This gallery is to chronicle my hike up Angels Landing.
As the first part of the day was typical for this trip, with clear skies, there was not anything exciting from a photographic standpoint so I decided to bite the bullet and hike Angels Landing. This is a hike I have wanted to do but have been a little chicken about. The photographs in this gallery are in no way "fine art" as I like to think of in the other galleries and are not intended for sale. This gallery is simply to show others what is involved if they want to take this hike. It is thrilling, scary at times but extremely rewarding in the end. You get to say "I hiked Angels Landing !!!"
The trail you see winding on the right of the image is the first part. It comes to a series of switchbacks of which I'm standing at the top of here and is about 2 miles from the start to where I am now.After the first set of switchbacks which are pretty much in direct sun, you get to cool off strolling down Refrigerator Canyon where cool breezes and shade are a much needed relief. The relief is short-lived though as you now have to go up Walter's Wiggles shown here looking down. This was named after the first Superintendent of Zion. After getting to the top of these, you are wanting to know where Walter is so you can give him a "wiggle" around his neck.
This is the start of hiking up the "fin". As you can see there is a chain to hang onto as you maneuver the trail. To the man's left in the photo (our right) it drops at the incline you see for over 1000'. If he were to stumble and fall to his left, he would ............well you know. A woman in early Aug fell from here and died. Not sure exactly where she was but reports say she fell over the north side which is the opposite of where this man could fall, so probably a little farther up the trail.
This next short section has no chain to hang onto. It's about 10 feet wide here. Actually the way the trail is laid out, if you concentrate on the trail, and only look out horizontally and not down, you really don't get all that wigged out unless you truly have issues with heights or have bouts of vertigo which in that case, DO NOT DO THIS HIKE!!!