A couple of my roommates and I stayed in that Friday night and rested up for the early drive to Flagstaff Saturday morning. The drive was a sight to see; the rain had brought the desert to life with blooming cacti, wild flowers and grass lining the highway. It was strange to see so much color across the horizon leading into the now green hills of the desert. I do love the aromas that come with desert rain. If you are visiting Arizona and happen to be here when it’s raining, don’t curse because your golf game was ruined. Consider yourself lucky to be experiencing something uncommon for the area and enjoy the rare scent the desert exudes just after the rain stops. It truly is unlike any other.

After climbing into the hills on I-17, we reached the scenic stretch that descends into the Cottonwood area, only to find the whole town hidden by a low, ocean of clouds.

Snowboarding at Snowbowl

To be honest, I had a great time snowboarding at Snowbowl. This place gets a lot of mixed reviews, but here are a few things to keep in mind so you know what to expect.

1) Snowbowl is great for families.Big Bear borders will not find the same “hell yeah” music being blasted from the lodge, nor Red Bulls being passed out like nudie fliers in Vegas. There is a college-age population though, being that Northern Arizona University is right there. But for the most part, this place is good family fun.

2)Black slopes are more like blue slopes & blue slopes are short. There are a few really great runs. This is a very good place to take yourself to the next level if you are still learning to snowboard. If you are experienced, you will find yourself at the top portion of the mountain the whole day with not a ton of options. But as snowboarders, I bet you can find a way to entertain yourself.

3) Ski lifts could be better. The green ski lift is a 2-person ride, so the line is slower if you go on a busy weekend. If you can handle it, go to the blue ski lifts. Those are 3-person and they haul ass. If you are going to the black slopes, you have to get off the blue lift and catch a black lift, which means you have to wait in another line. There is no express lift to the top. My suggestion, bring a flask, turn up your i-pod and relax. The sooner you accept the lift issues, the better your experience will be.

4) Training Park is good for beginners. In other words, it’s a pretty sad set up for boarders who have the slightest idea of what they are doing. There are a couple of boxes, no rails if I remember correctly, and maybe a couple of other obstacles. My suggestion, bring a flask and turn up your i-pod.

5) Book your hotel and rent your snowboards right away if there is new snow. Great snowboarding seasons can be rare. So if you hear that there is going to be new snow in Flagstaff, the chances are that everyone else in Arizona has heard the same. Book your Flagstaff hotel right away.

“Backpacking through the depths of this vast labyrinth, from the Canyon’s Rim to the Colorado River, reveals a truly enlightened look at one of the wonders of the natural world. On a recent trip to the Grand Canyon, Delores Miller, accompanied by Hydros Adventures, set out on the world renowned Bright Angel Loop.

This hike is the classic Grand Canyon loop hike and a great backpack for first time Canyon hikers. Using the South Kaibab Trail, a route built by the park service for its expansive views, one walks through the geologic past, making their way to the mighty Colorado River and Bright Angel Campground. Adjacent to the Bright Angel Creek, this is a great base to fish, hike, explore, and relax while taking in the splendor of the inner gorge. Making your ascent out of the Canyon, you will hike through Devil’s Corkscrew and along Garden Creek, through some beautiful sandstone narrows before reaching Indian Gardens. Here, in this desert oasis of ancient cottonwoods, you can set out to observe ancient ruins or take a hike to Plateau Point, one of the most amazing views in the inner canyon. After Indian Gardens, you will hike up Jacob’s Ladder, past stunning vistas and ancient pictographs (rock art) to the end of your journey…”

Read full article about the Bright Angel Loop at the Grand Canyon

On your tour…
WHERE TO EAT: In Phoenix, Pizza Bianco is the go-to place for some of the best pizza in America. Bronx-born chef Chris Bianco took home a James Beard best chef award not so long ago for his crisp-crusted pies. The downside is the wait — they don’t take reservations, and it can be hours. There is, however, a bar right next door. If, on the other hand, you don’t want to hang around, there’s a branch of Brooklyn’s own Grimaldi’s over in Scottsdale. (Pizza Bianco; 623 East Adams Street. Patsy Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria, 4000 North Scottsdale Road)

WHAT TO SEE: The premier American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, made his home in Scottsdale, at Taliesin West, which also served as the master’s office. The complex is open for tours. For more info, go to www.franklloydwright.org.

WHERE TO SHOP: Check out the galleries and shops in the artist town of Sedona; pick up Native American pottery and jewelry at the trading posts on the itinerary.

WHAT TO ADD ON: Once you’ve seen the natural wonders at the Grand Canyon, take a look at the manmade wonders on the strip in Vegas, and add an extra few days to your trip, gambling on luck and seeing a show or two.

