Snowy South Kiabab: We began our hike down the kiabab
trail in a snowstorm. At first our view was obscured by clouds,
but within 45 minutes we had broken through the fog and we could
see the snowy canyon below.
These panoramas were taken on a four day hiking trip to the Grand
Canyon during early March 2006. For more images from this trip,
check out the pages in
the
gallery . Click on the thumbnail to see the full panorama.
These images appear in chronological order.
[Warning: These images are quite large.]
Snowy South Kiabab: We began our hike down the kiabab
trail in a snowstorm. At first our view was obscured by clouds,
but within 45 minutes we had broken through the fog and we could
see the snowy canyon below.
Cloudbreak: The sun came out soon after we crossed down
through the Hermit Shale where the first rest stop is located.
You can see the snowy trail along the left edge of this image, and
the incredible view off to the right.
Hermit Saddle: This panorama was taken a few minutes
after the image above. The trail runs along the outcropping in
the image until it reaches the end, and then it plunges down
rapidly through the Redwall Limestone onto the Tonto Plateau.
Cloudbreak II: This panorama was taken just slightly
further along than the two panoramas above (the lighting was so
good!). Once again you can see the trail along the left (this
time with a hiker on it).
Tonto Plateau: This panorama was taken at the second
rest stop on the trail, which is located just outside the canyon's
inner gorge. It was getting to be late afternoon by this point,
so the direct sunlight in the canyon was waning.
South Rim at Bright Angel Lodge: This image was taken
from the edge of the south rim at the top of the Bright Angel
Trail (right next to the Bright Angel Lodge). We had just
completed our hike up and out of the canyon, and this is the
canonical location for a victory photograph.