Kaibab Plateau, North Rim Grand Canyon Pt. 3 - "skidded to a gravel flying stop just inches from the edge"

 After reaching pavement at the Grand Canyon Highway (67) we drove South and then East to Point Imperial.

 Storm clouds were forming over the canyon.

 We moved on before the rain reached the point.

 There were fewer clouds at Point Royal.

 Our first view of Angel's Window.

 Looking through the window.

 From Angel's View the very top of Temple Butte, the site of a tragic event, could be seen in the distance. On June 30, 1956 a United Airlines DC-7 collided with a Trans World Airlines Lockheed Super Constellation, at an altitude of 21,000 feet, and the 128 people on board both flights perished. The TWA plane crashed on Temple Butte and the United plane crashed on Chuar Butte a few miles away.

 The view from the edge at Point Royal. Both Jan and I have memorable stories from our separate encounters with electrostatic discharges at this location. 

 Below on the Colorado River a raft trip was setting up camp.

A few minutes later a rainbow appeared over the canyon.

A closer look.

We left Point Royal and drove to the Grand Canyon Lodge for a visit to Bright Angel Point. Jan appears a little soggy in this photo because it started to rain as we were walking out to the point.

On the walk back to the truck we were treated to another rainbow.

The darkness of a foggy night settled over the plateau as we left the park and drove into the forest looking for a campsite.

Dawn at our camp near The Blowdown and another rainbow.

After breakfast we drove West through the forest.

As we descended in elevation the vegetation changed and the temperature increased.

Our destination in the distance.

Jumpup Cabin.

I walked a short distance down the trail into Jumpup Canyon.

Then it was on to Jumpup Point.

High above Jumpup Canyon.

A short section of the 10 mile drive out to Jumpup Point. The road is just rocky enough to keep your speed below 10 MPH.

View from Jumpup Point.

This is where Bosco almost went over the edge. He was nosing around the log on the left when a lizard darted out from underneath and ran toward the canyon with Bosco jetting right behind. I yelled at him to stop and Jan screamed, "NO!" He skidded to a gravel flying stop just inches from the edge. We will never know if he stopped on his own or because of our commands but it was a close call. No info on the fate of the lizard.

A look over "Bosco Edge."

Jumpup Trail below on the Esplanade.

We ate lunch in the shade of the camper with Bosco safely on his leash. Note: Bosco and I have hiked alongside cliffs before but I agreed with Jan that it would make lunch less stressful with him leashed.

A last look at the Canyon as we prepared to leave.

And then it was time to drive on to our next destination

15 miles later a sharp edged piece of quartz sliced into a tire. What are the odds of a rock sharp enough to slice into a steel belted tire to be sitting at just the right angle to puncture said tire. I must be an unlucky type because this is the second time that a rock has sliced into a tire. However this time we were much closer to a town than the last time it happened.

Bosco waited patiently.

As we changed the tire.

We had to abort our journey along the North Rim because we were not carrying a second spare and would need to head for a town and purchase a new tire

Fredonia was only 29 miles away when we reached a primary forest road and although gravel it looked like a freeway to us. Knowing that the next day was the Fourth of July and tire stores would most likely be closed we decided to head for home.