Bring Your Family Together With A Grand Canyon Trek
Author: thegreenhiker | Category: Arizona Trails, Family Hiking, Healthy HikingExploring the Grand Canyon is an outdoor adventure sure to create a level of bonding and healing for any family open to nature’s wonders.
There are three reasons it’s so effective. (And it’s OK if you don’t have the physical conditioning to do it, or if you have small kids – I have some answers for you.)
Share The Moment
First, the Grand Canyon is an incredibly special place. Carved by water and blowing wind over millions of years, it’s literally a 4000 foot deep chasm winding through a vast plateau.
A wild river thunders through the canyon’s base. Desert flowers, wildlife, waterfalls, springs, rapids, and horizon-busting vistas will astound even the most cynical of brothers, sisters and spouses.
After spending 3 or 4 days exploring the Canyon’s depths, it’s impossible to view the Canyon from its rim and not be overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with gratitude for being alive in that moment. Overwhelmed by sharing that moment with every family member …
A Natural Rush
Second, small family groups living in the wilderness is how human beings evolved over the past 70,000 years. It feels right.
Freed from the work-a-day world with its superficial distractions, your family can talk and listen and interact in natural and stimulating environments. It just may be possible to open new and healthy dialogues. What is crushed by the rush of every day civilization, just may be nurtured by the rush of the Colorado River ….
Team Family
Third, hiking the Grand Canyon is an achievement. Your family, like any team, is happier when they win and is less happy when defeated. Even the most basic trek into the Canyon is an achievement . It isn’t easy. It’s challenging.
And once your family tastes this sweet “victory”, it may create a hunger for more family achievements, more family victories ….
Not In Shape?
If you aren’t physically fit enough to take on Grand Canyon hike then I’ve got some solutions.
First, you may be in shape enough to hike without a pack. If you are, then there are mule services to carry your gear down and back up, so you don’t have to do it. The mules are also a great solution for families with young children.
Another solution is to book the trip several months out and then start training. Start training as a family activity. And if neither of those solutions will work, then another option is to do a Grand Canyon rafting trip with day hikes from the bottom.
If your family is going through a rough patch, consider a Grand Canyon adventure. Or any outdoor activity. It may be the natural healing tonic your family craves.
(Would love to hear from anyone with a healing family adventure.)
Now Go Outdoors!
Tags: hiking the grand canyon
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July 16th, 2009 at 12:12 AM
Nice article.
I wanted to add one addition. Outsak bags make backpacking a much bigger pleasure in rodent infested areas like Grand Canyon.
July 30th, 2009 at 7:04 PM
I’ll second that suggestion for the Outsak addition. What a great product. Sleep without wondering if those pesky varmints are going to get your stash.
September 17th, 2009 at 4:48 PM
I agree. The Canyon is the BEST place on Earth. As the two previous folks mentioned, protect your food! The mice and squirrels are crazy there! I use a GrubPack. It’s another steel mesh bag like the Outsak and Ratsack, but it cost less. It’s sold on-line.
TB
September 17th, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Outsak is a must have piece of gear in Canyon Country. It will protect your food. Get the bag the canyon sells. Outsak is the name, stopping varmints is the game.
My only suggestion on the article is maybe make a mention of how young one can be to ride the mules and that you have to be able to communicate in english to ride.
Its so hard to describe the canyon in words or pictures….one must be below the rim to truly make an attempt to grasp how awesome it really is.
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:01 PM
Agreed! The mice are everywhere in the G Canyon. They WILL try to get your food. The steel mesh bags DO work. If you don’t like to spend more than necessary, check out the Grubpack on-line. They ship free. I saved about $12 over Outsak. It does a great job for me.