Grand Canyon from 10,000'

[MajorChode]

These pictures were taken from 10,500' to 11,500' in my trusty Cessna Skylane.

[MajorChode]

1. Here is the "tell" to go with the show

On Monday, June 8th, we blasted off from the airport in Page, AZ and after a lap around Lake Powell I set off down Marble Canyon towards the Grand Canyon. Overflights of the Canyon by GA aircraft are pretty restrictive. Some areas are basically verboten to fly below 14,500', and that's a pretty challenging altitude to get to in my airplane this time of year. The rules are pretty silly and were put in place after a few nasty crashes (mostly by tour operators). The really sad part is the tour operators are still allowed to go lower, yet the occasional barnstormer like me has to fly above them. There are 4 corridors you can fly through at lower altitudes. The lowest you can fly is 10,500 going to the south and 11,500 to the north. The three corridors I chose are Zunni Point, Dragon, and Fossil Canyon.

After flying over the Grand Canyon I refueled at Lake Havasu City airport, and then I flew through the Tehachapi Pass through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, north through the San Joaquin Valley, and landed at Fresno airport. From there we rented a car and drove to Yosemite.

[trusty elf]

2. Gorgeous, stunning, magnificent!

Bee-yewtiful! How thrilling it must be to do that!

Thanks for posting these shots.

[Mira]

3. I confess that I had to come back 3 times before I could

"speak". After just having been in the West myself this augments my own experience since it gives me the added dimension from the air. I will never be the same after having seen and felt being there.
When I saw the Grand Canyon, North Rim, approaching through the forest and then, suddenly, there is was dropping before me, it was one of two times in my life I was overwhelmed to the point of losing my ablility to stand and I broke into tears.
Thanks to your photos it's not a place where "you just have to be there" to get the idea of it. You are there in all but your body.
This is simply huge - and you are doing a wonderful job of bringing your experience to us.

Thanks !!!!!!!
:applause:

[MajorChode]

4. Many years ago In my pre-flying days, I visited the Grand Canyon

I went to the North Rim first and then was so moved by the experience I took another trip to both the North Rim and the South Rim. I think that going there and hiking up and down the canyons is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lives, but flying over the canyon adds a perspective that you just can't get from the ground. While the area that encompasses the Grand Canyon national park is massive, it doesn't even begin to include the whole canyon area which is hundreds of miles wide and spans Lake Powell to the northeast and Lake Mead to the southwest. One minute you are flying over the most barren desert imaginable and the next you are flying over lush forests bound by impossible cliffs dropping thousands of feet.

Someday I'm going to return to Page and make a more complete photo-study of the area from the air. In fact, I wouldn't mind retiring there and doing just that for years at a time. I'm convinced it's the best place in the world to fly.

[NV Whino]

5. These are so incredible!

Thanks for posting. I haven't been to the Grand Canyon in eons. Makes me want to go.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Wow. Great sharp images, the colors are wonderous.

Thank you for sharing them !!!!

[Celebration]

7. These are simply breathtaking

Thanks so much for sharing!!

[BrightKnight]

8. I'm numb to most GC images but those are exceptional.

I really like the first image.

[Itchinjim]

9. HOLY COW!

These shots are FANTASTC!

[JeffR]

10. As tired out as the word "awesome" is, I can't come up with a better one.

And that last shot, well, I don't know what contest theme that might be appropriate for, but if and when one comes up, I hope you enter that. It's a jewel.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

16. I agree, JeffR...the word Awesome was invented to describe pictures like these.

[hippywife]

11. Breathtaking!

Thanx for sharing those. Really incredible. :hi:

[intheflow]

12. Stunning!

Your colors are gorgeous! Thank you so much for posting! It's been years since I've been to the GC, and this reminds me that I really want to go back.

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. Breathtaking! Magnificent!

:wow:

[KC]

14. Those are the most

amazing pictures of the GC that I have seen.
Just curious, what kind of camera did you use?

KC

[Mira]

15. YES - and I'm glad this wonderful thread of pictures got unearthed to be seen again.