The Grandest Snow

Three weeks ago, when deciding what to pack for the trip, I chose four sets of shoes: sturdy low-cut hiking shoes for rockier trails; trail running shoes for desert paths; sandals for beach walking; and a pair of padded recovery slippers that can be worn inside and out.

I looked at my waterproof winter hiking boots and thought, the only place I will need them is the Grand Canyon, and the chance of snow is not that great—it averages four snow days in January, and the month's total is 12 inches. In the past, I brought the boots, but they were never used.

I chose to pack light, agreeing our friends Maury and Kim’s travel philosophy, “Don’t sweat it. If you need something, there’s a good chance you can pick it up on the road.”

The future four to five locations of our coddiwomple are saved in the weather app on my phone. As this visit grew closer, I watched with interest the six inches that fell on the South Rim two days before our arrival. I believed my hiking shoes would get me through. But…