Sunday, September 11, 2005
Angel's Landing, No Water. See God!
Arrived at Zion, fantastic scenery going up to Zion Lodge. We had a great room with a balcony overlooking the front lawn area of the lodge. There were deer grazing there in the evening.
Our first trail attempt was Angel's Landing, 5 miles round-trip and 1,500 feet high. About 10:00 AM we took the shuttle bus (no cars allowed) up to the trail start. The trail runs along a beautiful flat river valley and then starts snaking up the rocky base of the mountain. The mountain was on the west side of the valley in the sun and was already starting to get hot. We soon realized that we didn't have enough water, but I was stubborn and wanted to continue on.
The pathway's kind of comical for someone from Michigan. First of all, it's paved, and second, there are no railings. It does make sense to pave it, though, because millions of people walk the trail. The trail
was full when we were there. Another thing we noticed was the number of foreigners in both the national parks we've been to. Tons of Germans, I mean tons! Orientals also, but not as many.After several switchbacks up the base of the mountain, we came to a pathway through a narrow cravase which ran from the front of the mountain to the back. It was in shade at the time (about 11:00) and fairly level, so it was a welcome break. Then up the mountain again, with more switchbacks. One is a serpentine stairway called Walter's Wiggles which is pretty neat. The whole thing is constructed of rock blocks. The paths are beautifully made, with rock retaining walls that look like giant bricks. The rock is predominately red in the park.
We finally got to the top (we thought). It is a long, very narrow, rocky ledge, dropping off on both sides. Views of mountains are all around, and the place was packed with people. Mind you, this is an area where if you take two steps to the side, you're over the edge! It's 900 feet straight down at this point. There are no railings.Most people can make it this far. The next part is quite difficult. And we were almost out of water. The ledge dips down in a crescent shape, then goes back up to the final top of the mountain. It is narrow and you have to hang onto chains as you climb. It is interesting, beautiful, but dangerous. Everyone moves slowly.
We almost made it to the top. The final stage is a 100 yard almost vertical climb, which we were too tired to attempt. I was too weak, and Mark was too weak due to lack of water. Also the wind was blowing quite strongly. So--we went back down.
We went back to the hotel and got water and food. It was a tiring walk, especially only one day after the mule ride! But--what the heck, there were still a couple of hours of daylight left, so we went for
another walk! We did the River Walk, a beautiful path which undulates up and down along a large, shallow river. The side of the canyon near the walk is covered at times with hanging gardens of small plants. The path is fairly level and 1 mile long, longer than I thought it would be. At the end, if you are properly dressed, you can continue walking in the river itself for several miles. But not us!We had an excellent dinner at the lodge. The next day we saw Weeping Rock, a shallow crescent overhang with water dripping from the top. Very pretty and a short walk. We had lunch and then went to the Emerald Pools. These also have overhangs with tiny brooks (tiny in summer) flowing over into small pools. The pools are green with algee. It's a nice walk, not too vertical. We didn't do the higher, upper pool.
We left Zion and went to West Zion park (Kolob Canyons), a much less traveled park. It has some long hiking trails and a 5 mile drive to view the main mountains. We skipped the trails and took the drive. It was well worth it with a spectacular group of mountains at the end.
Next was Cedar City and our hotel for the night. Yesterday we walked 7 miles, 5 of them vertical, and today we walked 3 miles. I need a sick day!
# posted by Unknown @ 9:06 PM 
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... looks awesome.. I can't imagine what it must be like to be there in person.
# posted by 
: 4:52 PM
: 4:52 PM
“I am here not only to evade for a while the clamor and filth and confusion of the cultural apparatus but also to confront, immediately and directly if it’s possible, the bare bones of existence, the elemental and fundamental, the bedrock which sustains us. I want to be able to look at and into a juniper tree, a piece of quartz, a vulture, a spider, and see it as it is in itself, devoid of all humanly ascribed qualities, anti-Kantian, even the categories of scientific description. To meet God or Medusa face to face, even if it means risking everything human in myself. I dream of a hard and brutal mysticism in which the naked self merges with a nonhuman world and yet somehow survives still intact, individual, separate. Paradox and bedrock.”
-Edward Abbey
-Edward Abbey
# posted by : 8:13 PM
: 8:13 PM
If I were a nerd, I would have a Matrix quote surely, as you are at Zion. Oh Well.
Looks awesome, you guys must be having a ton of fun! How do you hold a martini on a mule though?
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Looks awesome, you guys must be having a ton of fun! How do you hold a martini on a mule though?
# posted by : 10:26 PM
: 10:26 PM << Home
