Grand Canyon NP - Before the Light: A Morning at Mather Point

We were up at 3:30. The trailer was still and quiet. The coffee was strong. No one said much.

“You ready?” I asked.

Heather nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go. I am so excited to get there.”

We were in the car by 4:15, heading north through the dark. The road was good and empty. The sky didn’t even hint at light.

“You sure the sunrise is worth it?” she asked.

“It always is,” I said. “Even if it’s not, we’ll be there.”

We didn’t talk much after that. The tires hummed. The pines started showing up on the sides of the road. I checked the time. Still dark.

We reached the Grand Canyon just before dawn. The parking lot by the visitor center was almost empty. Maybe ten cars.

“This is good,” I said. “We’ll get close.”

“I need to walk,” Heather said. She was already strapping on her camera bag.

We got our gear. Cameras, lenses, water, snacks. Heather moved ahead, walking fast like always.

“I’ll meet you at Mather,” she said, not looking back.

“I’m right behind you,” I said. Although I really wasn’t. I walk slow.

I stopped at the trailhead. The air was sharp, cold in the lungs. I looked around for the best angle. Framed the edge of the canyon. The sky was still dark but beginning to open.

The first light came slow. Thin and pale at first. Then gold.

I adjusted the focus.

“Come on,” I said to the sun. “Show me what you’ve got.”

When it came up, it came hard - bright, sudden. The sunburst hit the edge of the frame just right. It would be a good shot.

I packed up and walked to Mather Point. Heather was already there.

“You miss it?” she asked.

“No,” I said. “Caught the burst just above the rim.”

The canyon was waking up. Light spread over the rock, cold first, then warm. The colors changed every minute.

“You think it always looked like this?” she asked.

“No,” I said. “Only right now.”

We shot until our hands got stiff. The light kept changing. We kept trying to catch it. You can’t, not really. But you try.

After a while, the sun was high enough. The best light was gone.

“You ready?” she asked.

“Yeah. Bathrooms?”

“Yeah. Definitely.”

We packed the gear, stretched our backs, and walked back. The lot was filling up now. The world was awake.