(PRWEB) June 2, 2006 — Adventure Photo Tours is known for its unique and very interesting tours in a fleet of Ford Expedition 4×4 vehicles to some of the southwest’s most interesting geographic locations. With the addition of a NEW fleet of 14 passenger luxury mini coaches, Adventure Photo Tours is making their customers feel very pampered and special. The vehicles are equipped with soft ride suspensions, extra sound insulation, oversize viewing windows, pillow top luxury motor coach seating, pillows & blankets, HD widescreen DVD players and top line sound systems. To insure everyone is well fed on their way to the Grand Canyon National Park, breakfast, lunch, snacks and bottled water are all included on this tour.

Because Las Vegas has grown away from the discount days of the old El Rancho, Binion’s and Stardust hotels to the upscale city of today with properties like Bellagio, Paris and Venetian, a more upscale ground tour product was necessary to satisfy these new buyers. Although, Donna Tryon, President and CEO of Adventure Photo Tours comments, “Just because the town is now a very upscale destination there is still room for a high end tour product at an affordable price, this is a business model that works in any industry.”

Interestingly, Las Vegas is near many of the great natural wonders of the southwest which allows Adventure Photo Tours to service most of them with a wide selection of day tours. Will Tryon Vice President of Adventure Photo Tours commented, “Most people prefer day tours and I can identify with that. I like to think of myself as Indiana Jones but at the end of the day I want to be in a fine dining room with a Sirloin steak and a glass of Merlot in front of me.”

The word “photo” in Adventure Photo Tours indicates their style of tour presentation which is to stop as many times as possible during a tour to allow the passengers to get out to take photos. This type of fun and interactive day combined with knowledgeable tour guides creates a wonderful and memorable experience for the sightseeing customer.

For more information on this wonderful company and the natural attractions surrounding this remote and amazing city in the middle of the Mojave Desert go to www.adventurephototours.com or call 888-363-8687

Arizona Travel says: When it comes to raft trips down the Grand Canyon’s Colorado River, ask yourself whether you want to go by arm or engine? “There are two ways to experience the Grand Canyon,” says Steve Markle, the marketing director of OARS (800-346-6277, www.oars.com), which organizes canyon trips, “by motored raft or oar-powered raft.”

Consider not only your fitness level but also your expectations. For the motorized trips, travelers spend six to eight days in a 34- or 38-foot pontoon boat and ride the rapids along the entire 280-mile canyon route, from Lees Ferry to Whitmore Wash or Lake Mead. The boats fit eight to 16 people and carry camping and cooking gear. Because of the long distance, though, most of the trip is spent on the water, with fewer hiking opportunities.

By comparison, an oar-powered 17-foot dory or 18-foot inflatable raft goes much slower, taking two weeks or more to complete the river run. However, companies offer shorter excursions, such as a six-day trip from Lees Ferry to Phantom Ranch. These trips include treks into areas inaccessible from the more crowded rims, with visits to waterfalls, swimming holes, and the like. “You can’t see the whole canyon,” says Markle, “but your canyon experience is much more in-depth.” In addition, some expeditions pair the rafting with a nine-mile hike into the canyon and a helicopter ride out.

As for air tours, physical ability level is usually unrestricted. Take a helicpoter or airplane tour originating from Las Vegas, Flagstaff, Williams, Phoenix/Scottsdale or Sedona. Seeing the Grand Canyon by air will truly take your breath away. The views are spectacular…beyond compare. You can even enjoy an exhilarating Grand Canyon helicopter tour that lands deep in the Canyon. Whether by Grand Canyon helicopter or airplane, be sure to see the Grand Canyon by air…and let your dreams take flight.

The park caps the number of rafting trips allowed a year, and many companies sell out a year in advance. Markle recommends placing your name on a wait list, since people often cancel at the last minute and spaces open up. He adds that September and October are more readily available on short notice. Air tours can be booked about a month out, with some companies offering last-minute bookings. For more information on seeing the Grand Canyon by river, by air or by land, check out thecanyon.com.

It’s the Hualapai Indian Tribe’s “Glass Walkway,” a structure that will be suspended over the edge of the canyon some 4,000 feet above the Colorado River.

It will be higher than any of the world’s tallest free-standing skyscrapers. The walk way is horseshoe shaped, and its glass bottom will allow you to look straight down between to the canyon floor. Nothing like it has ever been attempted before.

The man-made structure will be attached to a rock face. It will take tourists to a place that so far only the birds have been able to go.

“People want to get close to the rim. But they’re scared, and it’s intimidating,” said Grand Canyon tour guide Scott Schneider.

Which is why, he said, they still come by the bus load: For the thrill of peaking over the edge, to the Colorado River running below.

“Yeah! You look over here and it seems a little nerve wracking to go the edge. It makes you little bit wobbly,” says Liuis Joseph, a tourist from Buffalo, New York.

