Once we were at Phantom Ranch it was like being in another world. To reach the ranch on the north side of the Colorado River, we had to cross a suspension bridge. It was amazing to think of how the steel for the bridge was brought down the trail, piece by piece.

The cabins and dining hall of the ranch are just what you would imagine a rustic cabin should be. Built mostly of stone and painted greens and browns, they were nestled along the creek and in small stands of trees. We stopped at the dining hall / office and got our cabin assignment. Rachel and I wasted no time heading to the showers.

After a short rest we had dinner, family style at the dining hall. People from all over the world are there. The menu was all you can eat beef stew, salad, corn bread and chocolate cake for desert. With our stomachs full and our feet worn out, it was an early bedtime for us all.

We had breakfast early and Denny, Rachel and Michael headed out for a day hike. Rachel saw a bald eagle that morning. Ellen opted for a warm bunk, a good book and an afternoon staring out the cabin windows at the soaring canyon walls. As the sun changed positions, the colors changed dramatically. It was surreal, and I felt like was in another world. After hiking with Rachel and Michael for 6 miles, Denny took me on a shorter 2-mile hike up Phantom Creek. In one of the photos you can see the rock formation called the "Phantom of Phantom Creek." Dinner that night was steak, steamed veggies, corn, salad and more corn bread and chocolate cake.

After breakfast on Friday, we packed up our things and prepared for the hike out. This time we hiked the Bright Angel Trail, 10.5 miles and again, 5000 foot change in elevation. It was a crisp, clear morning and we dressed lightly because we knew we would be working up a sweat. And sweat we did! It took us about 7 hours to get out of the canyon, but it was 7 hours of unparalleled beauty. I am at a loss for words to describe what it was like as we got higher and higher and looked back to see where we had been. For most of the first half of the hike, we hiked along two different creeks. The sound of rushing water, the birds in the air, and the dramatic scenery was fantastic. We saw a beautiful buck mule deer and his harem of 8 does.

As we got closer to the top of the canyon, the weather got cooler and the trails snowy and icy. Whenever I felt like I couldn't make it, I just turned around, looked at where I had been earlier in the day and was inspired to keep going. All I could say when I reached the top was, "I DID IT!"