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Published: August 5th 2007
Angels Landing
Our goal: Angels LandingBy Bill
Any National Park visit should include a stunning vista, what conservationists and Washington bureaucrats alike refer to as a “scenic climax.” At Zion, that vista can be earned by climbing to Angels Landing.
While neither great in elevation gain (1,488’) nor length (5 miles roundtrip), the climb is remarkable on two points: First, the approach to the final ridge follows a trail blasted and built up the canyon sides in 1920, an outstanding example of backcountry engineering to serve the mass of visitors to this site. Second, the final half-mile of the route consists of a Class Three scramble (use of hands) up a steep and rough ridge with long drops (1,200’+) on either side.
Bowen and I set off this morning on the 0715 shuttle bus to the park and left the trailhead an hour later. Angels Landing typically takes four hours to circuit, and today we made the climb in three and a half. We found the trail uncrowded and shady at that hour as we made our way up the wall of the main canyon.
The trail then entered Refrigerator Canyon, so named for its rarely sunny coolness. This section took us to the base
Angels Landing
1920: Dynomite! of Walters Wiggles, a set of twenty or so beautifully engineered switchbacks that climb to Scouts Landing. At this point we’d gone about 2 miles and gained 800’ of elevation. From here the Angels Landing trail branches off the West Rim trail and the ridge begins.
A reading of various author’s descriptions of this ridge reveal the drama of the route is largely a function of the climber’s experience and comfort with exposure (the proximity of sheer drop). It is not a route for the acrophobic. And it will test your comfort with exposure.
Bowen and I headed out some distance along the ridge. After a decent stretch and a couple of exposed, chain grabbing moves, Bo explored his own comfort with exposure. He decided he’d prefer to wait at a beautiful overlook where other climbers had chosen to stop. I agreed to radio from the summit and pressed on.
The route was a delightful climb of big steps, multiple holds and slabby blocks of sandstone. Large chains were strung along all the truly exposed sections and many of the marginally open ones. I generally preferred to use the rock for hand holds on ascent, and the chain provided a
nice comfort to have nearby. On descent, however, the chain made an excellent handrail, allowing out-facing down-climbing at fast pace.
The final summit ridge consisted of tilted sandstone slabs, and led nearly flat along the top.
My plan to climb at a “no sweat” pace was thwarted by my excitement to scramble up the route. Winded and satisfied I radioed Bowen to let him know I had summited.
The scenic climax of Angels Landing was made all the more gratifying by the effort made to earn the view. It was the high point of my Zion experience.
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Diane
non-member comment
Wow, the photos are gorgeous! I kept thinking, could i have done this? Well, maybe stopping with Bo would have been the best option for me, too. What a beautiful place, molded by all the passersby over a hundred years.