Grand Canyon National Park

by Mike Graf

  “Follow me,” the ranger called out.

  The campers followed the ranger. They shone their lights into the grass and bushes next to the trail.

  “Here’s one!” someone yelled.

  Morgan, James, and Dad hurried over to look. Under the light was a small, glowing insect. It had two claws on the front of its body. Its tail curled up over its back.

  “Eeew!” Dad said.

  “I sure wouldn’t want to have one of those crawling on me!” James exclaimed.

  Morgan walked on. James and Dad followed her. She shone her light on the other side of the trail. Within a moment, Morgan saw something glowing in the grass. She moved her light closer and found another tiny scorpion.

  While the family watched the scorpion, the ranger walked up. “Try looking at it with a regular flashlight,” she suggested.

  Morgan turned off her ultraviolet flashlight. She pulled her regular one from her pocket and shone it on the scorpion. This time, they couldn’t see it.

  “Okay,” the ranger said, “turn on the ultraviolet light again.”

  Morgan flicked on the special flashlight. The scorpion was still there.

  “It’s completely translucent,” the ranger explained.

  “Why do they glow like that?” Morgan asked.

  “Good question,” the ranger replied. “Scorpions have a chemical in their body that glows, or fluoresces, even after they die. The only time they don’t glow is when they shed their outer layer and haven’t grown a new layer yet.”

  “There’s one over here!” someone called out. The ranger headed over to see it.

  James, Morgan, and Dad found several more scorpions within a few feet of the trail.

  “Boy,” Dad said, “they’re everywhere.”

  Great horned owl

  “And without the ranger’s flashlight, we wouldn’t even know it,” James added.

  They reached the ranger, who was waiting at the end of the trail. “How many did you see?” she asked.

  “Eleven,” James replied.

  “They’re sure active tonight,” the ranger said.

  PHANTOM RANCH…ALITTLE BIT OF…CIVILIZATION

  Phantom Ranch has been described as “a little bit of civilization in the wilderness.” It is located near the junction of Bright Angel Creek and the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The ranch has stone and wood cabins, dormitories, and a dining hall. You can only get there by foot, mule, or raft.

  Before the ranch was constructed, David Rust built a small campsite there in 1902. It was called Rust’s Camp. Theodore Roosevelt camped at Phantom Ranch in 1913, and it was renamed Roosevelt’s Camp that same year.

  In 1922, Mary Jane Colter, an architect, designed Phantom Ranch. Construction began that year, and the ranch was completed ten years later. Colter named the place Phantom Ranch after Phantom Creek, which runs into the canyon one mile up from the Colorado River. During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) set up camp where the Bright Angel Campground is today. The CCC built a swimming pool. But because of overuse and floods that caused bacteria to form in the water, in 1972 it was filled in.

  Electricity was installed at Phantom Ranch in 1966. Modern sewage treatment was added in 1981. Phantom Ranch is now a popular tourist destination. Reservations are required long in advance to stay there.

  “That’s more than I want to know about,” Dad said.

  Morgan handed the ultraviolet flashlight to the ranger.

  “Just remember,” the ranger reminded them, “stay on the trail and out of the bushes. And don’t go anywhere barefoot.”

  “Got it,” Dad said.

  James, Morgan, and Dad headed toward camp. They shone their flashlights back and forth on the trail.

  “We might not see the scorpions without the ultraviolet light,” James said.

  “But at least we can see where the trail is,” Morgan observed.

  Dad grabbed Morgan and James’s arms. “I’ve got an idea. Let’s go to the canteen and get something cool to drink before we call it a night. I’m not sure I want to be in camp right now anyway.”

  “Good idea,” James said.

  They turned and walked back toward Phantom Ranch.

  They got to the canteen and went inside. The room had benches and large tables. Ceiling fans spun slowly. Hikers were hanging out, reading, talking, and playing board games.

  Morgan, James, and Dad ordered lemonade. The twins found a game of checkers.

