Spring Break in the Grand Canyon

The best advice given to myself and the group of students I was traveling with before heading down into the Grand Canyon was that hiking down was optional, and that hiking up was mandatory. This Spring Break, nine Iowans including myself, made the cross-country journey to one of the greatest holes on earth.

  Backpacking (up and down) the Canyon was a great experience for everyone involved. And now that it is over, I can catch my breath and start to truly appreciate the adventure that was had. Along the trail we learned about the joy of taking breaks after hard work, the funny side of optimism, and of course the beauty that is the embrace of Mother Nature and Father Time.

The Grand Canyon provided exactly what a spring break should be: a good break. It was a good break from school anxiety, from social pressures, and from the ordinary. Nothing recharges the system like sleeping under the stars, living simply, and seeing landscapes that are normally reserved for your imagination. Through its landscape seemingly painted to the sky, it seemed impossible to imagine the intensity of the Grand Canyon, and for a moment, ordinary eyes were opened to extraordinary sights.

Spring Break may be over for me, but that doesn’t mean the adventure has stopped. Life is one big journey and whether your backpacking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, or entering/exiting college, the thirst for excitement is crucial in living life to the fullest. GO OUT AND EXPLORE

Moab, Utah