10 days in the US Southwest

[PAG1952]

Just got back from 10 days in the national parks of the southwest of the USA, we've been there before but never had time for any walking, so we always promised ourselves that we would go back and do some hiking.
First stop was at Zion National Park Utah. Arrived about lunch time so decided on a short walk up to the Hidden Canyon to get the legs going again after many hours flying, and what felt like even more hours crammed into a very snug mini-bus.
The hike up to the entrance of the hidden canyon is only a couple of miles or so there-and-back from the Weeping Rock bus stop (Zion Canyon shuttle bus).
Not a particularly arduous walk but quite exciting, if like me you happen to suffer from slight vertigo!

    Mrs PAG on the way back from Hidden Canyon


Next day up before dawn for the hike up to Angels Landing.
Starting from the Grotto Trailhead bus stop it's a well maintained (mostly concrete) 'hiking trail' up through the arch into Refrigerator Canyon and then up "Walters Wiggles" to arrive at Scout Lookout.
Now for the final breath-taking but also butt-clenching 1/2 mile and 500 ft climb across the narrow spine to Angels Landing itself, with its 1500 ft shear drop into Zion Canyon on one side and a mere 800 ft drop into Refrigerator Canyon on the other. Even though there are chains to assist you on the worst sections, if you are like me and have a fear of heights/falling it can still be pretty intimidating.

Still taken from cheap and cheerful mini camcorder clipped to my rucksack strap. Camera was stowed safely away as I needed all available limbs for myself!.



Wide angle camcorder lens makes it look slightly worse than it really is - but not much.


.
Finally - The view of Zion from Angels Landing.


More to follow...................................................................

[CallMeSteven]

  That drop made my legs feel weak with vertigo - great photo

[sunnydale]

Wow!  Looks fantastic

[midweekmountain]

Zion is indeed a fantastic place did you go to Bryce? The thing that amazed me about the desert areas is the number of small lesser known parks that IMHO are often more interesting than the well known places.

We screwed up in Zion, twas a climbing trip and Zion is all about big walls and we did not have the gear for it, luckily I got talking to one of the local guides who gave me a few tips about canyoning in the numerous slot canyons hereabouts so we did that for a couple of days, awesome!!!!

[altirando]

Always slightly surprised that routes like this are not better protected in the States, as they would be in the alps.  Those chains are just handrails, doesn't look as though you could clip into the wire as you would in say the Dolomites.  My elder daughter lives in California ,must try to get myself organised for another trip out there sometime before age takes over!

[PAG1952]

Always slightly surprised that routes like this are not better protected in the States, as they would be in the alps.  Those chains are just handrails, doesn't look as though you could clip into the wire as you would in say the Dolomites.  My elder daughter lives in California ,must try to get myself organised for another trip out there sometime before age takes over!

Oddly, being such a litigious society, the Americans have a very much "it's up to you" approach to safety as shown by this on the South Kaibab Trailhead sign in the Grand Canyon.
 

[PAG1952]

 
Zion is indeed a fantastic place did you go to Bryce?

Sure did.
Bryce Canyon - From Sunrise to Sunset, down amongst the Hodoos - a fairyland of pink white and orange rock formations.
 
We visited Bryce a couple of years ago but could only walk the rim trail as all the trails down into the canyon had been washed away the week before; this time we managed to walk a 7ml figure of eight around the Navajo trail and Peekabo loop.

View from the Rim ( I cant remember exactly where ).

 
Starting from Sunrise Point (not at sunrise) we set off down the Navajo trail to Queens Garden, named after a rock formation that's supposed to look like a statue of Queen Victoria (couldn't see the likeness myself), and then to the short "link trail" to the Peekaboo Loop.


 


 
On joining the Peekaboo we went clockwise around the loop.
 
The Wall of Windows seen from the Peekaboo Loop Trail.

 

then back up the Navajo Trail to Sunset Point via Wall Street.
Total about 7 miles and about 2000 ft of ascent and descent.

 
Next installment Arches National Park....................

 

 

[altirando]

I suppose if you don't put any sort of aids on a route, you are not legally responsible for anyone's safety.  I remember the signs at the top of the Kaibab trail, and signs in the hotel about needing to carry an enormous amount of water, several pints I think.  Very different landscape there, and you do not need to be any sort of climber to experience it.
.'

[Summit]

Thanks for taking the time to post this. It s like a different world all together. It looks a lovely place to trek.