Our 2007 Vacation to the Grand Canyon - Grand Canyon Railway
Our Departure From Williams
(19 June 2007)
Well, that is that. There are no words to describe the feeling we get looking
back at Williams from the observation platform, long gone back that
single, lone track. We see the north face of Mt. Elden to the left, other
unknown peaks to the right, and scrub as far as the eye can see. It's an
experience we won't soon forget.
Our drinks are delivered to us on the platform, and none too soon! The long, straight stretch of track is beginning to curve and I decide it's time to get some pictures of the train in motion. Oops... Kind of bumpy... Here's a better one. Still a little crooked, but when I'm holding the camera with one hand, a drink with the other, and the grab rail with the third, it gets tough to hold on and snap the perfect composition without falling... or worse yet, spilling!
The train is like a time machine and we imagine ourselves a century earlier, looking out over this vast, empty landscape. We remain out on the platform for most of the trip to the South Rim, periodically ordering another drink, and watching the features of the terrain change. There are actually three different terrains - the not so arid 'oasis' of Williams, the hot and dry High Desert, and finally the Kaibab Forest. All three have their own distinctive features and it is surprising how abrupt the change between them is.
The rise of the Kaibab Plateau above the surrounding terrain is the reason this majestic site exists. That, and the Colorado River cutting through it. At between seven to eight thousand feet above sea level it snows, and snows a lot - the main source of moisture for this forested area, the Kaibab National Forest. Most of the forest exists to the north of the North Rim. The view from orbit shows a small, forested area surrounded by desert - a stark contrast.
Amazing Vistas...
The 'oases' of Williams, Flagstaff and the other towns are nestled in a valley where water can accumulate and things can grow. Seeing these towns along the famous Route 66, it is easy to imagine why they sprang up after comparing them to the terrain just north of there, the High Desert. Nothing but tufts of nothing as far as the eye can see. Eventually the Kaibab Forest springs up as we get closer to the South Rim.
Ann is enamored with the view and I can hardly get her to look away. She's as relaxed as I've ever seen her, as if she has not a care in the world. The conductor was kind enough to snap this picture of us nearing the South Rim. You can see the beginning of the Kaibab Forest as the backdrop. I'm glad it's just the three of us, for the most part anyway. A number of others ventured out to the platform, snapped a couple of pictures, then retired back into the cool comfort of the interior.
For the railfans in the audience, as I'm looking back the line, I can see the signs of recent maintenance. We cross over many 'mini trestles' on the way, this one will be important later in the story. We see tire tracks so we know it, and the trail beneath it, get used but there is no way a car can get beneath it. Every so often we see a dirt road crossing heading off into the forest, and wonder, what lies beyond? Who lives here? At this point I'm thinking we all want to live here...
We can tell we're getting close to something as we see more signs of civilization begin to appear. We don't want this trip to be over, but know we'll soon be there, the Grand Canyon, and we're getting even more excited. The long climb to the canyon is punctuated by the tight curves through the narrow valley the rail line follows, first one direction, then the other. The application of the brakes to reduce the train's speed for curves and view, now limited by the sharply rising landscape on either side, prompt us to finally return to our seats.
Back in our seats, and taking in the view through the windows, we see we are almost there and the excitement builds. Roads begin to appear more frequently and the traffic grows. Cars patiently wait in line to reach their destination and we realize yet another benefit of taking the train as it finally pulls into the station. We gather our belongings and, with little time to do anything else, we're whisked away on a bus tour of the South Rim, nearly 3 hours long... All part of the package. You can see the station on the lower right of this Google Earth Image. Again, for the railfans, the wye for engine turn around can be seen on the lower left.
