Zion or Grand Canyon?

"sally" wrote in message
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Russell Patterson wrote in
:
Take along bottled water. The visitor center does not sell it,
although they do have cold water in a fountain. I don't know if they
would let you fill a bottle up using the fountain.

You should take lots of water with you any time you're travelling in the
desert, like a gallon or two per person.

Years ago someone and I were climbing the snake path at Massada in July.
Talk about hot and dry!
We came across an older man sitting off to the side looking terrible.
We offered to help him, and he drank all our water.
Fortunately we were young and resilient.

"Toller" wrote in message
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"sally" wrote in message
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Russell Patterson wrote in
:
Take along bottled water. The visitor center does not sell it,
although they do have cold water in a fountain. I don't know if they
would let you fill a bottle up using the fountain.

You should take lots of water with you any time you're travelling in the
desert, like a gallon or two per person.

Years ago someone and I were climbing the snake path at Massada in July.
Talk about hot and dry!
We came across an older man sitting off to the side looking terrible.
We offered to help him, and he drank all our water.
Fortunately we were young and resilient.

Was that in Zion or Grand Canyon? If the latter, north or south rim?

"Toller" wrote in message
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"Bill in Schenectady" wrote in message
news:tYzVh.6383$Qa.5288@trndny08...

"Toller" wrote in message
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I am going to Las Vegas in July with my son. We have 1.5 days free at
the end and I was planning on going to the Grand Canyon; but I didn't
realize how far it was.
Zion is much closer. Is Zion sufficiently spectacular that I won't feel
bad about skipping the Grand Canyon?
I saw the Grand Canyon 40 years ago, and hopefully he will be back some
day; but still....

Thanks.

On a similar subject; we have a half day free at the beginning. I was
planning on going out to Red Rocks. Any alternatives that can be done
in half a day?

Zion is one of the most gloriously spectacular places I have ever seen.
Also, while the Grand Canyon is indeed spectacular, you go there, you
look and you leave. At Zion, there are numerous short hiking
opportunities, there is a free shuttle bus that takes you through the
canyon (in fact cars are banned from the canyon road), and there is the
wonderful Virgin River walk at the far end. That's where you walk first
along and then in the river while the canyon narrows and presents
vertical walls hundreds of feet high on either side of the narrow canyon.

Very convincing.
How does it compare to Letchworth? (saw where you are from...)
I'm about four hours from Letchworth. I've only been there twice, as my
outings are more likely to be to the nearby Adirondacks. I certainly liked
it, and it is quite the gorge by eastern standards.

But there's no comparison.

"Toller" wrote in message
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"Caveat" wrote in message
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"Toller" wrote:

How does it compare to Letchworth? (saw where you are from...)

Excuse my intrusion, but having been to both parks (used to live in
Rochester) I can assure you that there's no comparison. Letchworth is
small and leafy, whereas Zion is very large and desert-foliaged. Plus
Zion (as with most canyons in the SW) is carved out of colorful
sandstone. Very different.

I was kidding.
We call Letchworth the Grand Canyon of the East. I am sure no one else
does.


While visiting Letchworth, you should be sure to catch the Seneca Lake Whale
Watch. For the non New Yorkers, Seneca Lake is one of the two largest
finger lakes. The whale watch is apparently a festival, but it gets a sign
on the Thruway. I've wondered how many downstate and New Jersey tourists on
their way to Niagara Falls thought that there are really whales there.

"B Vaughan" wrote in message
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On Thu, 19 Apr 2007 04:46:29 GMT, "Toller" wrote:


"Caveat" wrote in message
. ..
"Toller" wrote:

How does it compare to Letchworth? (saw where you are from...)

Excuse my intrusion, but having been to both parks (used to live in
Rochester) I can assure you that there's no comparison. Letchworth is
small and leafy, whereas Zion is very large and desert-foliaged. Plus
Zion (as with most canyons in the SW) is carved out of colorful
sandstone. Very different.

I was kidding.
We call Letchworth the Grand Canyon of the East. I am sure no one else
does.

In Pennsylvania, the Grand Canyon of the East is Pine Creek Gorge,
near Wellsboro.

Whenever you see "xxx of the yyy", where xxx is something spectacular
and yyy is some other place, you know there's no comparison. The
Venice of yyy, the Grand Canyon of yyy, the Champs Elysées of yyy,
etc.

