On Memorial Day weekend ('99) Michelle and I with a group of friends and family hiked across the Grand Canyon from north rim to south rim.  We hiked the canyon over 3 days and spent two nights in the base of the canyon.  The total hike was just under 24 miles.  It was a nice and easy pace.  When we hiked into the Phantom Ranch area (near the Colorado River) the thermometer read 110 degrees!  The temperature was a little bit of a surprise because it was so dry and there was a nice breeze.  The north rim is about 1,000 ft higher in elevation than the more heavily visited south rim.  Therefore, the area was much more vegetated and green.  Most of the pictures below are from the north rim side.

Michelle at the north rim trail head.  Tom's brother Jim in background with Kenny D and his brother Mike.

Notice how green the area is on the north rim.  This is Michelle's first back country backpacking trip.

Friend Ken hiking down the north rim.  Drop-offs were steeper on the north rim than the south rim.

Ribbon Falls (in the bottom of the canyon).  Those white
     specs are people.  The green area is one big mossy rock.

We stayed at Cottonwood campground the first night in the canyon.  The trail and the campground are right

on the Bright Angel Creek.  Tom on rock.  Friend Greg cooling off in the water soaking his blistered feet.

Bottom of the canyon looking south at the south rim.  Landscape is much more brown and desert-like.  Trail up
     south rim is noticeable on the original photograph but is blurred out in above picture.

A very tired Michelle hiking out of the Grand Canyon.  The last day was in the 100's.  The hike out

was about 10 miles with a 5,000 ft vertical hike up.  Michelle also had a bad headache.