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Walking the Skywalk
Topics: Grand Canyon, Travel, vacation, Skywalk, Indian reservation
Posted by citizenjournalist Wed May 16, 2007 17:47:31 PDT
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0 responses 0 comments We had many reservations about our reservations on the reservation, but we left on Wednesday hoping that all would go well. Our original confirmation for a package was done by a helpful and persistent Letty at the auto club, but it was wrong. Telephone lines to ticketing offices were jammed and we were told we would not get a corrected copy. But not to worry.

This was for the brand-new Skywalk at the Grand Canyon. Maybe we'd be the first from Bakersfield? By we, I mean myself and longtime friend Joe Bugni. Mrs. Krauter did not relish the idea of six to seven hours in a pickup truck. We headed out with great anticipation and high hopes that all would go well.

The Mojave desert is no match for similar areas in Arizona and New Mexico. There is austere beauty in the black volcanic areas, some with white sand dunes festooned on them.

Joe and I have kindred likes and interests so we find something intriguing anywhere and everywhere. The bright yellow paloverde trees were spectacular as were the smoke trees, Joshua trees with huge emerging flower clusters, Spanish dagger yuccas were sending up giant asparagus-like bloom spikes and best of all the ocotillos were at their fiery orange peak. Later we found hedgehog cacti with vivid red or purple blooms. The beaver tails were budding but showed no color. Our biggest concern was the total lack of any green grass for the poor desert tortoises. How can they survive?

Choosing the route to Kingman, we back-tracked on 93 to the cutoff for the Indian land. We had been forewarned that there was 21 miles of unpaved road. Dirt roads we've been on. But this one is the road from Hades! It has been scraped down to cement-like white stuff with rocks embedded and bone shanking washboard areas. We were over an hour getting past that.

Surprisingly, the service trucks, big tour buses and smaller tour Hummers, vans and private autos were bouncing along on it too. We can't imagine that they can leave it that way much longer. But we heard of no immediate plans. It's a real shame they have this world-class tourist attraction with access this bad. Maybe they consider it "part of the experience."

Everything is makeshift now, with great improvements and features coming up. The airport is adequate but crude. The ticketing and gift shop buildings are temporary and tacky. The helicopters are new and beautiful and are very busy.

Hearing that the line for the Skywalk was two hours long, we planned ahead, got there early and were the first onto the amazing structure. As you no doubt have heard, it juts out over the canyon about 70 feet and the view from it is 4,000 feet down. There are walking areas on each side of steel plate but the real test comes with the special thick glass walkway down the middle. The view down is beyond description and we were surprised at how many did not get up the nerve to walk on that part. The special glass from Germany is very thick, but there is no distortion. It will accomodate 120 visitors at a time.

It was an amazing sight to look down through the glass and see ravens, swallows and hawks gracefully cavorting and soaring. They could very well have been 1,000 feet below us.

We chose the minimum "package" which consisted of accomodations, three meals and three attractions - the Western town, Guano Point and the Skywalk. Our cottage was one of only 16 at the far end of the western town. It was very tidy, spartan but adequate and comfortable. Meals were served in the nearby "dance hall." It was buffet-style with two choices on the blackboard. We think they might as well have it in petroglyphs on stone, as we don't think it changes from day to day. Restaurants are in the near future. The grub was OK and generous. Before we left we went by to give our compliments to the chef, which seems to be Sysco Food Services.

We had a hearty breakfast there. The town is watched over by authentic-looking cow pokes in long coats, black hats, boots and six shooters. There were no gun fights while we were there. Guess everything was OK at the corral!

We were able to drive there, but buses come every 15 minutes to ferry people to the other two attractions. To show how new the units are and how frugal the Indians are in water conservation, when Joe went to shower the entire faucet came out of the wall. No water wasted there!

One of the interesting attractions that is finished is an area showcasing all the different types of "houses" that tribes used and there were quite a few variations from mud to tree branches and teepees (which they spell "Tipi") made of animal skins.

There were already tourists from many countries. Joe especially enjoyed visiting with a group of Italians that spoke little English. He was able to communicate minimally but they really enjoyed that. I told Joe to tell them we apologize for the food! They laughed and went on eating!

Indian tribal dances were advertised and there was a nice area prepared for that. This fellow travels all over the world giving lectures on Indian history and performing dances. We thought it was part of the "hoopla" and it was since he dances and adroitly handles six hoops at one time. There is ancient symbolism in this dance and the hoops are part of it.

From the main area nice, big buses with genial drivers transport visitors to the western town, helicopter pads and Guano Point. The latter was another vista somewhat different than at the Skywalk but awesome in its own right. We were surprised at both points to not find protective fences at the precipitous vantage points. This area is famous for and named after the bat guano (droppings) that were mined or collected from a cave far down the side of the steep cliff. A cable lowered a big bucket with three "miners" and they filled the bucket which was brought to the top for shipment to processing points. As most nurserymen and gardeners know this material is highly prized for its natural, high nitrogen qualities. It is seldom offered now. At each vantage point one could see the helicopters above and down in the canyon. These are allowed to go longer and lower than those under the National Park's regulations at the south and north rims.

We were super impressed by how helpful and friendly every member of staff was. Despite the chaos, they kept their calm and we found not one on "the warpath"! What a pleasant surprise. The Indian spirits of good will and good luck must have followed us home as we got through the desert and over Highway 58 before we even became aware that there had been major problems of dangerous winds, dust and highway closures.

We hesitate to suggest people wait until the facilities are in more complete condition as the word will be out and the visiting hoards will descend. Maybe we are easily impressed but we agree it is a "must see." Just be sure to avoid that terrible thing they call a road.

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