Across the Southwest / Adam Schallau

After completing our orbit around the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers we headed north towards Nankoweap Butte and Marble Canyon. By this point in the flight my hands were beginning to get very cold and numb. We were flying at an altitude of 9,500 feet and I had the window open for nearly the entire flight to avoid photographing through the plexiglas. I wish I had brought some light-weight gloves along on the flight.

After passing Nankoweap Butte we turned west and began a climb to clear the North Rim, along the way passing the “Battleship” and Mount Hayden. After cresting the rim our pilot pointed-out that we were passing over an area that had be scorched by a prescribed burn 8-years ago. This was an area in transition as life is returning to the forest with new aspens leafing out, and the snow deposited by the late spring storms was melting giving way to summer.

Somewhere over the North rim we made one final turn back to south to begin the final leg of our flight. I put the camera aside, slid my window closed, and took in the splendor of my surroundings. As we crossed the Colorado River one last time I found myself straining my neck to keep it and the canyon in-sight as long as possible. It was a view I could not let go of, and one that no picture or words could possibly illustrate or describe.

The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself. The resources of the graphic art are taxed beyond their powers in attempting to portray its features. Language and illustration combined must fail. ~ John Wesley Powell

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