Last week, my job took me down south to Cedar City. It had been months since I had worked that far south and so I was instantly excited at the possibility of hiking on a day off. I love the red Rock in the Zions National park area. It speaks to me. Perhaps I was a Native American in another life. At either rate, I cannot get enough of it . Since I was working over a weekend, I decided that Sunday would be my spiritual day in nature. I did some research for popular hikes in the park and quickly decided on Angels Landing:
(Don't throw up, mom) So this is the final .5 mile of the trail. The trail is 5 miles round trip, marked as strenuous, steep dropoffs and not for people with fear of heights. This final stretch is braced with chains because you are pretty much walking up a flat side of mountainside, then across this path, which, yes, is a straight drop on both sides. But the path is about as wide as a sidewalk so it's not like you are tight rope walking or anything. I wasn't sure if I would do the final stretch. I would want to meet up and go with others, not attempt it alone.
The guide stated the round trip as 5 hours. I started at the trailhead at 12:35 pm and the trail was extremely busy. Sundays, I am sure, are probably the busiest day in the park. The path ran beside the river then started up and up and up. Long and steep switchbacks. It was sunny, the breeze was cool and although it was a workout, it was fairly doable and the vitamin D felt SO good.
Most of the trail had a curb on the drop off side but I still hugged the mountain side as much as possible, especially until I adapted to the increasing altitude and nerves subsided.
The view at the end of the first set of switchbacks before heading into the canyon.
Selfie at the canyon mouth.
Walking through the canyon was cooler, mostly in the shade, straighter path and a more gradual ascent. Kind of like giving you a break before the real work began. the rock in there was just incredible. Photos really don't do it justice.
Then the intense swtichbacks called the wiggles. 21 in total, sharp, short and somewhat torturous.
And then, you arrive....
The final half mile.
View from the top. So this is pic is at the base of the final half, the chained path. Yes, I did attempt the chains with a couple I met from Denver (Go Broncos). I had pulled my hip flexor going up and wasn't sure if I could handle the rigorous mountain scaling. Plus it was really busy, traffic both ways on both sides of the chains and strong wind gusts. I went partly up the chains and got shaky. it was fairly easy going up, my concern was how I would be coming back down. so I sat for a second then decided to go down. I sat there at the base for an hour, taking in the view and talking with a woman from Vermont, a pediatrician who had hiked thus far in an ankle boot and was waiting for her hubby and kids to come back from the summit. It was a great conversation and I went back and forth with the thought of attempting the final stretch. But my whole leg was aching by then, people were coming in waves and the wind gusts were pretty intense. In the end, I decided to come back another time, hopefully with someone that I could forever had that memory with, and do it then. I changed back into my jacket and started my descent.
The guide posted the return hike at 5 hours. I did my ascent in 59 minutes, descent in 50. so less than 2 hours. Go me! ;) I drove into St.George and gorged myself on all the carbs I wanted at Olive Garden. A meal well earned.
No comments:
Post a Comment