Let me start off by saying that I am a terrible fisherman. I never really caught the bug and as a result I don’t usually fish in my spare time. My daughters have enjoyed fishing when the family gets together for the annual family trip to Mahoney State Park here in Nebraska, so I tag…
It was a cold day in March at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge near Omaha, NE when Jim and I arrived at the lake. Even with the windows on Jim’s car closed because it was cold outside we could hear the sound that only a large gathering of geese can produce. As we stepped out of…
So I really entered into this crazy rim to rim hike across the Grand Canyon without very much information. I was riding the coattails of a trusted friend, and just figured that if I worked hard enough I would get it done. It turns out that I was right, but it also turns out that…
Leaving Indian Gardens we were as fresh as we could possibly be at the time. We were told that we only had 4.5 miles to go, with stops at the 3 mile and 1.5 mile Resthouse between here and the top. How hard could it possibly be? Excruciatingly hard, I would discover. The constant…
I wasn’t ready for it. Up to this point, the trail surface had been hard packed and easy to walk on. Almost immediately after crossing the bridge, the surface became a loose, shallow layer of sand. In addition, at least as things felt at the time, it was completely an uphill climb. On top of…
I have to admit that I knew almost nothing about this place before making the trip, but Phantom Ranch is one of a kind. This little piece of heaven is located near the confluence of Bright Angel Creek and the Colorado River. It is also just steps away from Bright Angel Campground. Phantom Ranch consists…
After a wonderful break at Manzanita Rest Area, we started off again with an increased sense of urgency. We had approximately 8.6 miles to go before reaching Phantom Ranch, and “The Box” stood somewhere in between here and there. “The Box” is a stretch of trail within the inner gorge where the walls are very…
0400 hours sounded like it would be early, but I was awake before the alarm even sounded. So were the others it seemed, as we all met outside quickly and made our last minute preparations and began fueling up for the day with peanut butter & Jelly and breakfast bars. It was chilly, with temperatures…
After leaving Marble Canyon behind, it wasn’t long before we starting gaining elevation again and re-entering the spruce and aspen forest of Kaibab National Forest. The scenery was beautiful, and I felt like I was back in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. I must admit that I was totally unprepared for this, I guess in…
OK, I’ve already explained that this whole rim to rim thing was part of the fuel for this fire that has led me to this MO-Outdoors. I think that writing a bit about it, sharing the route we took, and going in to the logistics of the trip are worth noting and you may find…
