Tuesday, August 23, 2005

A Shot in the Dark: Night Hiking at GC

Overheated summer hikers at Grand Canyon sometimes receive some counterintuitive advice from those in the know -- wait until dark. Before pushing uphill that is. Nocturnal travel is nothing new to the Canyon's many desert critters, and is much more desirable than wilting in triple digit temperatures. The views under a full or near-full moon are less spectacular than during daylight hours, but visibility is amazing and the experience surreal. I would only recommend this type of endeavor on trails that you are familiar with. And don't forget the flashlight (and spare batteries) in case the clouds move in. Personally, it's the one hike when I don't feel guilty leaving my camera at home.

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