United States Grand Canyon National Park

“Once the camera was off, I composed myself enough to take some pictures, my dried tears hidden behind my sunglasses. And then we walked the rim, soaking in every vantage point along the way. Every so often the emotions would hit me again, and I'd start crying again and exclaim, "I'm at the Grand Canyon!" What a blessing to be truly present in each moment that day. At one point I called my mom on video chat, flipped the camera around and let her see what I was seeing.”

“Saying the Grand Canyon is big, is to comically understate the size and immensity of this cavity in the ground. Trying to describe the feeling is quite difficult, but it nearly brought me to tears. You can see so much, all at once, that is it visually overstimulating. Canyons fold within canyons, pinnacles are hidden amoung massive protrusions, and the depth seems to go down into the center of the earth. Because there is no scale, you feel like you could throw a rock to the other side, until you realize the opposite rim is over 10 miles away. And the bottom of the canyon, where the Colorado River passes through from the Rocky Mountains on its way to Mexico, is somehow sitting a staggering 1 mile below. Unlike a mountain, that you can really only see one side at a time, unless you’re on the summit, you can see the entirety of the Grand Canyon all at once.”

“After looking at all the viewpoints, I was excited to make it into the Inner Canyon! The next morning, South Kaibab Trail kicked my butt. [...] I bought some Oboz hiking boots prior to my trip, and the investment has more than paid off. The incline and decline on this trail was intense. I have know idea how people were doing these trails in tennis shoes or sandals.”

“When I first arrived, I was shocked to see that there were NO BORDERS or BOUNDARIES. Basically, you go to the edge of the cliff and you take your shots. I couldn’t handle it, so I got down on the floor for my first photo. I have vertigo and was afraid that I was going to lose my mind. [...] By the end of the day…. this happened. I didn’t vomit in case you were wondering. Maybe I did a little on the inside… but there’s no actual proof of that so yeah. But in all seriousness… the Grand Canyon was an absolute wonder. When I finally made it on the Skywalk, it felt very spiritual to me. I felt a presence surrounding me – and energy if you will.”

“Once the camera was off, I composed myself enough to take some pictures, my dried tears hidden behind my sunglasses. And then we walked the rim, soaking in every vantage point along the way. Every so often the emotions would hit me again, and I'd start crying again and exclaim, "I'm at the Grand Canyon!" What a blessing to be truly present in each moment that day. At one point I called my mom on video chat, flipped the camera around and let her see what I was seeing. She started crying too.”

“My first view of Grand Canyon from the south rim was a sublime experience, even more awe-inspiring than I expected. The light seems to change very few minutes, making an ever-changing kaleidoscope of already stunning views.”