Arizona or is it?

When planning for travel, I am usually pretty on top of things when it comes to doing a bit of research to determine what I should pack, particularly in terms of the weather.

I could not have been more surprised on our recent trip to Arizona!  Although I had contemplated cooler temperatures for this time of year, I was not prepared for a the foot of freshly fallen snow that greeted us as we drove to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park.

Hello & welcome to Arizona!

Our we entered the park, we were greeted by a number of Rocky Mountain Elk along the roadside, quietly munching away, almost oblivious to us.

A gorgeous winter wonderland scene lay before us.  Having come from the cold in Canada in hopes of warmer desert temperatures, it was as if Mother Nature was playing a twisted prank on us.

Winter Wonderland

Checking in to our hotel, I asked the gentleman at reception if this was typical of weather for the area this time of year.  He just sort of shrugged & said, “it’s winter”.  I may have seen an eye roll & heard him mutter, “stupid tourists”, under his breath.  Kidding! He could not have been more kind!

Dropping our luggage in our room, we took a few moments to share a bit of laughter as to how uninformed we were, but chose to not feel defeated!  Layering up, we ventured outside. Snow or no snow, we were not missing the opportunity to see the Grand Canyon.

This was the view when we first stepped outside.

Not a canyon to be seen!

One might think at this point we would feel discouraged.  Admittedly we were disappointed but after laughing at our situation, we did what any good Canadian would do. We built a wee snowman!

Deciding to head for a bit of warmth to warm up our toes, we ventured in to a few shops, hoping to drown our disappointment in a little retail therapy.  Although no major purchases were made, Mother Nature had once again been working her magic in the short time we had been inside.

As we came back outside, it was if the skies opened & this was our view.

Can I get a Hallelujah?

Many people chose to visit the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, due to its proximity to Las Vegas.  Always looking for the less travelled option, we developed our itinerary based on some recommendations from tripadvisor & head to the South Rim.  It was also suggested that upon leaving, to take the east rim road out.  The views that met us along the way were stunning!

Taken at the South Rim

A gorgeous viewpoint along the way.

Desert View Tower

I would love to return some day when I can actually wear shorts & do some hiking!

Hugs,

L♥