One of the most spectacular places on earth, the Grand Canyon, is cruel to writers. So when words fail, I instead bring you an insect and its tiny monument in stone.
Moved to Arizona more than 38 years ago. I’ve hiked rim to rim once. Though the south rim is more accessible I love love love the north rim, so quiet, no tourist buses. Ken Patrick Trail is pristine. Love photographing at sun up and sunset. Sense of wonder at each of close to 30 visits. Never gets old!
Thanks, Sharon. I've also hiked Rim to Rim once -- in April -- which was among the highlights of my entire life. Although I've only been hiking the Canyon a mere 24 years (so you've got 14 on me), I never grow tired of it -- never. Escalante and points west (down Tanner, with a detour to the Little Colorado) and out Beamer is probably my fave. But who can actually pick a favorite!
The area near Hermit‘s point is one of my favorites mainly because so few people go that far. But when I’m taking friends grandkids to the canyon and visiting, guess it’s an easy hike from hermits to the next point east along the river trail and they at least get the sense of hiking the canyon.  I have friends living in Flagstaff who sometimes -on a Sunday morning - drive all the way to the canyon just for breakfast! also, on alternate years I attend the Grand Canyon music festival --just imagine -chamber music on the rim !
Wondrous and illuminating! Best thing I've read about the Grand Canyon since my childhood love affair with Marguerite Henry's "Brighty of the Grand Canyon".
Glad you dug out (and revised) this piece and look forward to (re-)reading more of the fine writing you have layered up over the years, especially about the Canyon. The images you create and I find left in my brain after reading as so often still tumbling around days later. Thank you.
Your writings always contribute to my appreciation for the little things (and big things) in nature that make life on this planet so grand. Keep'em coming!
Great piece, strong writing. I too, am overwhelmed by the Grand Canyon. I wrote about a daisy growing from a crack over a thousand foot chasm because... I didn't find a caddis fly casing.
I loved this so much - showing geologic context with the ancient building materials used by an insect that lives in less than a blink of an eye in geologic time
Love this essay Bryan and the perspective one gets from thinking in geologic time. Also liked your personal perspective of going from a looming canyon to a tiny insect and that great pic of yours showing this. And of course I loved the philosophical musings about the caddisfly rebuilding the Grand Canyon. I too have mused on rocks in an essay published in the lit journal JuxtaProse that you might want to check out: https://www.juxtaprosemagazine.org/rock-of-ages-by-margie-patlak/. It won second place in a creative nonfiction contest they ran.
Really wonderful essay. It sort of reminded me of a film made in 1977 called Powers of Ten that starts with people on a picnic blanket and then every 10 seconds the camera zooms out ten times father until the outer reaches of the galaxy.
This is so very kind of you, RighteousMan. You've made my day.
Moved to Arizona more than 38 years ago. I’ve hiked rim to rim once. Though the south rim is more accessible I love love love the north rim, so quiet, no tourist buses. Ken Patrick Trail is pristine. Love photographing at sun up and sunset. Sense of wonder at each of close to 30 visits. Never gets old!
Thanks, Sharon. I've also hiked Rim to Rim once -- in April -- which was among the highlights of my entire life. Although I've only been hiking the Canyon a mere 24 years (so you've got 14 on me), I never grow tired of it -- never. Escalante and points west (down Tanner, with a detour to the Little Colorado) and out Beamer is probably my fave. But who can actually pick a favorite!
The area near Hermit‘s point is one of my favorites mainly because so few people go that far. But when I’m taking friends grandkids to the canyon and visiting, guess it’s an easy hike from hermits to the next point east along the river trail and they at least get the sense of hiking the canyon.  I have friends living in Flagstaff who sometimes -on a Sunday morning - drive all the way to the canyon just for breakfast! also, on alternate years I attend the Grand Canyon music festival --just imagine -chamber music on the rim !
That’s a lovely photo of the caddis fly cases! And article of course.
Thanks, Kate! Hope to see you in the field some day!
Wondrous and illuminating! Best thing I've read about the Grand Canyon since my childhood love affair with Marguerite Henry's "Brighty of the Grand Canyon".
Brighty! Love it! And, oh, if YOU were to paint there?
Glad you dug out (and revised) this piece and look forward to (re-)reading more of the fine writing you have layered up over the years, especially about the Canyon. The images you create and I find left in my brain after reading as so often still tumbling around days later. Thank you.
Thanks, John. As you know, writing is revising. I live revision! :-)
Your writings always contribute to my appreciation for the little things (and big things) in nature that make life on this planet so grand. Keep'em coming!
Thanks so much, Kimberly. You've made my day.
Great piece, strong writing. I too, am overwhelmed by the Grand Canyon. I wrote about a daisy growing from a crack over a thousand foot chasm because... I didn't find a caddis fly casing.
Thanks, Toby. Yes, even a daisy can be an expression for that state of being "overwhelmed" in the Grand Canyon. Not much other way to be there!
awe is a good thing.
thanks for all these wonderful thoughts - and I'm learning so much. Love the Grand Canyon. Happy to be a subscriber.
Thanks so much, Jo! I miss you -- and hope you're birding a lot!
I loved this so much - showing geologic context with the ancient building materials used by an insect that lives in less than a blink of an eye in geologic time
I guess we ourselves also live in less than a blink of geological time. :-) Thanks, Lisa!
Love this essay Bryan and the perspective one gets from thinking in geologic time. Also liked your personal perspective of going from a looming canyon to a tiny insect and that great pic of yours showing this. And of course I loved the philosophical musings about the caddisfly rebuilding the Grand Canyon. I too have mused on rocks in an essay published in the lit journal JuxtaProse that you might want to check out: https://www.juxtaprosemagazine.org/rock-of-ages-by-margie-patlak/. It won second place in a creative nonfiction contest they ran.
Your essay is now on my reading list -- thanks, Margie! (And let's get you writing on Substack?)
Really wonderful essay. It sort of reminded me of a film made in 1977 called Powers of Ten that starts with people on a picnic blanket and then every 10 seconds the camera zooms out ten times father until the outer reaches of the galaxy.
Lovely reflection.
Thanks so much, Lisa.