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Hi,<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Have a super time. The Grand Canyon is something I have always said no citizen of the US should ever miss, it is like required reading for citizenship. Yellowstone is the other place.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>But there is something that you should know. Overnight trips into the canyon are HIGHLY regulated. Day trips are not.<br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>The one you want is surely already booked and has been for a long while. Here's what to do: get to the ranger station before they open (7am?), so you are one of the first in line. Ask them about backpacking trips. Normally nearly every one is full well ahead of time. If you are there Tuesday , Wednesday or Thursday, your changes are better. If things are normal, all is not lost. Frequently people do not show up for their reserved trip and they can issue you a permit a few hours later. If you are flexible on where you want to go, it will be easier. Trips to the bottom are the most popular. I can recommend the Hermit Trail, which sort of circumnavigates the canyon. I found that more interesting than just going to the bottom, though seeing the river was neat. I think the Hermit gave me a better feel for the canyon. The North Rim may have less overnight trail traffic. I have not hiked there.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Be sure to spend time at various overlooks at both sunrise and sunset. Things change fast with the light then and it is a neat experience as well as the most beautiful time. Clearing or coming storms also bring neat lighting conditions.<br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Las Vegas is a horrible place, but still neat in its own peculiar glitzy way. Hoover Dam is good. There are other parks that are fun as well. Here is one you may not know about which is my absolute favorite - Havasu Canyon. It is pretty popular too, as it should be, but since it is owned by Indians, a little more relaxed. Super camping, swimming beyond the best you could ever imagine, good hiking though no official trails. You can't get lost. You can make a trip for there to the Colorado River - super scenic, and enters the Grand Canyon NP on the way. If you had lots of time, I know of many spots within a day's drive of LV that re very cool. For the first trip, the Grand is the best.</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>If you want to know more, ask me.<br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br><div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Chalkboard; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 13px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#340064">Roland Vinyard</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Chalkboard; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 15px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#790000">"The Bard Rocks"</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Chalkboard; font-family: Chalkboard; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#350064"><a href="mailto:roland@thebardrocks.com">roland@thebardrocks.com</a></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Chalkboard; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 11px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#340064">518-673-3212</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Chalkboard; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 13px; "><span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Chalkboard; font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 10px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#340064">visit the web site:</font></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Chalkboard; font-family: Chalkboard; "> </span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#640024">www.thebardrocks.com</font></div></div></div></div></span> </div><br><div><div>On Jun 25, 2008, at 9:08 PM, Ragone_Andrew wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div class="gmail_quote">Summer is exciting. Deserts are exciting. Let's combine them!<br><br>I'm heading out on a about a week long escapade to the Grand Canyon this Summer, which should be nothing less than breathtaking (damn hot weather). Here's my preliminary itinerary:<br> <br>Thurs, Aug 14: <br> Flight out to Las Vegas, meetup with others. <br> Explore the LV nightlife. <br> {Sleep @ LV Hostel}<br><br>Fri, Aug 15: <br> Meander around Las Vegas and lose some dolla dolla bills.<br> {Sleep @ LV Hostel}<br> <br>Sat, Aug 16:<br> Depending on how much fun the trek is having in LV, we may have left early in the morning. If not, we may straggle and check out a few last things in LV and then headout on a roadtrip to Grand Canyon. <br> On the way, we will hit up a bunch of POI: Hoover Dam, other national parks, etc. <br> Explore night features of GC upon arrival.<br> {Camping at a Grand Canyon Village area campground}<br><br>Sun, Aug 17:<br> Become Grand Canyon Tourists (boo). <br> See the different acclaimed features. Probably descend into the Canyon come evening.<br> {Perhaps the same GCV CG, else a campground in the canyon below the rim}<br><br>Mon, Aug 18 - Thurs, Aug 21:<br> If we did not descend already, do so. There are a bunch of cool day hikes with amazing sites that /probably/ were hit up on the previous days. Some others /may/ be able to be worked into the itinerary - though unlikely. <br> The main brunt of this trip is a rim-to-rim hike of the canyon. Upon arrival at the other side (woo!), take the shuttle back to GCV.<br> {Nights spent in various campgrounds or appropriate camping areas}<br><br>Fri, Aug 22:<br> Roadtrip back to LV. <br> Provide some buffer time just in case something goes wrong or we take longer than expected.<br> {Sleep in the car on the side of the road, or maybe even in a hostel}<br><br>Sat, Aug 23:<br> Be in LV. Perhaps explore? <br> Definitely depart. <br> {Sleep: on the plane, for sure!}<br><br>Trip is over. fun fun.<br><br>If any club members are interested, contact me asap! It is bound to be a sweet time - but we need to organize things and make sure you can handle the hike. Contact me here: <br> <a href="mailto:ajr9166@rit.edu" target="_blank">ajr9166@rit.edu</a><br> 201.406.0298<br><font color="#888888"><br>-Andrew</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">_______________________________________________</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Intercollegiate Outing Club mailing list</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">get info, trips out, pictures and more at <a href="http://www.ioca.org">http://www.ioca.org</a></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">to unsubscribe, email <a href="mailto:unsubscribe@ioca.org">unsubscribe@ioca.org</a></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">contact the admin at <a href="mailto:info@ioca.org">info@ioca.org</a></div> </blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>