Schneider said many of the hundreds of people who come to the Grand Canyon every day, never even look over the edge. “4,000 feet down is something that even the people who come here to see, don’t get to see because it is a little intimidating and scary to look down,” he said.

The new Skywalk will provide a perspective previously not possible. But it too is not for the faint of heart. The horseshoe shaped structure will extend out more than half the length of a football field. The floor of the walkway will be made of thick, high strength glass.

Walking on it will give the sensation of being suspended in the nothingness of the Canyon’s pristine air. Everyone who works the Canyon’s concessions– wants to try it.

“I can’t wait to get on that. But I guess I will have to wait. I hope to see it by the end of this year,” said river guide Steve Zhou.

Engineers say it will hold the weight of 71 – 747’s, and withstand winds in excess of 100 mph. There’s a million pounds of steel in the frame, most of which has already arrived at the site. Work is underway on support buildings, all of it owned and operated by the Canyon’s Hualapai tribe.

“It’s just something that you probably only dream of. To be able to look right straight down and see right below your feet. It’s like walking in the air,” said Chief Don.

The Hualapai expect the Skywalk to bring in thousands of new tourists. Las Vegas is only about two-and-a-half hours away, and all those potentially new tourists could bring in potentially millions of new dollars for the tribe.

It could be a new economic engine for one of the oldest societies in America.

Don’t believe the natural beauty claim? Surf over to sedona.net and click on “Live Sedona Views” for Sedona webcam of the Red Rock formations surrounding the town. There are souvenir shops galore, but for a real treasure to remind you of your visit you’ll want to scan “Art Galleries and Artists” to learn about the galleries offering unique works by local artists and members of the Navajo, Hopi and other tribes of the Southwest. And for a pleasant shopping stroll, go back to “Shopping & Services” and look for the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village.

Before you decide to spend all your time in the galleries, click on “What to Do” to get an overview of the local tours, especially the Jeep tours, along with spas, recreation and sightseeing.

Did the videos jog your memory? Hollywood has been using the area for nearly as long there have been movies, especially for westerns, and it still is a background for numerous commercials. The Sedona Film Office has lists under “Film History” and “Recent Projects.” John Wayne, Joan Crawford and Burt Lancaster are just a few of the stars who worked here.

All those scenic canyons and ridges threading through the area provide opportunities for great hiking trails, both inside and outside the city. The Coconino National Forest has a special Web site for Red Rock Country where you can click on “Maps & Brochures” to see how extensive the network is. Your best bet for seeing details is the map in “pdf” format and the downloadable Recreation Guide. Just remember, even though Sedona’s elevation is higher than that of the desert city of Phoenix, it still gets hot on those trails in the summer.

For a side trip, the old copper mining community of Jerome almost became a ghost town but has evolved into a mountainside (the switchback roads are not for squeamish drivers) arts and crafts colony with a great view.

In the opposite direction, Flagstaff is a university town offering cooler, pine-scented air (elevation 7,000 feet) with the 12,000-foot San Francisco Peaks in the background. It’s a convenient gateway to the Grand Canyon and nearby sights such as Meteor Crater and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

Check out Maverick Helicopters on sedona.net, thecanyon.com and scottsdale-phoenix.net.

1. The Grand Canyon
‘One of the great sights which every American, if he can travel at all, should see,’ said Theodore Roosevelt after visiting the Grand Canyon in 1903. He was agog at the mile-deep canyon, which averages 10 miles wide over its 277-mile length. Despite its familiarity, your first glimpse of the canyon is truly humbling. (Due to the way the land slopes, you come upon it with no preamble.) Try to book a canyon-view room at the historic El Tovar hotel, and whatever else, get below the rim by hiking down Bright Angel Trail or into Havasu Canyon. A helicopter flight over the canyon, however environmentally incorrect, is an experience that’s not to be missed either.

Visit thecanyon.com to book a helicopter flight, nearby lodging or a guided hike into this Wonder of the World.

More people will be able to raft the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon each year under a new management plan adopted by the U.S. National Park Service.More rafters will be shifted to fall, winter and spring months while the number of daily summertime launches of both motorized and non-motorized commercial rafts will decrease.

While rafters will be spread out over more of the year, they will travel in smaller groups. The net result will be more tourists overall.

The new plan also eliminates the existing waiting list for those who want to raft the river in non-commercial boats, replacing it with a lottery system.

The lower Colorado River, from Diamond Creek to Lake Mead, will see pontoon boat tours go up, allowing up to 480 passengers per day, up from between 130 and 188 passengers, depending on the time of year.

The plan bans jet boat tours entirely, but commercial operators that use the craft to meet rafts above Lake Mead would still be allowed.

The plan is being criticized by Living Rivers, a river restoration group, which feels motorized boats should have been banned entirely.

© The Edmonton Journal 2006
The Edmonton Journal, Published: Saturday, April 15, 2006