North Rim Grand Canyon to Page AZ

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

We got packed up quickly and headed back to the North Rim Lodge for an elegant breakfast in the main dining room with a fantastic view of the canyon.  Ben had French Toast and Jane had the North Rim Breakfast – eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast. Delicious and what a view!

French Toast

North Rim Breakfast

Our View during Breakfast

Our Room in this Building

Then we headed back towards Jacob Lake where we did not stop for coffee and pastry this morning after all the breakfast!  We enjoyed the last of the beautiful aspen trees for this trip as we are going down in elevation for the final time.  We were at about 8,500 feet at the North Rim and by the time we arrived at Page around 1 PM we were down under 4,000 feet. 

Last View of Aspen

After Jacobs Lake we turned east on 89A and continued across the Kabib Plateau and fir forest.  We had had almost no cell service here on the north rim.  There was occasionally one or two bars but only fleeting here and there.  Just after we turned on 89A we got a call from Jeff but within a few minutes the call was dropped and we did not have service again until we were near Lee’s Ferry about 20 miles out of Page.  This is the most time we have been without service so far on our trip. 

The Kabib Plateau gradually gives way to wide switchbacks as we descend from the plateau to the land running east below the Vermillion Cliffs that will continue all the way to Lee’s Ferry.  This 20-30 miles is one of our favorite sections of road in all our travels in the Indian Country.  Remote to say the least- but beautiful.

To our left the Vermillion Cliffs

To our right - the Colorado is below 

More of the beautiful cliffs

At Lee’s Ferry we took a break and watched all the activity as outfitters and individuals who have permits begin their journeys down the Colorado here just below the Glen Canyon Dam.  The red cliffs are as beautiful as anywhere and the river is clear because few canyons and creeks have had time to add their muddy running water to the mighty Colorado. Today as has been the case the other times we have stopped here – there were several groups leaving for journeys lasting a few days to up to 2 weeks.

Outfitters leaving from Lee's Ferry

The mightly Colorado - look how clear here as opposed to our photos in Moab

We spent probably 30 minutes talking to a couple who were very interested in our Sprinter.  Some folks like all the bells and whistles that come with the sprinter and other vans that are modified by RoadTrek and others for mucho dollars – but many like us who were tent campers for years – just want the basics.  These folks were tent camping with their car loaded with “stuff” and were collecting ideas for how they might modify a van of some kind for their travels.  Ben of course loves to tell how he modified ours!

We continued on into Page and looked at the camping options – there are really only 2.  We had stayed a Wahweep Marina and Campground on Lake Powell before and after checking out the other option went back to Wahweep.  We have a large campsite overlooking Lake Powell.  We had understood the water was low in the lake and wow is that ever the case.  Still beautiful blue water surrounded by peaks and beautiful rock formations.  Tomorrow we will take some photos.

Our Campsite at Wahweep on Lake Powell

After eating lunch It was wash day and doing two loads of laundry and drying took about 2 ½ hours.  What a madhouse it was in the laundry room – made lots of friends and found all kinds of people traveling….home schooling family from New Hampshire on a 3 month trip around the US ; a grandfather who is traveling to several national parks with two of his grandsons (He has 8 grandchildren and has taken them 2 at a time on this same trip – they are here for the slot canyons) – lady from France who had no idea how to use the machines; a family with 4 boys age 18 to 3 with a ton of laundry; and several other couples from other countries.  It was indeed an interesting afternoon!  It has surprised me the number of school age children traveling with parents.

Cooked dinner and spent an evening blogging and watching a movie.  Tomorrow I will see how the WIFI here works to post….it connected the Kindles right away so I have high hopes for catching up. Nothing much exciting to report today – this is just one of those taking care of business days.