Zion Nat'l Park, Day 1/4 - Angels Landing

Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 - Wendy and I visited Zion National Park back on Sept. 16 (read that blog here), and I really wanted to come back and do some hiking. The Park was doing a bunch of "Trail Repair", and most of it should be done by early December (it wasn't), and there certainly won't be any crowds in early December, so I asked Wendy if I could come out, after her Ordination, for a couple of days. She said "That's not enough time - don't you need more?" So I said "OK, How about four days?". AND SHE SAID YES!!

I did my research and figured out 5 awesome hikes (I can double-up on one day):

Angels Landing

Observation Point

The Narrows via Riverside Walk

The Subway from the Bottom Up

Kolob Arch via Hop Valley Trail

So after Wendy's Wonderful Ordination on Saturday

and her first Services serving on Sunday (and Caroline's Cookie Party on Sunday), I drove Deede back in to Logan Airport for her flight back to California. I then went back up the road to Long-Term Parking ($60 for 6 calendar days!), and shuttle van back to JetBlue. My 8:53 PM departure turned into 9:40 PM, which meant my 11:59 PM landing turned into 12:30 AM. I know why they call it "JetBlue":

Even at 1:30 AM, Las Vegas has its LIGHTS ON:



I left town at 7:30 AM



I lost an hour crossing over into Utah

so I wound up having a great breakfast at Cracker Barrel in St. George at 10:30. I do love the land out here:


I know it gets away from "hiking", but DixonHeadingWest also deals with "art". The January 1874 issue of "The Aldine" had a wonderful article on "Utah Scenery", with 2 beautiful Thomas Moran etchings ("Springville Cañon" and "Colburn's Butte, in Kannarro Cañon"):


In "Thomas Moran’s Colburn’s Butte, South Utah: Forgotten Landmark of a Lost Friendship" by Kevin J. Avery, I discovered a beautiful map by Anandaroop Roy showing Thomas Moran's travels in this area:


Unfortunately, the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center (and the roads behind it) are closed for construction, so no comparisons this time around:


50 minutes later I had checked in at the Zion Park Motel:


Another 50 minutes later I had unpacked, rented poles and micro-spikes (for the snow/ice on the trails) and headed into The Park:

Because the Shuttle Buses have stopped for this time of the year, I was able to drive up Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. I saw beautiful canyon walls:

and the Court of the Patriarchs:


I started up the trail for Angels Landing just after 2 PM:

I was only able to get MapMyWalk to work from the top-down, but this is the trail:

2.72 miles down, so 5.44 miles round trip, in 2 1/2 hours (1 1/2 hours up, 1 hour back down).

Real pretty view right in the first five minutes:


and then you get some altitude (looking back down the Canyon):


Not necessary at the beginning, the micro-spikes (which just slip under my hiking boots) are ESSENTIAL once you hit snow-and-ice!

Looking down on the zig-zag on the backside of Angels Landing:

You then reach what I call The First Ascent:

and my first encounter with "The Chains":

I'm used to being on sailboats, so hanging on chains is no big deal (kind of cool, actually).

Ah, but when you are done with The First Ascent, that's when THE FUN BEGINS:

I left my poles and backpack in the cul-de-sac, and had a GREAT TIME going hand-over-hand on the chain UP THE MOUNTAIN. It was SOOOO COOL!! And the view is Pretty Great too:

Summit at 3:30

Beautiful View down the backside into Big Bend and Zion Canyon:

Going back down the ridge was especially picturesque:



I finished a little after 4:30, and the cliffs were ABLAZE with the setting sun:




Dinner, Monday Night Football, bedtime. Thank You God for these WONDERFUL Adventures!

Driving Music:

Sheryl Crow - Tuesday Night Music Club, 1993 (her first album)

of course - because I had to listen to "Leaving Las Vegas"!

David & David - Boomtown, 1986 (their only album)

David Bauerwald went on to be part of Sheryl Crow's "Tuesday Night Music Club" (the people who hung out Tuesday nights to just do music), and although uncredited, was a major force in helping her develop her sound for her first album.

Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends, 1968


Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Boston - August 27, 1999, bootleg

of course, I was at that show!