As you may or may not recall, on our road trip last year, we stopped in Zion, and I was in awe at the beautiful mountains. After a brief stop in the visitor's centre, we hopped in our car and prepared to take the scenic drive through Zion - only to realize that we were driving OUT of Zion (too much construction, couldn't turn the car around). Too late, we learned that cars are not allowed on the park roads - you have to take the Zion buses.
"Ye-ahh, we wept - when we remembered Zion..." (Musical interlude by Boney M)
This time, we know better. We get to the park early in the morning, and board one of their talking buses (you know, the tour bus with the recorded track discussing the history of the park, the upcoming stop and what's available).
The bus tells us that Angel's Landing is so named because one of the early settlers believed that its peak was so inaccessible that only an angel could alight upon it. The bus continues to warn everyone that the trail is strenuous, with exposure to steep cliffs, and that if you are afraid of heights, you should not go; fatalities have occurred here, and your safety is your responsibility. (This bus is quite disapproving.) Stephen and I already know all of this, but we see other people's eyebrows being raised, and a few of them are shooting dirty looks at their hiking partners (who snicker evilly).
The bus stop for the Angel's Landing hike is The Grotto, and almost everyone gets off the bus at this point. Yes, it's a popular trail. In spite of the bus' warnings. "Why don't they listen to me?" he sighs, as he chugs away.
It's a 5-mile hike in total. The trail starts out with a two-mile climb up through the trees and onto the West Rim trail. Thank goodness it's early in the morning, because constantly trekking uphill is tiring. Very steep, very tiring. Fortunately, you get a break when you hit Refrigerator Canyon: that's where the trail curves behind the mountain, and it is refreshingly cool and mostly level. Here's where you catch your breath, because when the trail winds back around, you're facing the steep uphill climb of Walter's Wiggles (switchbacks cut into the mountain by a park employee back when the park was opened).
We start strong, but by the end, the Wiggles are killing us. Head down, trudging upward, like we're climbing stairs. Steep stairs. Stephen's taking shots off his asthma puffer.
Finally, the Wiggles end, and we're at Scout's Landing. Our first objective is to find a rock in the shade and sit down, guzzle some water and try not to melt. Another exhausted hiker staggers over to sit down next to us, and we briefly discuss fatality rates in the park (because, yes, I did research those before doing this hike, although eventually I had to stop reading because it was freaking me out).
Once we've caught our breath and the heart rate has come down a bit, we head towards the Angel's Landing trail. We're already running into people turning back from Angel's Landing. One woman tried it, but once she reached the gaps in the chains, she turned back. Another man told us he started and turned back because he'd "tested his life insurance policy enough already today."
We walked out towards the Angel's Landing part of the trail (it's only a half-mile to the top, but it's narrow AND steep). Yikes. Stephen was hesitant and more inclined to turn back, but I was committed to at least trying it. Still, it is an intimidating sight. A long, narrow ridge lined with people clinging to its side with the aid of chains bolted into the rock. We're about to set out, and have to wait a moment as yet another couple turns back and retreats.
Stephen starts out ahead of me, and we're both hanging onto the heavy chain, because it's our best friend in the whole wide world. I'm not happy when I reach the first gap in the chain. "What the f#@%? Why is there no chain here?" I knew there were gaps, I just really didn't like it when we hit the first one.
Okay, so we're creeping carefully along over the sandstone. There's a few slippery parts in the no-chain section. It's okay; we're moving slowly. And then there's another route of chains, and I take hold and keep going.
Our climbing strategy? I didn't look down at all, just tried to remember to keep "three points of contact", and was constantly watching my handholds and footholds. Also, keep sucking back water from the platypus bag in my hiking backpack.
Although it's listed as a hike, the Angel's Landing part is more climbing than hiking. It is strenuous, up up up. Not trudging up, but grab the chain and haul your ass up, using both arms and legs to clamber up over big rocks. Some of the rocks seemed to have little round footholds, but I eventually realized they weren't real footholds - just places where the rain had eroded the rock (sandstone is not all that strong; you can break some pieces off in your hand).
