Utah

Sleep eluded some of us once again, and the alarms went off too early at 4:40am. The race against the sun and the crowds starts early in these popular desert spots. Zion National Park was over an hour away from our AirBnB, hence the extra early morning. Loading up our gear and lunches, we set out under cover of darkness, with only the bright stars and Olaf's headlights giving us an inkling of the wonder we'd see when the sun rose.

But it was still dark when we entered the outer boundaries of the park 30 minutes later. Here the fun driving really began. Sharp corners, looming black & shadowy mountains soaring either side of the roadway... And then a looooong tunnel that wound through the mountain for over a mile! We could sense we were surrounded by impressive sights but the only things we could see were dim outlines. Descending into the canyon around hairpin bends and switchback turns, I was in my element while Nomes tried (and failed) to catch up on sleep in the back seat.

We arrived at the visitor center just after 6:30am. As the only place to park, and considered one of the most incredible parks in all of the US, the lot fills up quickly. Already, many rows were completely filled and so many people were walking around!

From the visitor center everyone boards shuttle buses that mooz (opposite of zoom, but beneficially so, there is so much to see even on the buses!) around the park. As the canyon restricts roadways, Zion's efficient shuttle system maximises visitor circulation, reduces cars and emissions... Win, win, win!

By the time we arrived at Stop 6 (The Grotto, and starting point for the Angel's Landing hike), the sky was beginning to brighten, but a chill remained in the air. We decided to start out with sweaters on, knowing they likely wouldn't last long. The trail starts off deceptively flat, sandy and meandering along the Virgin River. The views looking up though, are almost indescribable (just check out the pics for 1000 words worth 😉). Before too long though, relaxing is over, the trail gets steeper, and switchbacks up the canyon walls begin. The sweaters come off, the hiking poles come out and we are ascending, on average, about 1.5 feet every 3 steps.

The sun began to light up the tallest peaks on the opposite canyon wall and already some earlybird hikers are coming down the mountain! They must have started on the trail at 4am! Another lady and gentleman in their late 50's are running up the trail! No excuses. We are getting there.

After the first set of switchbacks (oh yes, there are more than 1 set), the trail levels out as we cross through an elevated canyon, where trees and undergrowth grow thick and lush. We see signs asking us to hike in silence to avoid disturbing the Mexican owls, and apart from ragged breathing, we try to comply.

The reprieve feels short lived, as we come to 'Walter's Wiggles', an interestingly named set of tight and steep switchbacks. We're not sure who Walter was, but he sure was wiggly and we (and everyone else on the trail actually) needed lots of breaks. Eventually we make it to Scout's Landing where, impressively, there were some bathrooms perched high up in the mountain.

Scouts Landing offers amazing views of the last push to Angel's Landing (we're gonna go with 'AL' for ease of typing!) , and is a haven for anyone too tired, wary of heights or just content to not push it on the potentially treacherous last section. This last part which is a single file, occasionally chain-assisted scramble over the stunning sandstone spine.

Already some bottlenecks had developed in the narrow trail points as even earlier risers were descending from AL. The sheer drops and narrow paths necessitate patience and cooperation with fellow hikers. The consequence for hastiness, slipping, or inattention etc. can be fatal, and has been for 13 unfortunate souls over the years :(
We set out and climbed the first, steep chained section, arriving at another, even smaller 'landing'. The views were stunning, as was the distance to the canyon floor: 800 feet. This became my resting spot for the next two hours as Nomes is pushing on to AL, and Cilla, surprising even herself, decided to join her!

Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter 😉
- BeckyRead more