Stanford Stories XXXIII - Grand Canyon

Imagine a group of young Stanford postdocs, instructors, and friends embarking on an extraordinary adventure to the magnificent Grand Canyon. As a child, I had heard captivating stories about the Grand Canyon, which symbolizes the wild west and the awe-inspiring beauty of the United States. Surprisingly, the Grand Canyon wasn’t initially on my list of must-see places during my time in the States. However, a close colleague and friend recently shared stunning pictures from their weekend trip to the canyon, igniting a spark of curiosity within me and four of my friends. We decided to embark on a long weekend road trip around the Grand Canyon, starting from Las Vegas.

Our journey began with a scenic drive from Nevada to the South Rim of the Canyon in Arizona. After a relatively short 4.5-hour drive, we reached our destination just in time to witness the mesmerizing sunset at Mather’s Point. The warm hues of orange as the last rays of sunlight kissed the mighty cliffs left us speechless, filled with a sense of wonder and amazement. We swiftly set up our tents at a nearby campground before darkness fell, preparing a simple dinner to enjoy together. As we crawled into our sleeping bags, a profound sense of contentment and pride washed over us, grateful for the adventure that awaited us in the days ahead.

The next morning, we eagerly set out on a hike along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The trail wound its way along the edge, offering breathtaking vistas at every turn. As we hiked, we couldn’t help but be in awe of the immense scale of the canyon. Its vastness seemed infinite, with layers of rock stretching deep into the Earth’s crust. The sheer magnitude of the canyon’s depth, plunging over a mile into the earth, is a testament to the forces of nature that shaped this remarkable wonder over millions of years.