Allan Rogers    drops in...

As we came into land at the top of the Grand Canyon a sprinkling of snow fell on what looks like a million Christmas trees, as we got lower they turned out to be big Ponderosa pine tress. We descended over the end of the runway casting a shadow on the snow. It was a cool, smooth, flight but I could imagine that in summer, with turbulent air rising from the heat rock face, it might be a bumpy ride.

The small planes were in marked contrast to the big American Airlines jets that can flew us via Chicago to Las Vegas where Eagle Canyon Airlines have their own terminal. There are several companies that fly sightseeing trips out to the Grand Canyon and Boulder Dam. We could have flown in a small Cessna 9-seat plane but I took to the air in a Fokker 44, as fate would have it, the only European amid a party of thirty or so young Japanese lady travel agents.

As you fly over the Grand Canyon, wearing headphones and looking out of  large windows, you learn that it is composed of many canyons and there are tens of thousands of gorges. The layers of coloured rock glow in the sun and range from rusty red rock to sparkling silver.

It was a fantastic sight and it was even more breathtaking, after we landed and peered over the edge. At this point I became an ‘object of desire’ and was besieged by the maidens of Japan, as with much giggling they all had their photograph taken with me.

There on the South Rim I read a notice telling us that we were 7,129 feet above sea level, while an oriental couple took pictures of each other. He directed the poses carefully. (I wondered what the Japanese is for "Just a few steps futher back deah")

There is great a viewpoint just outside the Yavatai Observation Station. There the Park Rangers tell you about pink rattlesnakes that have adapted to living in the red rocks where they absorb the heat and survive the chilly nights. They also give talks introducing you to rocks that are two billion years old.

Fossilised footprints are found in the Canyon’s rock in set in the sandstone. If you want to take a closer look, the way down is by the Bright Eagle Canyon path.

You have to be fit to tackle the trip. Walking down is relatively easy, although it does take a toll on your on the back of your legs. Coming back up takes three or four times as long. You can opt to make the journey on a mule. They have made the journey many times before and work as pack animals for three years before they cope with humans. Being well trained and gentle they are ideal for tenderfoot travellers, of course it’s not your foot that gets tender. The trip might be easy on the feet, what happens to your tail is another matter!

There are overnight tours, which are very popular, in the summer they can be booked up a year in advance but during the winter you can usually turn up and get on an expedition. A day trip costs about a hundred dollars. The best plan is to fly in the day before and stay the night before at the Bright Angel Lodge. (001 303 297 2757.)

It is, as our American friends say, "a real neat experience" but you must take warm clothing, layered so that you can adjust to the heat. It is usually ten to twenty degrees warmer as you go down.

You get a bit of advice and training from the wrangler, and also before you leave and you are given a mule motivator. No not a carrot on the end of a pole, just a stick. You usually only have to use it if they stray a apart from each other. However no amount of persuading will make them cross the Silver Bridge, you have to go on another two miles to cross the Colorado River. This is because the mules can see the water running below and it freaks them out. The further bridge has mesh too covered by rubber mats and they are happy enough with that. If you want to stay overnight, they have a male and a female bunkhouse or you can use the cabins. There is one main chow hall where everybody eats at the same time. They even have a post office where you can buy cards and mail them out from the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

There is good fishing in Bright Angel Creek with massive trout and you can learn a bit about Indian ways. There is a cave where they would store the meat from their hunting. It might have been blazing hot on the floor of the rocky canyon but the temperature in the cave stays the same year round. The difference could mean that it might be 115 degrees down at the bottom of the Canyon, after that, 85 degrees at the top seems comparatively cool.

We were shown a western sage bush, and picking some sprigs, rubbed them together to release the pungent aroma. The Indians would put this on their fires and fill their tepees up with the smell. They used it to clear sinuses and cure colds.

Then there were the Utah Juniper berries also the pine cones that opened up and scattered little Pinea nuts all over the ground. The local Indians gather them up and roast them. The one set back is, that each little nut carries about 250 to 300 calories. Eat a handful and you would be set up for the day! I decide to leave them alone, there was a juicy steak waiting for me back in Las Vegas.