  “I’m glad that couple from Minnesota finally made it into camp,” a person nearby said. “They sure looked tired.”

  Dad turned to the people who spoke. “We saw them on the trail,” he said.

  “And we helped them carry their backpacks down,” Morgan added.

  “That’s good,” a person said, “because when we saw them, we weren’t sure they were going to make it down here.”

  “I wonder how they’re going to hike out of here,” Morgan said.

  “I wonder how we’re going to hike out of here,” Dad said.

  Morgan, James, and Dad put away their game. They gulped down the rest of their lemonade, then stepped outside and were blasted by the desert heat.

  “Where’s the air conditioning?” James joked.

  “Or the ice machine!” Morgan added.

  They turned on their flashlights and walked slowly back to the campground.

  When they got to their campsite, they searched all around it. Then they opened the tent flap and quickly crawled inside.

  Dad hurriedly zipped the tent up. Morgan, James, and Dad searched the corners and edges to make sure there were no critters inside.

  Dad shone his flashlight on the tent zipper again to make sure it was completely closed.

  They put sheets down on their mattress pads, took off their shoes, and lay down.

  “No need for a sleeping bag tonight,” Dad said.

  They looked up through the mesh at the top of the tent and saw hundreds of stars.

  “It’s too hot to sleep,” James said. He took his water bottle and squirted himself.

  Cicada

  “Good idea,” Dad said.

  They lay silently, listening to the buzzing from the cicadas outside.

  “What happens if we have to go to the bathroom?” James blurted out.

  “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Dad said.

  “But whatever you do, don’t go outside barefoot,” Morgan reminded her brother.

  A while later, Morgan whispered, “James, are you asleep?”

  “No,” James replied, “are you?”

  Morgan laughed. “It sounds like Dad’s asleep.”

  “Does it?” Dad answered groggily. “Why do you say that?”

  “I don’t know,” Morgan said. She laughed again. “What do you think?”

  “Was I snoring?” Dad asked.

  “Yes,” James said. “But it’s the heat that’s keeping me awake.”

  “I wonder what time it is,” Dad said.

  “I’m not sure I want to know,” Morgan replied.

  Dad looked at his watch. “You’re right, you don’t want to know.”

  8

  “Ahh!” Dad screamed. He kicked his feet around and sat up. He flicked on his flashlight and shone it on his feet, then frantically searched all around the tent.

  Morgan and James also sat up.

  “What’s wrong, Dad?” Morgan asked.

  “Something touched my leg!” Dad exclaimed.

  “Do you want me to look?” James asked, grabbing his flashlight.

  STUNG BY A BARK SCORPION

  Most people who get stung by bark scorpions feel numbing and tingling near the sting. It can also become painful and hypersensitive to the touch. If someone is stung on the hand or foot, they might feel like electrical impulses are shooting up their limbs. These reactions usually peak in four to five hours.

  But if the scorpion releases a lot of venom, the pain may spread to other limbs and through
out the body. The person may have vision problems and be unable to focus. It can also affect a person’s breathing. People with these conditions need medical attention. Very young children, older people, and people with preexisting conditions are more likely to have serious problems when stung.

  After being stung, it is best to dampen the area with a cold cloth, but not ice, and also take pain medication. Victims should also rest. Usually the pain goes away within twelve to twenty-four hours.

  “No. Hold still,” Dad replied. He slowly moved his leg out from under the sheet. “Ahh! It moved!” Dad flung his body to the side and landed on James’s leg. James bumped into Morgan. The three scrunched together at the side of the tent.

  “Were you stung?” Morgan asked.

  “No,” Dad answered.

  Dad shone his flashlight on his sheet. Nothing was there.

  “Maybe it crawled under it,” Morgan said.

  Dad slowly lifted the sheet and shone his light all around. Then he picked up a corner of the sheet and shook it.

  A tiny crumpled leaf and a small twig fell to the floor of the tent.

