This year for our LDS Girls Camp, our ward took a trip to one of the Wonders of the World.  Being from the Grand Canyon State, I don't know if a lot of the girls realized how big of an opportunity we got to camp along the edge of one of God's most spectacular creations.
  After a shivering night in tents, us 13 older girls woke before the sun at 4:30 and headed out to catch a train to the trail head.  We hiked on the South Rim, 17.3 miles going down magnificent drops to where the Colorado River slithered through, back up.  From arid desert to riparian oasis to juniper and pine forest, we were to see all types of the Canyon's natural ecosystems.
  I can't lie and say it wasn't one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life {girls compared it to our 3-day pioneer trek on steroids and then smashed in less than 12 hours}.  You have to be athletic,  über-hydrated, bring enough protein & salt snacks to not kill yourself from the 5000 calorie loss, and be ready for the heat.  On the website, it compared the heat to being stuck in your kitchen after preheating your oven to 500 degrees and then leaving the oven door open-- and luckily we're all Arizona kids, but that didn't mean we weren't making an obnoxious number of references to Dante's Inferno.  When we saw a creek, I got the "Polar Plunge" award for being only one of two girls to fully jump in-- they claimed it was numbingly cold, but when you're hiking in the "danger zone," any icy cold water feels absolutely beautiful on your skin. 

whoops... that's kinda what we did.  hey, we didn't die!

 But even though by the last five miles we were sweating and my hip refused to work and the elevation/exertion killed our lungs, I've gotta admit it was one of the neatest things I've ever done. My dear mother would've died of a heart attack for fear of death by falling  2600 feet, but I found the height exhilarating {not in a stupid daredevil way, no worries}.  That feeling of accomplishment that comes with being one with nature, with participating in an adventure that people come from all over the world to be a part of... We saw more Europeans and Asians than North Americans, and we certainly saw no other teenagers.  There was an abundant variety in rock types to streak the steep walls with reds and golds and purples and an abundant variety in animal species to spring it with life {including lots of plague-carrying-squirrels not shy when trying to take food out of your lap}.
   And the fact that this gorgeous creation was carved over 17,000,000 years by a mere river makes it all the more beautiful. But after the hike was over, we were praising hallelujah and literally laid down on the dirty concrete for on hour while we waited for the rest of our group, our legs dead.  We had done it! 
We camped three more nights and were joined by the younger girls for the rest of Girls Camp on the North Rim. One of my favorite all time leaders Shannon pointed out that she had been with me at camp for the past six years!  I choked up a little realizing how much has happened since I first came as an excited little 12-year-old, despite the fact that it seems like absolutely no time at all.  But now it was Olivia's turn to begin her six-year-journey. 
       It was by far my favorite year at camp, way better than any time spent with the stake at LoMia.  There was so much bonding among all the girls as we sorely limped our "South Kaibab Shuffle" and napped together in tents and discussed numerology and mercilessly teased "Peeping Paul" about walking in on three girls in the men's restroom and made up wanna-be-hipsta-white-girl-raps and shared our testimonies under a glittering night sky.  There is so much peace when you are removed from the big bad world and feel nature's tangible calm.