To The Grand

Three triplet sisters,1800 miles, and one grand adventure.

By Peak Design

meet kylie

Growing up in Caldwell, Idaho, Kylie Fly has spent her entire life surrounded by rugged outdoor adventure. Another thing surrounding her was a lot of people—eight family members, to be exact. And two of those people are her identical triplet sisters.

We’re big fans of Kylie for many reasons—her blissful and absorbent approach to life, her beautiful photography and writing, the fact that she never takes herself too seriously. But we think her most impressive accomplishment is maintaining a tight, loving relationship with her sibs. It’s not an easy thing to do, regardless of whether or not your siblings are exact genetic replicas of you. Major props, Fly ladies.

This Spring Kylie and her sisters embarked on an epic Grand Canyon adventure. We’re honored to share Kylie’s images and musings from this trip, which we think perfectly reveal her attitudes towards family, adventure, and life, amidst the incomprehensibly majestic backdrop of the Grand Canyon and surrounding fun-zones. Take it away, Kylie.

Cacti and eyeballs: what could possibly go wrong?

Grand companions

Growing up, we were always getting mixed up. So what, we look the same. It’s a little freaky. Being friends with an identical triplet is no easy feat—it requires giving a dang to not only know who is who, but also to identify what makes each of us unique. We always knew we were the same, yet different—and that can be hard for a multiple to explain to what we call “singletons.”

Sure, we like the same music, crave the same flavors of ice-cream and often crushed on the same boys—but we also have different taste in fashion, bury ourselves in very different hobbies and spend time living in different places. While Lisa, the middle triplet, needs to know the detailed plan and financial breakdown of a trip, Megan, the youngest, is content sitting back and letting other people do all the stressing for her while she just waits to be told what to do and where to go. I, Kylie, the oldest (wisest?) triplet feel an innate need to take charge and ensure everyone and everything is taken care of. Maybe it’s that whole big sister thing (does 1 minute older count?) but the truth is, when I set my mind on something it’s going to happen.

And this trip was Grand Canyon or bust, people.

a big crack

For a long time, in my naïve age of innocence, I pictured the Grand Canyon as just a big crack in the earth that you walk to an edge somewhere, look down and say “aha!” I realize now that although that’s somewhat correct (being a variation of a giant crack in the earth, canyons and all) that there is way more to it. The Grand Canyon is no destination you just pass on by. It’s meant to be marveled at. It demands more than just a mere glance; it’s the type of place that as outdoors enthusiast Theodore Roosevelt wisely once said:

“The Grand Canyon fills me with awe…You cannot improve on it. But what you can do is to keep it for your children, your children’s children, and all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American should see.”

This year, as the National Park Service celebrates 100 years of service, we’re following Teddy’s advice and doing what we can to preserve our beautiful national parks that Mother Nature has so lovingly granted us access to.

It's tough to make the distinction, but Horseshoe Bend may be the most iconic scene along the entire Colorado River.

mind the gap

The Grand Canyon sucks you in to its loveliness and grandeur, so watch where you step to avoid becoming one of the 2-3 people per year that fall off the cliff’s edge due to an incessant amount of gawking, snapping, drooling and verbal ooh-ah-ing (but really, there’s a place called Ooh-Aah Point on the South Kaibab Trail).

Rim to rim, the Grand Canyon is 18 miles wide and there’s plenty of opportunities to hike along a cliff’s edge so don’t worry about how your mother taught you that staring at the ground when you walk is rude and awkward. I’m the queen of clumsy, so believe me you that I’m not afraid to watch where my feet are taking me. They have a mind of their own. When you’re ready to hit the trails, I highly recommend the South Kaibab trail if you feel like being mind-blown and maybe even wind-blown.

a river runs through it

The Colorado River, that is. Yes, the famously emerald river some 277 miles long stretches the entire length of Grand Canyon National Park and draws 19,000 river rats to its banks and roaring rapids per year. Even though I have yet to run into a young Brad Pitt devoted to fly fishing somewhere on the river’s edge, there is a fantastic abundance of rainbow trout below the Glen Canyon Dam near Lees Ferry that allows fly fishing and free first come first serve camping. About three hours outside the official park, we took a rafting trip with Colorado River Discovery and had a really hard time acting like we couldn’t see the fish swarming beneath the raft.

Rod-less on the upper Colorado is like showing up at a swimming pool in your snowsuit. You don’t want to be that guy.

havasupa' dupa good time

If the idea of camping in a desert oasis of orange cliffs and bathing in turquoise waterfalls has you singing hallelujah then dust off your backpacking pack for Havasupai. About 12 miles to the first falls, you’ll drop deep into the canyon and rub elbows with the extremely kind Native American people, known as the Havasupai, meaning people of the blue-green water. To this day, they work and farm the land inside the canyon living a completely self-sufficient lifestyle. You are a guest in their home—maintain respect.

we like detours, you should too

After driving 900 miles to get to the Grand Canyon and spend a few days in the park soaking in the glory of viewpoints like Moran, Yaki and Lipan from sunrise to sunset, we flipped a U-ee and began the trek back home. Three things you can’t miss: Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park. Sure, it’s a little off the route but you know what they say…plan for things to go not as planned…or something like that.

Rock formations at Lower Antelope Canyon.

tricks of the trade

While Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon are in reality a mosh-pit of tourists with cameras and cellular devices in their faces and we mainly see each other through viewfinders, it’s extremely worthy of seeing. Spring is a great time of year to travel to the Grand Canyon, as it’s not quite peak season (that happens May 15th and into the early Fall), the weather is milder and crowds are much thinner. Unless 100+ degree temperatures and sweating your nickers off next to a million other people is your jam, then a springtime visit isn’t such a bad idea. Pack your rain jackets, gear for layering, and camera gear equipped with PeakDesign gizmos and gadgets and you’re golden.