I am having to pause a lot, not because I'm scared, but because I have to catch my breath. But I do make sure I'm only pausing in a place where I've got a sturdy grip on the chain.
There's the Step of Faith, which is 3' wide, with 1000' dropoff on both sides. I've seen it on the Internet, and I know what it is, and I cross over it without looking down.
I'm actually a bit surprised when we finally reach the top. No more climbing? Awesome! It is really beautiful up here. Stephen and I sit down and take a break. There are people all over the place; some lying down, some posing for photos, one particularly daring/crazy woman who is creeping down the slope to get better photos, and a lunatic standing posed on a crazy small outcropping.
I'd thought the descent would be scarier than the ascent, as I could now see where we were going, but for some reason it wasn't. Stephen and I took no photos on the way up, but stopped and posed multiple times on the way down.
Once we were back at Scout's Landing, I got out the trekking poles for the rest of the descent (I was really feeling my knees by that point, and the poles take a lot of stress of the legs).
Back down into the valley, and back to the bus stop. Whoo hoo! Survived.
Our next stop was the Temple of Sinawava, which had a river hike up to the Narrows area. We also stopped at Weeping Rock, which has a huge rocky overhang, and a constant stream of water from a rockspring comes raining down.
By now, Stephen's done in (he doesn't have my cycling legs). We hop back on the buses, which take us back to the visitor centre. We're suddenly doing an impromptu hike as we realize we've lost our vehicle somewhere in the sprawling parking lot. It's 103F. Eventually, by process of elimination, we find the vehicle. Whew!
Back to Hurricane, and we decide to go out for supper (instead of eating chips). We stopped at a trendy little place called Barista's, which is a restaurant, not a coffee shop in spite of its name. All fresh ingredients, mostly organic. Very delicious food!
We asked the waitress if she knew why the town was called Hurricane, and she said she'd actually recently read an article about it. A whirlwind blew off the top of a buggy that one of the early settlers was driving, and he said, "Well, that's a Hurricane! That's what we'll name this place." LOL!
Hurricane might not be an exciting town, but it's close to Zion without the Zion prices. I'd definitely stay there again. Tomorrow morning, we're off to Toroweap!
"Ye-ahh, we wept - when we remembered Zion..." (Musical interlude by Boney M)
This time, we know better. We get to the park early in the morning, and board one of their talking buses (you know, the tour bus with the recorded track discussing the history of the park, the upcoming stop and what's available).
The bus tells us that Angel's Landing is so named because one of the early settlers believed that its peak was so inaccessible that only an angel could alight upon it. The bus continues to warn everyone that the trail is strenuous, with exposure to steep cliffs, and that if you are afraid of heights, you should not go; fatalities have occurred here, and your safety is your responsibility. (This bus is quite disapproving.) Stephen and I already know all of this, but we see other people's eyebrows being raised, and a few of them are shooting dirty looks at their hiking partners (who snicker evilly).
The bus stop for the Angel's Landing hike is The Grotto, and almost everyone gets off the bus at this point. Yes, it's a popular trail. In spite of the bus' warnings. "Why don't they listen to me?" he sighs, as he chugs away.
It's a 5-mile hike in total. The trail starts out with a two-mile climb up through the trees and onto the West Rim trail. Thank goodness it's early in the morning, because constantly trekking uphill is tiring. Very steep, very tiring. Fortunately, you get a break when you hit Refrigerator Canyon: that's where the trail curves behind the mountain, and it is refreshingly cool and mostly level. Here's where you catch your breath, because when the trail winds back around, you're facing the steep uphill climb of Walter's Wiggles (switchbacks cut into the mountain by a park employee back when the park was opened).
We start strong, but by the end, the Wiggles are killing us. Head down, trudging upward, like we're climbing stairs. Steep stairs. Stephen's taking shots off his asthma puffer.
