"The Watchtower," Grand Canyon, March 2010

Beneath the tower

In a 22- or 23-hour span, we saw much of what the Grand Canyon had to offer -- a snowed-in, cloudy cover of white and a bright, clear winter day along the South Rim. On our way out of the park, headed east along Arizona 64 on the way up to Monument Valley, we stopped at the Watchtower at Desert View for one last look. The tower itself was under renovation (and still open), but we passed on climbing the round, spiral steps. How much better can the view get when it's already so spectacular?