Grand Canyon- West Rim

Aug 2010

The West Rim of the Grand Canyon is not part of the Grand Canyon National Park.  It is a part of the Hualapai Indian Reservation.  Visitors to this area have increased dramatically since the Skywalk has opened.  The Skywalk is a glass floored platform cantilevered out over the canyon.  There is an entrance fee and an additional fee for the Skywalk.  Total cost to walk on the Skywalk is about $80 each.  There are tour busses to take you to the various points of interest.

The scenery is spectacular as with any view of the Grand Canyon.  That brown strip in the middle of the picture is the Colorado River.  It is a bit muddy at this time of the year.

Here is the Skywalk platform.  I have no pictures from the platform because you are not allowed to carry anything onto the platform including a camera.  They have their own photographers but the pictures are rather expensive.  The people part of the platform is about six feet wide around the outer edge.  Of that, only the center two feet are transparent.  It is definitely strange to look down between your feet and see only some rocks several thousand feet below.

There is a cafe if you are feeling a little hungry.  Once I saw the name I didn't bother to check the menu.  For all you innocents out there, guano is bat doo-doo.

There is continuous entertainment in the form of Hualapai singers, dancers and storytellers.

I enjoyed the dancers but this spectator didn't seem to be impressed.

This is the remains of a guano mine.  The stuff is used to make fertilizer and explosives.  I know that the stuff was chemically valuable, but can you imagine telling the guys in the saloon what you did for a living?

Here is Marilee getting ready to get on the tour bus to go to our next stop.  The transportation was very efficient; hardly any waiting.

The view of the Canyon is spectacular, but arguably less so than the North or South Rims.  It is also much more expensive.