  Morgan and James looked at Dad. “Was that it?” Morgan asked.

  Dad picked up the leaf and twig, unzipped the tent, and tossed them outside. “Maybe seeing all those scorpions earlier got me a bit skittish,” Dad answered.

  “I sure wouldn’t want to be stung,” James said.

  Morgan, James, and Dad rearranged the tent.

  “Hopefully we’ll get some sleep now,” Dad said while lying back down.

  Sometime later, James opened his eyes. It was still dark outside. But he saw flashlights flickering about and he heard people moving around. “Are you guys up?” he whispered.

  “It’s not even five o’clock and people are packing,” Dad answered. “I can’t believe it.”

  “I guess there’s only one way to beat the heat when you’re camping at the bottom of the Grand Canyon,” Morgan said.

  “Should we get up?” James asked.

  “We might as well,” Morgan said. “We’re not sleeping anyway.”

  “I don’t know,” Dad said. “We only have seven miles to hike today. We don’t need to be in that much of a hurry.”

  James turned on his flashlight. He checked around the tent for scorpions and then found his park map. James studied the map. “We gain about 1,600 feet today.”

  There was a faint glow of morning light outside.

  Morgan sat up. “I’ve got to go to the bathroom.”

  “Me too,” James said.

  James and Morgan picked up their shoes, turned them upside down, and shook them out.

  Then they put on their shoes, opened the tent, and hurried to the bathroom.

  When they got back to camp, they ate bagels and granola bars. Then Dad, James, and Morgan packed their tent. It was 6:30 a.m. when they were ready to go. They walked by Steve and Joanna’s campsite.

  “Steve and Joanna,” Morgan whispered, “are you there?”

  There was no answer.

  “They’re probably still asleep,” Dad said. “I’m sure we’ll see them on the trail.”

  Morgan, James, and Dad walked through Phantom Ranch. They passed the ranger quarters and the amphitheater where they had listened to the talk the night before. Then they walked by the canteen and dormitories. They stopped to fill their water bottles.

  “Maybe we could stay in one of those stone cabins next time,” Dad said.

  “I don’t know,” James said, “I’m just as happy camping.”

  James, Morgan, and Dad got on the North Kaibab Trail.

  “There are only fourteen miles and 6,000 feet of climbing to go!” James announced.

  “That’s all?” Morgan joked.

  “Just think one step at a time,” Dad said.

  They hiked along Bright Angel Creek and quickly came into a narrow section of the canyon with cliffs rising hundreds of feet above them. Only a small part of the blue sky was visible.

  James looked at the dark cliffs streaked with quartz on both sides of the trail. He checked his map. “They call this part of the canyon The Box,” James said. “I guess it’s because we’re kind of boxed in. And the rock layer in here is called Vishnu Schist. It’s the first of all the layers of rock we’ll climb through on our way out of the canyon.”

  “BASEMENT” ROCKS

  Vishnu Schist is one of the “basement” rocks in the Grand Canyon. That’s because it is found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The basement rocks are made of gneisses (pronounced “nices”) and schists with some areas of granite. The gneisses and schists are metamorphic rocks. They started out as other types of rock and were changed by heat and pressure through time to their current form. The granite is an igneous rock that is formed by heat from volcanic action. Vishnu Schist is estimated to be 1.68 to 1.84 billion years old. While these are old rocks, much older rocks are exposed elsewhere in the world—3-plus billion years in parts of Canada and 4-plus billion years in Australia.

  “How many other rock layers are we going to hike through?” Morgan asked.

  James looked at his map and started counting. “It looks like about twelve,” James answered. “Vishnu Schist at the bottom is the oldest and Kaibab Limestone at the top is the newest, but it’s still 270 million years old.”

  “We’ll have to watch for these layers as we climb,” Dad said.

