Living Abyss
By: Sarah Thorpe
Tags: Travel, Nature, Grand Canyon, Hiking

Ever seen that crouching tiger patiently waiting to pounce on his prey? The fierce vigor in his eyes has been frozen into a timeless beauty. You could still feel that menacing look on your back whenever you try turning away from this wonder.

Grand Canyon is one of the world’s natural wonders. What one could witness here is probably way beyond what can be captured in a photograph or described in words. It was seemingly an eternal conspiracy combined with several natural forces put into play for over a billion years to chisel this form of magnificence. I had read somewhere that the formation of the Grand Canyon as opposed to Earth’s existence however would have happened in like a blink of a (geologic) eye!

Hermit’s Rest, Grand Canyon

I have usually observed people trying to make the most of their vacation. And that makes sense, given the limited number of leaves available. They would circumscribe Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Horse Shoe Bend, Zion National Park, and even Las Vegas. Grasping so much in one journey is something I felt I am, obviously, incapable of.

Every day a Grand Canyon is born. Raging through its flame of colors, it wakes up to witness priceless moments in the lives of many. The soft rays of the sun gently kiss the stone walls of the valley. As a day unfolds, the Grand Canyon relates a legend that may be known to some but leaves us all astounded.

The hike started from the Southern Kaibab Trailhead and the plan was to visit the Cedar Ridge Point which was 2 miles from the onset. The approaching Arctic snowstorm had pulled down the temperatures considerably. Call it my hallucination, but I could almost hear the gurgling waters of River Colorado fiercely rushing through the chasm. Or was it the wind?

With every step we moved down thousands of years, precariously balancing ourselves along our way. Every step revealed tales of adventurous men who conquered this exquisite landscape. The intricate details of the topography made it all the more unnatural. By noon, the aura of the tints on the territory was so vibrant that it was as if some sort of a physical shock. It was a powerful vision or at least it made me feel powerful.

Cedar Ridge, Grand Canyon

As the day fades out, the staggering heights of the gorge which were rigid so long, suddenly seemed so vulnerable and so old. The rosy hue which was till now grazing against the terrain of the edge as if evaporated across the sky in the horizon to render this sublime imagery of heaven. Probably this is how heaven would look like. The view was breath-taking. But all I could feel was a pinch in the corner of my heart. As the dark settled in, the mighty enclose now seemed lifeless and recluse.

Pima Point, Grand Canyon

They left eternally inert blooms, the insignia of melancholy…

Every day a Grand Canyon dies. Raging through its flame of colors, it takes along with it priceless moments in the lives of many. As for me, the whole experience of Grand Canyon was so overwhelming that while leaving all I could do was softly whisper to these unyielding walls standing tall. “I am going to come back. I promise!”