Zion National Park - Day Two

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We managed to drag ourselves to the hotel, shower and FALL into bed. Our plan was to get up when we got up and go into the Park and do some hiking. Dave/Dan was quick to offer his advice on what we should do, not that we had conquered the repelling and were obviously talented at being let down into a crevace on a rope that had a tencil strength that we now know could have pulled the titanic out of the ocean.

However, 7 am came, and the lights came on and we were up and heading out. We have met some wonderful people on this trip already. Some from several continents and all eager to share what they did and how it was with us. Angels Landing seemed to be the place that we should go today. Yesterday was a breeze on the nerves compared to today!!

We parked at the visitors center in Springdale and took a free shuttle into the park and exited at the designated spot to begin our journey. Yesterday was up .... today was UP UP UP UP UP - and it just seemed that it was seriously never going to end. In this case ... the pictures really do give you an idea of where we were and where we were headed and just how far up we actually went.

For the first 3/4 of the way it was mostly a paved path and fairly wide. Folks could pass and there seemed to not be much danger. I tended to stay near the interior - close to a wall, away from the edge. Little did I know this was a luxury soon to be taken away!

Chatting along with folks we found some that went to Scouts Lookout, and that was it. One lady said they didn't go all the way to Angel's Landing as the trail looked "sketchy". That could say a lot ... I would not have called it sketchy ... my term when I saw it was "frought with peril", yet we went anyway.

As I said - yesterday was a breeze as we were attached to something and someone. Not so today. It truly was an amazing hike but to be very very honest, I am shocked that you are allowed to do what we did. It was spectacular and surprising that only 6 people have fallen to their death since 2004. But streams of people climbed it daily during open park hours and I suppose because of the obvious danger - everyone was on their best guard to not do anything that would jeopardize their footing.

For me going up was just plain harrowing - I had to keep repeating in my head be calm, be calm ... for Anthony it was the coming down part. Going up, you concentrated on where you were going, coming down you could see what was below you. Either way was amazing in its own way and breathtaking in more ways than I can imagine!

It took us 3 1/2 hours to go up .... 30 minutes to come down. I will let the pictures take it from here .... tomorrow? Just wait and see!!! Be sure to scroll down after the text - the really scary pictures are below!

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Photos

Zion Canyon view
This is one of the scenes that got the Park on the map when an artist painted it and people started wanting to know where it was.

Shoe Tying in Preparation
The BIG cliff behind Anthony is where we are headed.

First leg to Scouts Landing
If you look close you will see people walking along the edge of the cliff in the middle of this picture.

The final frontier!
We are standing at Scouts Landing when this is taken looking at where we will go next to end up on the far left of this cliff.

ab going down angels landing
Yes! There are no rails ... just a huge chain in the wall to hold to.

Lookout off Angels Landing
You have to admit - this is a top of the World view!

Climbing or Clinging?
There is nothing behind me but a LOT of air. This is one of those views that I said my thought was "Fraught with Peril".

Down Angels Landing
This is where we came up ... and where we have to go down.

Comments

[Tim Pardue]

to high
that looks awesome but this would be 1 vacation Suzanne would not be a part of she hates the high up narrow trail. great pictures

[Shastagail]

How high is too high?
There were times when I truly considered Turning around!