few pictures at Powell Point but knew I would return later in the day, so I made a few pictures. This is a shot over the "Alligator" and in the distance you can see the Colorado River.

All three points (Maricopa, Powell, and Hopi) are a quick walk and a nice hike. Back to the shuttle to get to the next view point - Mohave Point.

grandcanyon2011 — From Mohave Point you can see right down the "Alligator". The bright red rock really stands out.

This vantage point was pretty big and had quite a few people taking photos from all over. All of a sudden a man shouted that he saw a raft on the river. Camera swung to see the raft.

grandcanyon2011 — Without a camera lens to help I am not sure I would have seen the little raft on the Colorado River from Mohave Point. Everyone was pointing, so I pulled out my long lens. As I focused a raft entered the section we could see. The raft is a little dot on the river.

And it is headed toward the rapids.

grandcanyon2011 — Zoomed all the way in from the top of the Grand Canyon to the river. This is a 20-person raft in the Hermit rapids.

Amazing you can see all the way to the bottom of the canyon.

grandcanyon2011 — All the vistas and you should have seen the photographers rush to the little squirrel. There was a railing separating the tourists from the little critter. And he was sitting inches away from a very sharp drop off. I tried to get the drop, but it was not possible.

Back to the shuttle bus.

grandcanyon2011 — I jumped off the shuttle bus at a stop which was not that popular - Monument Creek Vista. The views were not as spectacular as at the various "points". While waiting for the shuttle, a brilliant blue bird landed not far away.

grandcanyon2011 — A short ride to Pima Point where the views were beautiful. Here is the Colorado River through the trees.

Pima was a great view point - lots to see in all directions.

grandcanyon2011 — The view from Pima Point to the east is into a red kaleidoscope. I probably took over a hundred pictures at this point alone.

grandcanyon2011 — This pretty formation was to the direct east of Pima Point. There is a canyon between Pima Point and the Abyss creating a horseshoe of red canyon wall.

grandcanyon2011 — Shooting across the red ridge line into the red cliffs to the east.

grandcanyon2011 — A canyon carved into the North side of the Canyon emptying into the Colorado River between Granite Rapids and Hermit Rapids. Amazing how the water can carve the cliffs.

grandcanyon2011 — I took the bus to the end of the line - Hermits Rest. The stop provides for water and food but not very photogenic at least to someone hurrying through in 24 hours. Back on the bus for sunset.

Now back at Powell Point. A very nice view to the west and the east. This rock formation would be a subject for more pictures from Hopi Point.

grandcanyon2011 — The rocks from Powell Point line up like they are posing.

But no time to stay. I needed to make a short walk to Hopi Point and prepare for sunset.

grandcanyon2011 — A short hike to Hopi Point where I took pictures for about 3 hours during the setting sun. The light played across the rocks. And I had a lot of time.

I was busy trying to find the best place for my tripod and stake out my territory.

grandcanyon2011 — Looking across the Colorado River at the rocks on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. About now I began jocking for position to cover the sunset here at Hopi Point.

grandcanyon2011 — How do those rocks stay balanced on top of the ridge? The view down from Hopi Point had many of these little rock formations.

grandcanyon2011 — Sun kissed ridges from hopi Point. A series of ridges in the setting sun - I took a bizilion pictures of these ridges. These are to the north catching the setting sun.

grandcanyon2011 — Looking east from Hopi Point as the sun sets.

By now there are tripods all along the railing all of us trying to determine the best place for sunset.

grandcanyon2011 — Sunset colors in the eastern ridges far from Hopi Point.

grandcanyon2011 — Looking to the north at sunset from Hopi Point the rocks really shine in the golden light.

grandcanyon2011 — I like how the light played on this ridge. Pretty close to sunset now.

grandcanyon2011 — My last good picture prior to darkness. There were more than 100 people at Hopi Point by the time the sun set.

So once the last ray disappeared, there was a bit of a race for the shuttles. Since they go counterclockwise I hiked down to Powell Point and caught a shuttle prior to the crowds.

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Cal and VA | Adventures | Grand Canyon 2011

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