Zion

---

I got lazy- so instead of creating an entry for each day, I combined all 3 days into one entry.

May 19, 2009

We drove south and then headed west to Zion which was less than an hour drive away from Bryce. We entered the park from the east side and I was increasingly excited whenever we drove pass prickly pears one after another. They were dangerously gorgeous! Though, I learned later from the park shuttle driver that prickly pear is actually edible and tastes quite good. The winding small two-way reddish asphalt road took us through land of lava-like looking limestone mountains. Certain spots looked as if someone had burnt mountains causing it to melt while others displayed various kinds of artistic patterns. A checker table is definitely one of them and yes it really looks it. After approximately 20 minutes on the winding road, we entered Mt. Carmel tunnel 1.1 mile long. I learned this later when we took the shuttle, but while we were going through it it felt like a never ending tunnel with a few huge windows punched through the tunnel to let the light in. The tunnel separates the west from the east and the shuttles only runs on the west side. The tunnel can accommodate RVs but they have to stay in the middle of the road to make sure there's enough clearance. So when the RVs were present, we had to form a line waiting for the road to be clear then either the traffic on the west side or the east side will go, then it will be the other side's turn.

After we got out of the tunnel, we descended slowly on this same road that continued its twistiness. In the mean time, I got a chance to fully enjoy and stunned by the views of these massive rocks all around me. I truly felt like a grain of dust floating in the air among reddish gigantic mountains. I saw even smaller grains down below where I would reach before I was full savoring the views up here.

Since today was a short day, we just took an opportunity to ride the shuttles to see where things were so we could make a decision as to what we wanted to do the next day. The shuttle buses run about every 10-15 minutes so you don't have to wait too long. We made a round trip from the visitor center to the end of the line, Temple of Sinawava. The whole trip took approximately 45 minutes.


May 20, 2009

The Narrows was our destination today. The Narrows is a river trail, so your entire hike is in Virgin river. In summer water level can be low and water is warmer, but we hiked in late spring so it was not exactly that. And that led us to the outfitter to pick up dry suits and walking sticks. I also rented a dry bag for $5/day to make sure my camera didn't get wet. We were told that the water temperature was roughly in below F 50s, and sure enough we didn't want to risk having hypothermia later on. We enjoyed our walk to the start of The Narrows, I should say mostly "I" was enjoying. Those wild flowers, especially the columbines, were just fascinating. Not to mention the little cuties, squirrels, having breakfast on the rock. When we got to the starting point, we put our dry suits on. A few people looked at us with curiosity, what a hell these astronauts were doing out here! Well! we weren't exactly the only weirdos, there were a few people who came behind us that did just the same. The start looked promising the water at knee height. The dry suits seemed to work just fine. So off we went! The challenge fluctuated between different parts of the river. At some points I leisurely cruised in the Virgin river feeling very relaxed and so joyful while at others I held on dearly to my walking stick, dug my toes as hard as I possibly could to the rocks under the water, and drew every bit of the calories from my breakfast and dinner the night before to help me balance myself to not be washed away by the powerful current.

The challenge seemed to get more and more difficult for me. At one point while trying to cross the strong moving above-knee height stream, I thought...... I would not make this!...I would not make this! I thought about me getting swept away, hit my head with the rock, and become paralyze or worse die. I shook myself to get back to the reality and diverted all of my energy from trying to cross 10 feet wide river to staying still, very still. Slight lifting of the leg could bring a disaster--carried away by this hungry stream. My legs had very little energy in them and seemed ready to give in at any point. I told Doug I could not make it, so he crossed back to where I was. I knew I would not last long there, I had to get back to be by the rock wall where the water was shallower and the current was weak. I gathered my last breath and used all my strength carefully lifting my left leg backward while both arms digging the walking stick through the rocks under the water and Doug holding my left arm firmly. My left leg landed on the desired spot solidly, big relief for me, before I lifted my right leg backward and gradually stepping back to where I was. I half sat half stood against the rock because it didn't have a nice platform to sit on and I let out a big sigh. Then I looked down on my left leg and noticed a huge water balloon. Sure enough, the water had gotten into the dry suit on my left calf pocket creating this dumbbell for me to carry around. I squeezed the water out and calculated how fast I needed to cross the river before the pocket gets filled again. After testing it, I was quite certain that I should not have the same problem as earlier if I don't stop while crossing. I think I can I think I can I think I can.......Whewwww!!!! I made it.

I refilled my stomach a bit with a granola bar, then took off my dry suit. At this point, I've seen enough people who just hiked in their shorts and t-shirts. My decision was a good one and I was able to enjoy the hike again. We hiked up to Wall Street then turned back because it required swimming in certain parts beyond that point. Also it has been roughly 5 hours since I had begun the hike because we peeled off to the explore Orderville Canyon. Unfortunately, after an hour or so we couldn't tell whether we had reached it or passed it already so we turned back and continued up to Wall Street.


May 21, 2009

I had heard several caution messages from the rangers concerning hiking Angel's Landing, and I just wanted to see it for myself and today was the day. Well..they said that the last part of the hike was sheer cliff with minimal proper footing, therefore people fearful of heights should not attempt. The start of the trail was pleasant and not exciting when it comes to elevation level. We hiked along the Virgin river and after about a quarter of a mile it was a non-stop ascend onward for the rest of almost 2.5 miles distance. Most of the trail was steep, yet that didn't deter me and other fellow hikers from attempting to reach the summit at 5,785 feet in top elevation and 1,500 feet in elevation gain from the trail head. After an hour or so, we got to the chain railing part that we had been warned about and got through that just fine. I was a bit nervous. Why? try walking on sloping and slightly sandy rocks on sheer cliff 1,000 feet above ground level, you will get an answer for yourself. We got to the other side and walked around exploring left and right. A chipmunk moving around here and there looking for food, people resting on rocks giving their exhausting legs and feet a break. I felt that the rangers' warning was a bit of a joke, Look! I was there on the summit. Or...... at least I thought it was the summit. I walked further up to almost the edge of the cliff looking upward seeing a line of fearless hikers hiking up the last half a mile where narrow ridge lines with 1,200 feet drop on one side of the trail and 800 feet drop on the other. My heart shrank with disappointment, fear, nervousness, and sorrow. I stared at it for a long time while Doug situated himself in the center of what-we-thought-was the summit. I came back, sat beside Doug asking if he wanted to continue. He said sitting where he was didn't give him a good fuzzy feeling either, so he was up for the last part of the trail. I, on the other hand, was still fearful. I couldn't make up my mind. I didn't want to be a loser, but I couldn't overcome my fear either. So we sat there for another 20 minutes. I poked my head out to look at the Virgin river down below in the valley, thinking in my head how things would look like from up there. Later I told Doug, I didn't want to continue. He nodded agreeably and understandably, then we headed back down.


May 22, 2009

Don't quite remember what we did today except hiking Watchman trail, sweating a lot, and seeing hummingbirds flying stationary over the river. What a fascinating bird!

---

Photos

Temple of Sinawava Trail
these folks were not easy to miss. Sometimes they just cut us off.

Dry Suit
Doug putting on his dry suit before getting into 50s some degrees water in the Narrows.

Pricklypear
Cactus variant

Pricklypear
Cactus variant