Speaking of which, why do so many American resorts try to look like
something in Switzerland, Austria, Germany or some other European spot? Why
not just be unique themselves.

This winter, I was traveling through Vermont to do some cross country
skiing. The Vermont small towns maintain their charm as unique New England
villages. We finally arrived at the Trapp Family Lodge which indeed has
great cross country skiing. But the buildings are all designed to look like
the Austrian Alps. Yes, I know, the Trapp Family was from Austria and I
guess that was the original charm of the place. But now, it's overdone.
While it's in Vermont, I like the real Vermont better.

In article ,
B Vaughan wrote:
Whenever you see "xxx of the yyy", where xxx is something spectacular
and yyy is some other place, you know there's no comparison. The
Venice of yyy, the Grand Canyon of yyy, the Champs Elysées of yyy,
etc.

I generally agree with the point, but I have to point out that the
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a pretty expletive cool place.
And to take this one step further, Rocky Mountain National Park has
a "Little Yellowstone" (unfortunately not exactly the same syntax,
but it's derived from Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone), to which
one must hike, which is also quite a spot (it's the headwaters of
the Colorado).

As far as the question, I'd say go to Zion. It's probably too late
to stay at the lodge inside the park, but it's a great place just
to be. For the Grand Canyon, really, you need to go to the bottom
to experience it, and most people aren't up to that. I've looked
over the side too, but well, that's pretty detached. In Zion,
you're much more surrounded by the scenery.

On Apr 18, 1:02 pm, Caveat wrote:

Red Rocks is impressive, but unless you are a rock climber the options
are limited. Also, in July it will be quite hot at all lower
elevations throughout the Southwest. If you want a cooler option, you
could drive up into the Spring Valley National Recreation Area just NW
of Las Vegas. A lot depends on your interests on these trips.

If you're in supurb shape, hiking Mount Charleston would be a long day
hike. Kinda neat because of the bristlecone pines and the long views.

In Red Rock Canyon, if you have the time, Bridge Mountain would be a
challenge. It'll get you up on top of the escarpment, which I think
is an outstanding view (even if you chicken out before actually
tackling Bridge Mountain itself, which I did).

On Tue, 24 Apr 2007 02:17:40 GMT, "Bill in Schenectady"
wrote:

Speaking of which, why do so many American resorts try to look like
something in Switzerland, Austria, Germany or some other European spot? Why
not just be unique themselves.

I guess I've never been to American resorts. I can't think of any
resort town I've seen in the US that looks anything like Europe.

This winter, I was traveling through Vermont to do some cross country
skiing. The Vermont small towns maintain their charm as unique New England
villages. We finally arrived at the Trapp Family Lodge which indeed has
great cross country skiing. But the buildings are all designed to look like
the Austrian Alps. Yes, I know, the Trapp Family was from Austria and I
guess that was the original charm of the place. But now, it's overdone.
While it's in Vermont, I like the real Vermont better.

Maybe you specifically meant ski resorts?

--
Barbara Vaughan

My email address is my first initial followed by my last name at libero dot it.

On 23 Apr 2007 19:38:21 -0700, (Todd Michel
McComb) wrote:

In article ,
B Vaughan wrote:
Whenever you see "xxx of the yyy", where xxx is something spectacular
and yyy is some other place, you know there's no comparison. The
Venice of yyy, the Grand Canyon of yyy, the Champs Elysées of yyy,
etc.

I generally agree with the point, but I have to point out that the
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a pretty expletive cool place.

What I meant is using the term "Grand Canyon" in conjunction with
something that *isn't* the Grand Canyon. Read carefully what I wrote.


--
Barbara Vaughan

My email address is my first initial followed by my last name at libero dot it.

In article ,
B Vaughan wrote:
On 23 Apr 2007 19:38:21 -0700, (Todd Michel
McComb) wrote:
I generally agree with the point, but I have to point out that the
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a pretty expletive cool place.
What I meant is using the term "Grand Canyon" in conjunction with
something that *isn't* the Grand Canyon. Read carefully what I wrote.

Well, I guess I don't know what you meant then, since the Grand Canyon
of the Yellowstone isn't really the Grand Canyon.

Anyway, my post was meant to point out an interesting hierarchy of
places, not to be argumentative.