The Grand Canyon surely is grand (magnificent and imposing in appearance) Wow! 101 degrees F up at the rim and 115-117 F at the bottom. We had our sights set on hiking to Phantom Ranch. After truly experiencing the heat and observing the trails leading down–South Kaibab–and up Bright Angel, I decided I could not go. Honestly, I tried. I hiked down a bit on both trails. It was a real bummer, but I realized with the steepness and drop offs along the trails were just too much for me to handle along with the extreme temps. So, we spent two days visiting nearly every vantage point and vista, hiking trails outside the canyon, and still had an experience of a lifetime–and lived to tell about it! Why would I decide it’s a good idea to go to Arizona during the hottest week of the year? I wonder too…