of Cheops pyramid. From here, the SE buttress is fully exposed to view. It is terribly awesome, this naked, near vertical cliff. We are loaded with extra water and bivouac gear, but we go no nearer to Isis Temple; the SE buttress is more than we are prepared for. Off to our left, along an extension of Isis, the Redwall sweeps for a mile or more without a break, magnificent in its perfection. 6/28/2003 Now we must turn our attention toward Cheops Pyramid. This lesser neighbor to Isis Temple is a flat-topped mesa located to the SE of Isis, almost exactly centered in this portion of the Grand Canyon. Although considerably lower than Isis, at 5392 feet, the summit of Cheopa still requires 3800 feet of gain from Bright Angel Campground, all of it cross-country. And Cheops is surrounded on all sides by the Redwall barrier. Only the NW spur, which we are standing upon, seems to offer any real chance.
We begin to climb. After turning several obstacles, the ridge becomes a steep arrete, and soon the rope is out. Jon, Dolores, myself; myself, Dolores, Jon; we leapfrog several pitches and it still goes. The arrete is constructed such that we can never see beyond the pitch we are climbing until we top out, so we are in constant doubt all the way. Feeling that the summit is near, I start up a steep, narrow pitch, only to backpedal due to a startling discovery. A bright patch of sunlight falling on the otherwise shaded rockface below indicates that I was about to traverse a rather unsteady appearing natural arch. The view through our eye is tremendous; The inner Canyon and the Colorado River, nearly 3000 feet beneath us, are reflecting the golden tones of late afternoon. One more pitch brings us to the summit plateau.
Those precious moments spent upon the summit of Cheops Pyramid provided one of those rare ultimate climbing experiences that occurs when all physical and mental conditions are 'just right'. To climb well and safely, to overcome all physical barriers in a cool, 'professional' manner, is always a boost to the ego. Having met these parameters while immersed in one of the grandest spectacles of nature seemed to provide a spiritual boost an well. However strong the feeling of pride of achievement may have been, is was quickly and quietly subdued by the greater awe of a scene so titanic as to reduce any mere human undertaking to near nothingness. A late afternoon sun cast long shadows, accentuating the ragged relief of a hundred thousand Canyon faces, while the distant, tortuous thread of the Colorado reflected first gold, then silver, then darkness, as shadows progressively consumed the Canyon. The flat summit of Cheops Pyramid, several acres in area, was covered by a yellow carpet of wild grass that glowed in the last rays of the day. Here we stood for a fleeting instant, bourne upon a golden raft, surrounded by an ocean of ever-changing, ever-constant, pastel-hued cliffs. It was a subtle and moving and memorable experience.
A register is discovered, consisting of a weathered film can containing one slip of paper and a single entry. A party of three had attained the summit in January of 1972. They recorded that Cheops had been previously ascended by 'Butchart, Clubb, and others'. With satisfaction, we sign and deposit a new register, replacing the Kodak cannister with a spacious, reclaimed bandaid box. Then we give vanity her due, pose for a few quick summit pictures, and begin a hasty descent.
At the arch the sun disappears for the day, and a short time later, as Jon belays me, I look up the arrete to see him silouetted. against a dark blue sky that is punctuated by the first evening stars. We arrive at the last tricky pitch in time for Dolores and me to downclimnb before darkness really sets in. But there is Jon, marooned 30 feet above us in the blackness, with a pair of flashlight beams playing over the face, down he rappels. Two more hours of
 
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