The sun sank behind the canyon walls, whose massive faces, splashed with crimson, sage, and auburn soared thousands of feet above us. We sat on rocky ledges of tapeats sandstone and welcomed the occasional cool breeze that swirled in off the icy waters of the Colorado River. As the day faded into night we patiently awaited the evening’s main attraction, the blooming of a single Sacred Datura flower. All eyes were glued on the blossom, which seemed ready to unfurl at any moment and make its best attempt to attract its sole pollinator, the sphinx moth. All ears were fixed on our boatman’s voice as he explained that this blossom would only exist for one night, it only had until morning to lure the moth in and pollinate. While waiting for the sphinx moth to smell the Datura’s scent and fly in to sample its sugary nectar we sweetened the moment ourselves by munching on brownies hot out of the Dutch oven and recalling stories from earlier in the journey.
This is one of many highlights from a recent trip that was a collaboration of Grand Canyon Youth, The National Park Service, and the Grand Canyon Trust. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from experiences like these, to be present in such a precious moment, and to share it all with such excellent company. It is hard to decide what the best outcome of the trip was. We learned about the fragile ecosystems of the Grand Canyon, and the importance of biodiversity. We participated in several ongoing National Park studies and work projects involving invasive species in the canyon. We learned to work as a team, and together we shared the challenges and adventures of rafting the Colorado River.
This is one of many highlights from a recent trip that was a collaboration of Grand Canyon Youth, The National Park Service, and the Grand Canyon Trust. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from experiences like these, to be present in such a precious moment, and to share it all with such excellent company. It is hard to decide what the best outcome of the trip was. We learned about the fragile ecosystems of the Grand Canyon, and the importance of biodiversity. We participated in several ongoing National Park studies and work projects involving invasive species in the canyon. We learned to work as a team, and together we shared the challenges and adventures of rafting the Colorado River.
I enjoy looking back on the whole experience and seeing how it mirrors the blooming of the Datura. The kids, the group, the friendships, the learning, the adventure; they all blossomed in front of my eyes, opening in a dazzling display that was as inspiring as it was beautiful. The only difference is, unlike the fleeting Datura, the positive outcomes that blossomed on this trip will last far longer than a single night.
