2010-05  GRAND CANYON

Helicopter ride from Boulder City to the Grand Canyon where we did a Colorado River Boat ride, a bus ride and visited the  Hualapai Indian Reservation, the Skywalk and Guano Point.

Our two engineers  checking out the heli engines while waiting for our ride.

Inside our helicopter

First view : Hoover Dam and Lake Mead

Then the amazing view of the west entrance of Grand Canyon.

After a 4,000 ft descent we landed near the river, and a small walk through some vegetation took us to the boat.

 

The Colorado River is as impressive as one imagines.

     

After the boat ride our very, very young pilot showed off his flying skills by almost lapping one of the walls of the canyon.  it was done on purpose and some of us in the chopper did find it exciting.

We then landed again,  got into a bus and drove to the Hualapai Reservation to see the new Skywalk.  The glass floor was engineered and built by Germans and the Wengers had to see it. 

What a scam!  You pay $50.00 to enter the reservation which is outside the National Park and then to go onto the glass walk you have to pay another $25.00 per person.  Our private tour included all, so it was not too frustrating for us but we heard a lot of people complain. 

What got me was the fact that we were not allowed to take our cameras onto the Skywalk and had to pay some ridiculous amount to have a picture taken.  Of course, like everyone else we too paid the ransom and had pictures taken!

Some of the vegetation around the Skywalk.

 

Eagle Point which is also amazing can be seen best from the reservation.  Some people could not see the resemblance of an eagle on the rock formation but it was pretty clear to us and a beautiful sight to see.

The next stop was Guano Point where there we were offered a buffet style meal.  Not my cup of tea but I played along with everyone else.

   

After that we drove back to the heliport got on our chopper and flew back to Boulder City.

the next outing was to Death Valley on our way back to San Francisco.

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