Our vacation was spent escaping to the outdoors. We both wanted to see seasons, or at least a change of scenery. Things don't really ever change around here, unless you count dropping from 120 degrees in the summer to a chilly 60 now. But really, we don't have leaves changing color (would help if we had trees around here, I suppose) and don't have fall rains or anything like that, so we were both missing the changing of the seasons here.
Solution? Road trip!
The trip started out with several days in Zion National Park, over in Utah. Beautiful area!! Zach had been over there before, but I'd never been, so was very excited to see it all. We started out on our vacation there.
Zion National Park focuses on Zion Canyon, and several feeder canyons that join into it. It's beautiful steep red and white rock and evergreens. This time of year there are lots of trees changing color too, so the colors were great. Red and white up at the top of the canyon with the rocks showing, evergreens on the hillsides, and greens and golds in the canyon floor. Very pretty. See below? That was the view from our campsite - a peak called The Watchman. Like I said, very pretty :)
Lots of really nice hiking too. We were both feeling a bit out of shape (being inactive all summer because of the heat will do that to you) but we still tackled a good number of the trails during the couple days we were there.
Our hardest one was Angel's Landing. It's about 2.5 miles one way, and the first 2 miles are pretty normal. It's still got a good amount of switchbacks, since the elevation change across the whole trail is about 1500 feet. The first ones (the ones on the left) are just winding. The second batch of switchbacks (on the right) are called Walter's Wiggles. These are nuts! It's pretty much a wall of switchbacks going up the cliff face.
All those wiggles get you to Scout's Overlook, which has some nice views of the canyon. Angel's Landing is at a bend in the river along the canyon, so you can see well upriver and down.
From Scout's Overlook, it's another 0.5 mile to Angel's Landing itself. That last bit, though, was honestly the longest half-mile I've ever done! According to the guide, "Strenuous with steep drop-offs and narrow trail. Not for anyone fearful of heights. Ends at summit high above Zion Canyon. Last 0.5 mi (0.8 km) follows a steep, narrow ridge; chains have been added." And no, the italics and bold are not mine - that's how it's printed in the guide. I have never been so scared on a trail. I'm not incredibly fond of heights, but I'm not terrified of them. 'Course, I'd never been on a trail like this either! In the picture below, the chains are about where the trail (and the cliff) end!
The view, though, when you finally get there, is incredible! Makes the panicked breathing on the hike up there worth it :) Here we are at the top...
...and this is what we could see from there!
Zion National Park focuses on Zion Canyon, and several feeder canyons that join into it. It's beautiful steep red and white rock and evergreens. This time of year there are lots of trees changing color too, so the colors were great. Red and white up at the top of the canyon with the rocks showing, evergreens on the hillsides, and greens and golds in the canyon floor. Very pretty. See below? That was the view from our campsite - a peak called The Watchman. Like I said, very pretty :)
Lots of really nice hiking too. We were both feeling a bit out of shape (being inactive all summer because of the heat will do that to you) but we still tackled a good number of the trails during the couple days we were there.
Our hardest one was Angel's Landing. It's about 2.5 miles one way, and the first 2 miles are pretty normal. It's still got a good amount of switchbacks, since the elevation change across the whole trail is about 1500 feet. The first ones (the ones on the left) are just winding. The second batch of switchbacks (on the right) are called Walter's Wiggles. These are nuts! It's pretty much a wall of switchbacks going up the cliff face.
All those wiggles get you to Scout's Overlook, which has some nice views of the canyon. Angel's Landing is at a bend in the river along the canyon, so you can see well upriver and down.
From Scout's Overlook, it's another 0.5 mile to Angel's Landing itself. That last bit, though, was honestly the longest half-mile I've ever done! According to the guide, "Strenuous with steep drop-offs and narrow trail. Not for anyone fearful of heights. Ends at summit high above Zion Canyon. Last 0.5 mi (0.8 km) follows a steep, narrow ridge; chains have been added." And no, the italics and bold are not mine - that's how it's printed in the guide. I have never been so scared on a trail. I'm not incredibly fond of heights, but I'm not terrified of them. 'Course, I'd never been on a trail like this either! In the picture below, the chains are about where the trail (and the cliff) end!
The view, though, when you finally get there, is incredible! Makes the panicked breathing on the hike up there worth it :) Here we are at the top...
...and this is what we could see from there!
I'll have a little more about Zion tomorrow, once I get some more pictures sorted :)
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