We enjoyed a great start to the New Year at the Grand Canyon. Well, to be more precise, we actually started the New Year at the Grand Hotel, where we spent New Year's Eve, and we had a rude awakening when we went out to our car at 7 AM and, upon the Jeep sluggishly turning over, found that its outside thermometer registered 20 below zero. We drove a few hundred feet to McDonald's for breakfast, where we learned the Jeep thermometer was off a bit. It was actually 26 below zero outside.
We decided we would forego heading out to the Grand Canyon until it warmed up a bit, sipping coffee inside the well-staffed but otherwise empty McDonald's. Who would be crazy enough to get out of bed when it was 26 below zero? My heart went out to one McDonald's employee who arrived shortly after us. The shift supervisor looked at him and asked, "What are you doing here?" Apparently, he had misread his schedule.
That guy's New Year didn't start out very well at all. Can you imagine showing up to work under those conditions only to be sent home?
When we finally drove over to the Grand Canyon around 8, we were pleasantly surprised to find our thermometer kept going up, eventually reaching a balmy 6 degrees by the time we made it to the rim.
After a full day of driving the previous day, we had caught a quick glimpse of Mather Point when we arrived just before sunset, and we wanted to see it again. We stopped at several other view points as the temperatures gradually rose to 23 F, and they all provided phenomenal views.
Nothing can fully prepare you for the Grand Canyon. You've seen photos, but until you see its vastness for yourself, you just can't fathom its immenseness. I hadn't been there since I was about 10, a stop on a cross country summer drive with my family, but the memory had faded. I have no doubt, however, that the snow of our visit added a great deal.
This freakishly cold weather shouldn't be expected, but nonetheless, be sure to bring hats, gloves and warm coats if visiting in the winter. Of course, in summer be sure your air conditioner has been recently serviced and your radiator works. The imminently reasonable admission of $25 per car is for a seven night pass, so you can spend time riding mules, hiking and enjoying the canyon on an extended vacation. For us, it meant we could go inside the park on the day we arrived despite having only a few minutes of freezing daylight left.
The Grand Hotel where we spent New Year's Eve has a nice lobby, and the rooms are attractive, if a bit worse for wear. The room was cool when we arrived, and the heater that ran all night wasn't really up to the sub-zero weather. Nonetheless, we enjoyed New Year's drinks in the western themed bar, and then a great filet mignon dinner for just $21.95 in the dining room. The price of the room was very reasonable at $107 plus tax for New Year's Eve, but we were about the last ones out of the restaurant at 10 PM, when the town rolls up the sidewalks. Rumor had it that one bar was open down the street, but we went to bed.
If you want to experience the great national parks of the west but don't want the hassles of driving, consider one of the wonderful tours by companies like Tauck and Globus. I would be happy to help you find one perfect for you. Just as a reminder, I do sell packages at resorts and tours. "Better service leads to better trips."
That guy's New Year didn't start out very well at all. Can you imagine showing up to work under those conditions only to be sent home?
Nothing can fully prepare you for the Grand Canyon. You've seen photos, but until you see its vastness for yourself, you just can't fathom its immenseness. I hadn't been there since I was about 10, a stop on a cross country summer drive with my family, but the memory had faded. I have no doubt, however, that the snow of our visit added a great deal.
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