Photos, historical tales, and literary quotes share the secrets of Earth's most spectacular canyon system

From the supernal peaks of sacred temples to the depths of roaring river rapids, author/photographer/adventurer John Annerino takes us off the Grand Canyon's tourist grid to retrace the footpaths and rough-water passages of its earliest explorers.

Spectacular photographs and stories of Annerino's own dicey expeditions in the canyon and on the Colorado River are juxtaposed with historical tales, illustrations, and black-and-white images taken by pioneering photographers. Annerino visits the ancient sites of native peoples who roamed the far corners of this otherworldly abyss, and in vivid prose provides firsthand descriptions of the hidden landscapes explored by Spanish missionaries, scientists, National Geographic Society parties, and women river runners.

These trailblazing treks tested their endurance in extreme conditions and, for some, yielded rare plant and animal specimens that were collected for scientific study. Join Annerino on this wild adventure in what National Geographic called the "greatest and most spectacular canyon system on earth."[AuthorName]By John Annerino[/AuthorName][AuthorBio]John Annerino is a photographer and author of distinguished photography books, photographic essays, and single-artist calendars of the American West and Old Mexico. His work has appeared in prestigious publications, and includes award-winning photography for National Geographic Adventure, and the map, "The Grand Canyon Explored," on display as a wall mural at the Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center.[/AuthorBio][NumIllustration]146[/NumIllustration][CoAuthor][/CoAuthor][SubTitle]Passages through the Grand Canyon[/SubTitle][ColorPattern]146[/ColorPattern]