Still photos from the Grand Canyon

In my previous post I put up some videos shot from the helicopter flying out from the South Rim on a gorgeous day.

I took some extra time to drive into the National Park itself, so I could stand on the edge of the canyon and look out over the vast scene. I love standing with my toes curled over a thousand-foot drop!

Yavapai Point is one of many along the South Rim which are uncrowded in the morning before the tour buses arrive. Since nobody else seems to want to join me out here on the edge of the cliff, I have the best position for taking pictures all to myself.

The view is immense, I apologize that it is impossible to do more than hint at the scale of what you see here in any photograph:

From the helicopter, everything changes. You soar out from the rim and look down on the meandering river and the steep cliffs lining the canyons: Unlike standing on the cliff, you fly over mile after mile of canyons and cliffs.

We followed the river, and some of the cliffs reminded me of Toroweep over on the North Rim, where the drop from the cliff-top to the river is 3,800 feet--straight down!

Wheeeee! As I said, this is the kind of view that brings on delusions of grandeur. Please check the post below this one for the short videos taken from the helicopter. This is a blast!!