Maybe the word you are looking for is "exposure"? I can deal with heights, as long as the trail is comfortable. I don't like exposure when the trail is sketchy and/or there is an increased chance of a mistake resulting in a serious injury or fatality. For example, I live at the Grand Canyon and spend a lot of time on the trails. I have no issues with the corridor trails, but there are other trails that give me pause or make me nervous.
Plenty of dispersed camping in the national forest.
What I have found frustrating with the officiating is the inconsistency. They will let a foul go then down the court they call some ticky tack call. Pick a lane and stay in it!
I read an article that made a good point about women's basketball. Unlike the men's game where the best players are leaving a year or two after college, women are playing their whole college career. That gives time for the rivalries and stories to develop and for fans to get to know the players (and Clark chasing the record was a big story and got people invested too. We could see the same thing with JuJu Watkins). And I think that has carried over into the WNBA this year, particularly with Reese and Clark. Rivalries definitely make sports more fun and I also want to see the rematch! Although I hope it's just a good game without cheap shots. I was disappointed in Carter. I was enjoying watching her play (she is so damn fast), but soured after that flagrant foul (physical play in the game is one thing, what she did was not that at all).
I guess the plus is there is a ton of talk about the WNBA and increased coverage. I would be interested to see the revenue numbers this year compared to last and hope all the players get to share in it (whether salary or increased visibility to get endorsement deals).
We all have to do things in life that we don't want to do. A lot of kids would rather have recess all day instead of doing math and reading and things that require some focus and work. So we should just let them have recess and lunch all day?
I have not lived in CO, but live in Northern Arizona. I would never live in Phoenix. I have been to Colorado numerous times and didn't find Denver too impressive, but would definitely choose that over Phoenix. If you have kids, know that AZ is horrible for public education and the state seems to be actively trying to destroy public education.
I have a teen and she has like Omega Mart, The Paradox Museum, nighttime tour at the Neon Museum, The Mob Museum, Fremont Street (day time), escape rooms, NYNY arcade, checking out the different hotels (Bellagio fountains, the Venetian, etc), walking the Linq Promenade. We like to hike and Valley of Fire is a favorite, but I wouldn't do anything outdoors in the summer. We mostly eat off strip and like a lot of the places in Chinatown. The sushi isn't the best available, but conveyer belt sushi is fun, Korean BBQ, Xiao Long Dumplings, Shanghai Noodles, Sweet Talk, Sweethoney, etc. We haven't eaten a ton of places on strip but her favorite is probably Beauty & Essex (I think because it felt "fancy" to her), Din Tai Fung, Best Friend. Casual lunches at Miznon, Lardo, Eataly.
You had well written, balanced answers! What I see pop up in FB comments all the time is that people are fine with CC, but hate her fans (I am a Clark fan, but I totally get this - some people act like they are in a cult and greatly overhype her). For me the bottom line is a rising tide lifts all boats. The Fever already broke their total attendance from last year in just the first five games. I've been watching a lot more WNBA because of Clark, but have also enjoyed "getting to know" a lot of the other players. And it has been fun watching the rookies - I think overall they are doing an awesome job and helping build on the great players that came before them.
I would stay overnight at the South Rim instead of returning to Vegas. The other option if you can get lodging is to visit the North Rim instead. It will save you driving time if you are also visiting Zion.
At Phantom Ranch you can buy a bag of ice and sit in the creek at the campground all day when it is hottest. Have something you can wet and put on you to help cool down or to get to sleep at night (like a sarong). Get an early start the day you hike out to the North Rim and cool off/wet your clothes when you can (and the usual hydrate, salty snacks, etc). Not gonna lie, it might be miserable at times (or at least for me because I dislike hiking in the heat in direct sun and the high at the South Rim tomorrow is mid 80s), but it helps you are breaking up the hike into two days. Enjoy and be safe!
There is a local guy from Flagstaff (not sure if he is Amish or some other religion) and we see him on the trails quite a bit. My husband knows his name and has talked to him multiple times, but I can't remember his name. I wonder if it's the same guy.
Besides the other points mentioned, doing a BA-NK R2R adds three miles compared to a SK-NK hike. I have hiked up and down all three and would choose going down the SK over the BA. Plus the views at sunrise from the South Kaibab are fantastic.
It would have been unfortunate if you had been scared out of your hike, although it seems what you researched did help you be prepared, which in turn led to a successful, enjoyable hike (it's probably not a bad thing to be a little nervous before a hike if it makes you really think about it and prepare). Even with the park being very conservative about the hike, the amount of rescues/assists they do is kind of nuts (in 2023 SAR had 302 incidents and PSAR had 455 hiker assists). We're on the trails a lot and often see people struggling (just saw a couple this week that had to overnight in the 3 mile rest house using the emergency gear in the box) and unprepared people (i.e. someone at Cedar Ridge asking how far to the river while carrying in their hand a small water bottle). I'm glad you had a good hike!
The park service and people in general are conservative about this hike because it attracts a lot of people who haven't done a lot of hiking and people often overestimate their abilities and/or underestimate the canyon and the heat. The park does a significant number of rescues and assists each year, often related to the heat. Additionally, it is hard to give advice online without really knowing the poster and people often err on the side of caution.
When I got to the part about the White Mountains in NH, I could have told you the corridor trails would have been easy for you (we lived and hiked in the Northeast for 20 years and now live at the Grand Canyon - the corridor trails are a walk in a park compared to most Northeast trails). And I generally tell anyone who has done their hiking in the Northeast that the trails will be fine and heat will likely be the biggest factor. But I have seen people post about how hard the trails are (just recently a guy on FB was complaining about the South Kaibab and how rough it was) - so it is very relative to people's experiences.
If you are familiar with the Whites, I would make a comparison to Mt. Washington and how many people get in trouble on the mountain (and why they instituted the Hike Safe card). Different issues, but similar in that it attracts a lot of people that aren't fully prepared or understand what they are getting into.
I think you might have better luck with an email. You could even try Facebook messenger to the National Park page (I have messaged before and gotten a quick reply during business hours).
Short answer? No. I would not recommend anyone hiking this in the summer, especially someone whose longest hike has been six miles.
At our school kids and staff need shoes on at all times in case of a fire drill, etc.
I have done both. I would say the climb out Grandview is better in terms of the trail. I would maybe give the edge to Grandview for scenery, but either is fine to exit the canyon. I have trip reports for both:
Tanner to Grandview: https://pbase.com/pudgy_groundhog/grand_canyon_2015
Tanner to New Hance: https://pbase.com/pudgy_groundhog/escalante_2024
I'm sorry you weren't supported in the way you should have been. But I'm glad you were resilient and got there in the end. Your sons are lucky to have you!
I guess misery loves company - glad we aren't the only country with a messed up education system!
I recommend looking at the Cicerone guides for planning.
Hiking Dolamites
hiking