It's Saturday afternoon here in Springdale, AZ and we are hiding out in a coffee shop with internet access, safely out of sight of the sun and the 95 degree heat it brings. Our 30 minutes of internet access is worth the iced coffee here. The last two days we have completed some shorter hikes and prepared for our trip down The Narrows, which begins tomorrow at 6 am. Yesterday we hiked Angel's Landing, a popular but still dangerous hike up to the top of one of the peaks in Zion Canyon. The hike starts steep but paved, all the way to Scout Landing. From there a series of chains help you up the sheer cliffs towards Angel's Landing itself. While slightly intimidating and foreboding, the trail is still used by people of many abilities and ages, and people fall to their doom a few times a year (but none since April!). The hike down is just as tough, requiring every bit of your shins to slow you down. I finished the day by taking the Pa'Rus trail along the Virgin River back to camp.
 |
| We're going to the top |
 |
| The easy part is below us now... |
 |
| Refrigerator Canyon (shady and cool) |
 |
| Walter's Wiggles (21 switchbacks) |
 |
| Starting the fun part! |
 |
| Best not to slip off here... |
 |
| On our way to the next peak... |
 |
| Another place not to slip - 1200' goes faster than you think. |
 |
| The top! Looking down Zion Canyon. |
 |
| The Virgin River and Scenic Drive below us. |
 |
| Don't ask how I took this one. |
 |
| I'm a photographer. |
 |
| Self Portrait, September 2010. The Sentinel is the peak in the background. |
 |
| The mule deer here are not frightened easily. |
Today we woke up at 6 am and waited an hour at the back country permit office before they opened at 7 to get our Narrows permits. After breakfast we did a shorter hike to Hidden Canyon (another hike not for the faint of heart) and ate lunch and ice cream in town, which brings us to the current. Hidden Canyon was a nice hike, although getting to it required 900' of climb in one mile of trail. We will both be AWOL until late Monday afternoon, as The Narrows definitely do NOT have cell phone service. Monday night we will be traveling to Page, AZ as we attempt to get permits for The Wave in Coyote Buttes. Enjoy the photos!
 |
| Do not go straight. |
 |
| "Trail" |
 |
| Looking back on the trail - look for chains on the right. |
 |
| A small natural arch in the canyon. |
 |
| A minor obstacle in the canyon. |
 |
| Headed back down the trail. |
No comments:
Post a Comment