Bill, Your experience on the rim matches mine down the rim. The second week of January I, with a friend, hiked down the Bright Angel Trail. About a year earlier I had given someone advice on how to hke down it based on my experience 40 years ago. Then one could go at a loping pace all the way down. Now, the trail is broken up with logs to prevent erosion (probably caused by the mules), it is rutted from the mules, and there is plenty of mule stuff on the ground. One definitely cannot go as fast down the trail as I did 40 years ago without ending up with pretty sore knees. The web site had no pictures of Phantom Ranch. Now I know why. They are pretty ordinary and not the old well built buildings one might expect. We stayed in the dormitories. That was a mistake. I could not sleep a single wink all night because of the snoring. The next day I had to hike out without having had any sleep the night before, and then drive back the same day. An unforgettable experience. Stan William R Wood wrote: > To all who may venture north - beware: > This mini-review is just my 2 cents, of course. I would like to hear what > other folks think about places that they have visited for observing > purposes. I know Tom Polakis has a piece in Astronomy Mag about Star Hill > Inn in New Mexico which I have not read yet since my subscription expired in > June but I will get that issue right away. > -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please send personal replies to the author, not the list.