2020 has thrown challenges at everyone. Why don't we zoom in on the things that delighted us? Grand Canyon National Park rangers share the delightful moments that gave them solace and joy throughout the year.

Austin:

I would you know kind of spin around 'cause you're just kind of moving on the rope and then take a break because I was super tired and you know kind of shaky and just like try to take deep breaths to calm myself down, and I would have this moment where I'd be like “oh, I'm in the middle of the Coconino Sandstone. I'm free hanging next to the Grand Canyon and I'm seeing this amazing view-scape” and that was a really cool. It's like these weird moments from this like whoa this is super cool this is super unique and I'm in this really beautiful place and then very quickly juxtaposed with like slipping rope noises and terror.

Jesse: I'm Jesse,

Austin: I’m Austin,

Jesse:

and you're listening to Behind the Scenery. That's where you say “the Canyon Cuts.”

Austin:

Oh, the Canyon Cuts, oh sorry.

Jesse: It's been a weird year, I think for everybody everywhere, but it seems exceptionally weird here. We had like the delay in opening because of COVID. We had like a pipeline break.

Austin:

A fire that made it so we couldn't leave and people literally had to hike across the Grand Canyon to work.

Jesse:

Yeah, they closed the roads. It burned up all the power lines, we were on generator power for weeks.

Austin:

Our food was flown over in a helicopter for a brief moment, which was very very odd.

Jesse:

Yeah, but kind of cool. It was kind of cool to get a food bank delivery via helicopter.

Austin:

Yeah it made me feel very important.

Jesse:

And now like the pumps are failing down at Roaring Springs again.

Austin:

It's really hard to be surprised by new things happening where they’re like “oh yeah the pumps broken and they flew it out to Phoenix and it can't be repaired.” We're kind of just like “oh yeah makes sense.”

Jesse:

Makes sense it’s 2020.

Austin:

Right exactly, in any other here you'd be like “hold up, what's going on?” like this is not normal. But this year it's just kind of like just another thing.

Jesse:

I think I came up with this idea while we're in that canyon down in the Coconino, sort of inspired by an episode of This American Life and the Book of Delights by Ross gay. Why don't we just do a whole episode just about things that are delighting us. And the specific memory that triggered that for me was exploring the canyon down in the coconino sandstone. We’d repelled down into the canyon, we were climbing back up the ropes. I think you were just getting on rope and climbing the first pitch and I was just sort of sitting on a ledge, and while you were sort of like flailing around in the brush trying to get on rope I was just looking at the columbines that were growing out of this water course. And then this rufous hummingbird, like this shimmery red hummingbird, comes up and buzzes by me and starts going up to those columbines and drinking nectar from each one of the little Flowers. And it was a funny juxtaposition because it's like such a delightful moment for me, I'm watching this super cool bird drinking out of these really beautiful flowers in this place that's like a pretty narrow little slot canyon, and then I'm also hearing the sounds of you kind of struggling up this rope. Trying to figure out this new device that was not working as well as it should have been.

Austin:

There is like this analogy here. That's kind of what we're going through in 2020 some of us are “the Austin on the rope” but like having this really scary time, and then there's like these other weird moments where I have found myself in and obviously you have where it's like there's this unrest. There's things happening. They’re not happening directly to you but we're still finding these moments of like solace.

Jesse:

Without further adieu here are moments of delight from Rangers across the Grand Canyon Doug: This is Ranger Doug on July 11th with my delight diary moment. Before work I went out for early sunrise run from my cabin. I saw the whole Sky turn red as the sun came up, and even though it's mid July I could still smell the beautiful smell of lupins in and around my cabin.

Jeff:

Last night I was reading outside near my cabin while group of juncos were flitting around. Slowly they would hop closer and closer as they pecked around for food. Eventually the mature birds were hopping around my feet. While I watched the older birds hop around, a younger junko crash landed on my book. Still learning to fly, and apparently still learning to land, the little bird slid down the page coming to rest in my hand. Quickly realizing where it landed, off it flew.

Doug:

I notice afternoon clouds are starting to build. We haven't had any clouds for such a long time. Maybe we're going to get an afternoon or evening thunderstorm. I hope. (Sound of heavy rain)

Ceili:

Yaaaaay rain!

Jesse:

Our first big monsoon rain of the year here on the North.

Ceili:

I’m hiking on the South Kaibab Trai.l I just met a visitor that went to the same school that I did and played sports, and then two hikers right behind him went to schools that played against our school in sports. And it's really hot day so I told them not to make our conference look bad.

Brendan:

Oh no! I slipped on this cliffside. I am currently hiking a route. It's going way better because I've almost reached the top and I have found the route again. But I am hiking while holding this iPad to record, which I don’t think I've done ever. One of the delights of working in the Canyon District, you get to do things you've never done any other place. Oh, I’m almost to the top, this is exciting. I’m very tired. But what I think I take for granted, which is funny because I’m in the Zoroaster Granite, it is how I get to do this every day for work! Even though it's going to be like 115 today I am truly lucky and privileged to be down here, and to not only hike, but also to share everything that's down here. Hope this quality isn't bad, goodbye!

Jesse:

We just heard from rangers Doug, Jeff, Ceili, and Brendan. Behind the Scenery is brought to you by the interpretation team at Grand Canyon National Park.

We gratefully acknowledge the native peoples on whose ancestral homelands we gather, as well as the diverse and vibrant native communities who make their home here today.

Hey Ceili! What's the best advice you got from your college cross country coach?

Ceili:

Not to make our conference look bad or look stupid. It was delightful!

Produced by: Jesse Barden