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I’ve always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon when there was snow on the ground and as luck should have it, I had a small window of opportunity in the middle of December, 2022. I wanted to camp near the Grand Canyon but it was much to cold to park my RV (without winterizing it) so I boon-docked in Sedona instead, albeit below freezing there too. My goal was to be at the Grand Canyon before sunrise so I left at 4 a.m.; knowing that it was going to be a dark and slippery trip (especially Oak Creek Canyon). Wow, lucky me…. I arrived 10 minutes before sunrise with just enough time to set up my camera and count to 10 (lol)! The sunrise was incredibly pretty and the colors were colors I hadn’t seen in the Grand Canyon before; it was fun to watch the sun fill the canyon and the colors change as it did. There were approximately 40 other visitors watching the sunrise but because it was so cold (-15C/5) they all left, and I had the canyon to myself. It was nice to be the only one there but I was SO, so cold and although I was dressed for the cold my fingers were throbbing as I fumbled around with my camera settings. That said, I (almost) wanted to chuckle because my fingers wouldn’t work but sheesh the pain! I was so very thankful for this opportunity that it kept me “focused” :-) on my photography passion. That said, what photographers will do for a photograph! I braved the cold until 1 p.m. (I was so done). I have now visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in all types of weather, so my next visit will have to be from either the canyon floor (rafting) or the North Rim (which is closed during the winter months).
We arrived at Lees Ferry on a sunny and warm day in January. Upon arrival, we happily set up camp at the local National Park Campground that overlooked the Colorado River and the rock canyon walls; not far from where this photo was taken. After some exploring by foot, we set up a couple lawn chairs and poured ourselves a few (lol) glasses of wine, enjoyed a charcuterie board, reminisced and giggled as we watched the setting sun. Very quickly though, the evening air grew cold and we called it a day. As planned, the next morning we got up early to hike Cathedral Wash Trail, which we had passed as we drove in (only 5 minutes back). I was excited; I remembered visiting Lees Ferry before and saying, “We just have to come back and hike in there!”, and here we were; pinch me! The sun was just cresting when we arrived and the temperature was well below freezing. Just as we started out, I looked back and noticed the road we had driven in on and how the curb caught the cresting morning light; it creating a very defining line through the desert that demanded my attention. I instantly loved the way the road appears and then disappears and the way your eye follows the road to where the slopes and road join, creating a strong focal point. Although I had set out to capture Mother Nature’s beauty, this photo turned out to my shot of the day. What I love about this photo is the blending of the lonely modernism in the middle of the desert’s solitude. Lees Ferry, is a tiny settlement on the Colorado River, 6 miles north-west of Alt. Highway 89 (near Page, Arizona), which is also known as Marble Canyon. It’s here that the mighty Grand Canyon begins and is called, “mile zero” of the 277-mile canyon. It too is where most of the Grand Canyon river boat expeditions start.
