Night Lights  South Rim  Grand Canyon                     click to enlarge

It was a dark and stormy night. The wind blew through the mizzen mast like a banshee of old. The boiling heaving seas were determined to sink this ship and all who sailed on her. Wait, wait, wait, stop, that’s another story entirely. Let’s begin again.

It was a cold, crystal clear, Christmas eve and I was hiking back to the lodge on the South rim of the Grand Canyon after spending the late afternoon shooting the light as the shadows settled into the canyon depths and slowly crept up the canyon walls. The sunset seemed late in arriving but that was only  because it was cold and seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours and the sunset was oblivious to creature comforts especially mine.

The sunset arrived as it had to of course, but the gamble of getting the exceptional shot didn’t pay off as it was just a standard, only average gorgeous sunset. Then it was over and soon replaced by the clear indigo blue night sky in all of its glory. There was no moon as I began my trek back to the lodge, and my eyes had to adjust to the darkness which meant walking the trail by the light of the stars.

I rounded a bend and came across this vantage point and what appeared across the canyon was this most beautiful magical scene. The lights of the visitor center and El Tovar Lodge shone like diamonds. It was as if someone had dropped a necklace of stars upon the edge of the canyon and if anything man-made could add to the beauty of these natural surroundings it was this brilliant display.

The fact that I had another mile and a half to trudge in the dark before I could get warm and have dinner melted away. I didn’t even care that I had all this heavy stuff to carry back. I didn’t get my exceptional shot of the fading sunset but it was replaced by this unforgettable view of the lights along the rim. It was a most special Christmas eve and I have it secure in my memory banks forever, or as long as they last anyway. If they begin to fade I have this image to remind me of the night on edge of the Grand Canyon, walking by starlight and seeing one of the most beautiful sights I have ever been privileged to photograph.