The Power of "No" on a Grand Canyoneering Trip

Pack set, trekking poles locked in, water bladders filled. Slowly I waver in and out of light-headedness and lay down in a cold sweat — 8 hours until our early start and I already feel like I am at the capacity of making the final ascent out of the Grand Canyon, without even starting. Catching COVID appeared to have an effect on me, and now that I just got my second dose of the vaccine, I feel like I am back at bedside.

What does saying 'no' look like? Saying no at your most critical point is a rebalance — it brings your options to the forefront, empowers your resolve, and shifts your agility from process to adaptation. I broke the news to the group, insisted they continue, and found my own journey to endeavor. Solo I stood in view of what I define as spectacular, breathing and recentering. It was at this point that growth was found on the rim of the Grand Canyon. The team went down Hidden Spring Canyon to Surprise Canyon, then up Green Spring Canyon, and out Twin Spring Canyon — an excellent and scenic loop.