Finally, the Wiggles end, and we're at Scout's Landing. Our first objective is to find a rock in the shade and sit down, guzzle some water and try not to melt. Another exhausted hiker staggers over to sit down next to us, and we briefly discuss fatality rates in the park (because, yes, I did research those before doing this hike, although eventually I had to stop reading because it was freaking me out).
Once we've caught our breath and the heart rate has come down a bit, we head towards the Angel's Landing trail. We're already running into people turning back from Angel's Landing. One woman tried it, but once she reached the gaps in the chains, she turned back. Another man told us he started and turned back because he'd "tested his life insurance policy enough already today."
We walked out towards the Angel's Landing part of the trail (it's only a half-mile to the top, but it's narrow AND steep). Yikes. Stephen was hesitant and more inclined to turn back, but I was committed to at least trying it. Still, it is an intimidating sight. A long, narrow ridge lined with people clinging to its side with the aid of chains bolted into the rock. We're about to set out, and have to wait a moment as yet another couple turns back and retreats.
Stephen starts out ahead of me, and we're both hanging onto the heavy chain, because it's our best friend in the whole wide world. I'm not happy when I reach the first gap in the chain. "What the f#@%? Why is there no chain here?" I knew there were gaps, I just really didn't like it when we hit the first one.
Okay, so we're creeping carefully along over the sandstone. There's a few slippery parts in the no-chain section. It's okay; we're moving slowly. And then there's another route of chains, and I take hold and keep going.
Our climbing strategy? I didn't look down at all, just tried to remember to keep "three points of contact", and was constantly watching my handholds and footholds. Also, keep sucking back water from the platypus bag in my hiking backpack.
Although it's listed as a hike, the Angel's Landing part is more climbing than hiking. It is strenuous, up up up. Not trudging up, but grab the chain and haul your ass up, using both arms and legs to clamber up over big rocks. Some of the rocks seemed to have little round footholds, but I eventually realized they weren't real footholds - just places where the rain had eroded the rock (sandstone is not all that strong; you can break some pieces off in your hand).
I am having to pause a lot, not because I'm scared, but because I have to catch my breath. But I do make sure I'm only pausing in a place where I've got a sturdy grip on the chain.
There's the Step of Faith, which is 3' wide, with 1000' dropoff on both sides. I've seen it on the Internet, and I know what it is, and I cross over it without looking down.
 |
| On top of Angel's Landing |
I'd thought the descent would be scarier than the ascent, as I could now see where we were going, but for some reason it wasn't. Stephen and I took no photos on the way up, but stopped and posed multiple times on the way down.
 |
| Stephen descending from Angel's Landing |
Back down into the valley, and back to the bus stop. Whoo hoo! Survived.
Our next stop was the Temple of Sinawava, which had a river hike up to the Narrows area. We also stopped at Weeping Rock, which has a huge rocky overhang, and a constant stream of water from a rockspring comes raining down.
By now, Stephen's done in (he doesn't have my cycling legs). We hop back on the buses, which take us back to the visitor centre. We're suddenly doing an impromptu hike as we realize we've lost our vehicle somewhere in the sprawling parking lot. It's 103F. Eventually, by process of elimination, we find the vehicle. Whew!
Back to Hurricane, and we decide to go out for supper (instead of eating chips). We stopped at a trendy little place called Barista's, which is a restaurant, not a coffee shop in spite of its name. All fresh ingredients, mostly organic. Very delicious food!
We asked the waitress if she knew why the town was called Hurricane, and she said she'd actually recently read an article about it. A whirlwind blew off the top of a buggy that one of the early settlers was driving, and he said, "Well, that's a Hurricane! That's what we'll name this place." LOL!
Hurricane might not be an exciting town, but it's close to Zion without the Zion prices. I'd definitely stay there again. Tomorrow morning, we're off to Toroweap!
You are some brave people. Thats all I've got to say. Wow.
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