Just briefly: all the fear, of course, was backstage jitters. Once we took the first step onto the (icy) South Kaibob Trail we both relaxed. A lot.

There's a lot to say. But, the most striking experience was the little "village" that was our canyon-bottom destination, Phantom Ranch. A tree-covered oasis with a brook, a river, mule deer, plant life and happy villagers. Hardly the stark, red/white sheer rock walls we knew as the Grand Canyon.