  “KTCHSRMBT”

  Here is one way to remember the rock layers in the Grand Canyon from the top to near the bottom:

  Know (Kaibab Formation),

  The (Toroweap Formation),

  Canyon’s (Coconino Sandstone),

  History (Hermit Shale),

  Study (Supai Group),

  Rocks (Redwall Limestone),

  Made (Muav Limestone),

  By (Bright Angel Shale),

  Time (Tapeats Sandstone).

  They hiked through The Box silently. It was pleasantly cool since the sun wasn’t shining deep into the canyon yet. Birds chirped and the stream gurgled next to the trail.

  Dad looked up. There were a few wispy clouds in the sky. “It’s the best time of day to hike,” he said. Dad got out his water and drank. “How far to the first water stop, James?”

  “It’s at Cottonwood,” James answered. “I guess around five or six miles.”

  “Oops. I better save some then,” Dad said.

  After a while, they came upon an area full of large, tall grasses. The trail wove through the grassy area. The trail was muddy in spots, and it even had a few small puddles of water next to it.

  “There must be a spring here,” Morgan said.

  “I’ll say,” Dad said. “Look at these, guys.”

  Morgan and James came over. Dad pointed out several tiny black frogs. They hopped away into the grass. “I guess where there’s water, there’s a home for wildlife,” Dad said.

  “I wonder what kind of frogs they are,” Morgan said.

  “I bet Mom would know,” James said.

  They hiked on.

  While walking, Morgan looked up. “There’s the rim we’re going to.”

  Towering way above them in the distance was the top of the canyon. It was full of trees.

  “That’s a long way up there,” Dad said.

  “Hey, look at that bird!” James called out.

  Far up in the sky a bird was drifting about. It flew slowly in circles. James got out the binoculars and watched the bird. “It looks like the one we saw yesterday.”

  Morgan took a turn with the binoculars. “I think it has white patches under its wings.”

  Dad also looked. “I really want to know what kind of bird that is.”

  “An eagle?” James said.

  “A hawk, maybe?” Morgan wondered.

  “Or a condor?” Dad suggested. “I hope we find out.”

  A while later, they started climbing. Small pines and junipers were scattered about. A few cottonwood trees lined the creek along the trail. In the distance there was a small, cascadin
g waterfall pouring off the canyon wall.

  When they got closer, James checked his map. He noticed a short side trail. “That must be Ribbon Falls.”

  James took a long gulp of water.

  “I wonder how long we’d last without water down here,” Morgan said. She too took a good, long drink of water, then pulled an energy bar out of the side of her pack and started eating it.

  The sun peeked over the cliff. Soon the whole trail was lit up with sunlight and the temperature immediately started to climb. They started sweating.

  They hiked on over a few more rises and came to a ranger house nestled in a small grove of trees.

  “This must be Cottonwood,” James said.

  The small campground was empty. They found a shady campsite on the left side of the trail and peeled off their packs.

  “My back is soaked,” Dad said.

  “I can see that,” James said. “What time is it?”

  Dad looked at his watch. “It’s eleven o’clock,” he replied. “It’s the perfect time to call it a day.”

  9

  James, Morgan, and Dad set up camp. Once their tent was up, Dad crawled inside.

  “I want to make sure the ground is level and comfortable,” Dad announced.

  “You’re tired, aren’t you?” Morgan asked.

  “Yep,” Dad replied.

  Dad unrolled his Therm-a-Rest and then spread his sleeping bag out. He lay on top of the bag and called out, “It’s comfortable!”

  Morgan and James walked over to the tent. Dad had a hat pulled down over his eyes. “It’s time for me to get some of the sleep I didn’t get last night. How about you two? Are you tired?”

  “A little,” James admitted.

  “Not really,” Morgan said. “Aren’t you hot in there?”

  “Not yet,” Dad replied. “But I’m going to leave the doors and windows open.”

  “We’ll keep the scorpions out,” James said.

  Dad opened his eyes. “Promise?”

  “And all the snakes too,” Morgan added.