Grand Canyon, Arizona + California - February 2022

Chris had flight testing in Arizona at Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG) for two weeks in February 2022.  He visited Palm Canyon in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge after flight test on 7 February 2022, and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the Laguna Mountains in California on 13 February 2022.   After flight testing was completed, he drove east and north and visited Montezuma's Castle National Monument and Sedona on 17 February 2022 before driving to the Grand Canyon National Park that evening. 

This was Chris' sixteenth visit to the Grand Canyon and his tenth time to visit the bottom.  He hiked down the Bright Angel Trail to Indian Gardens on the afternoon of 18 February 2022, spent sunset at Plateau Point, camped in Indian Gardens that night, and hiked back out to the South Rim on the morning of 19 February 2022. He spent that evening on the West Rim, out to Hermit's Rest, and was at Pima Point for sunset.  He drove to Phoenix and flew home on 20 February 2022.

Monday,  7 Feb 2022

Palm Canyon in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is one of only two places in Arizona that has native palm trees.  The hike up to the observation point to see the palm trees is less than 1/2 mile; the trees themselves are tucked high in a small side canyon, well above the main canyon. Chris visited there after work.

Palm Canyon Hike, 7 February 2022

Thursday, 10 Feb 2022

On Thursday after work, Chris flew one of his RC planes just outside the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and again at the Adair Road RC Field in Yuma.

Saturday, 12 Feb 2022

Chris drove to the RC field to fly one his RC planes, and then continued on the Lake Havasu. He visited a hobby shop, relaxed by the water, and flew his plane at Lake Havasu before returning to Yuma that evening.

Parker Dam - forms Lake Havasu

Sunday, 13 Feb 2022

Chris drove to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California, west of the Salton Sea.  He hiked through "The Slot", a short slot canyon he had visited twice before, and then drove into the town of Borrego Springs to see the giant sculptures spread throughout that artist's enclave. He then drove southwest up into the Laguna Mountains for sunset, and back back east to Yuma that evening.  Chris flew one of his RC planes over "The Slot" and in the Laguna Mountains at the Pacific Crest Trail.

                             
The Slot, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

            
Borrego Springs, California

Laguna Mountains, California

Monday, 14 Feb 2022

Chris flew two of his RC planes after work.

 
NanoTalon Aerial Video, Caddx Loris 2.7K, Yuma RC Field, 14 Feb 2022

Thursday, 17 Feb 2022

The actual flights had been completed on the 16th.  Chris and the crew spent the 17th packing the equipment and loading it to the truck for shipment back to Maryland.  When all that was done, everyone headed home and Chris drove from YPG to Montezuma's Castle and to Sedona, both north of Phoenix.  He spent sunset in Sedona and drove on to the Grand Canyon that evening.

 
5' Wing Aerial Video, Runcam Split 1080, Sedona, 17 Feb 2022

Friday, 18 Feb 2022

Chris got up early and visited the back country office to get camping reservations within the Grand Canyon.  His favorite camping spot combinations were not available for several days on the walk-up waiting list, but a single night at Indian Gardens was available that very evening.  After buying the necessary food at the South Rim Village Market, he hiked the Bright Angel Trail from the South Rim to Indian Gardens on Friday afternoon; it was 2 hours 15 minutes from the rim to Indian Gardens over 4.5 miles and 3000 vertical feet.  There was snow and ice along the upper portions of the trail, but fortunately Chris had crampons to aid in the traction.  He relaxed in camp and set up his tent.  Chris then hiked out the 1.5 miles to Plateau Point for sunset. There is a link below to a short video tour at Plateau Point that Chris filmed with his new GoPro 10, showing points of interest around the Canyon.  He returned to Indian Gardens to camp that night.  It got very cold (into the upper 20's), and his sleeping back zipper broke in the middle of the night; it is time to retire that sleeping back.

Saturday, 19 Feb 2022

Chris hiked back up the Bright Angel Trail from Indian Gardens to South Rim. His time for the hike up was 5 hours 6 minutes, which is a little slower than the last time he hiked that route in 2013.  Like all of Chris' hikes out of the Grand Canyon, he celebrated by having a burger at the Bright Angle Lodge. He had a room waiting for him at the Maswik Lodge, where he checked in and cleaned up, before heading back out to visit a few spots on the South Rim.  Chris stopped at Mather Point, and then drove along the West Rim Drive, stopping at several overlooks along the way to Hermit's Rest.  He spent sunset at Pima Point on the West Rim Drive, and stayed at a hotel on the South Rim on Saturday night.

Pima Point Sunset Timelapse, GoPro10 4K, 19 Feb 2022

Sunday, 20 Feb 2022

Chris drove from the Grand Canyon to Phoenix, and flew home that afternoon and evening, arriving back home a little after midnight.