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.
At the end of the "wiggles", you get your first view of Zion Canyon and a chance to catch your breath at Scout Lookout here.
This is the start of the actual "Landing" hike which is up the rim of basically a "fin" rock formation. Let's get the show on the road !!
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.
After scaling the first rise you get here. See that "fin" rising in the distance? That's where we're going, right up the top of it. View the photo larger so you can see what you might want to do someday ;-)
Here's the chain you get to hang onto. The trail is about 3 feet wide at this point and about 1000 feet down. Yikes !!!
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!!!
Looking back at where we've come from so far.
The next section of the fin.
Quite an incline here. Good to have the chain. When people are going in both directions, you have to either maneuver around them or wait and let them pass. It's a "room for one" trail.
Here's a view looking back from the next level spot. We're getting close.
The last incline. The people at the top are really at the top.
I made it !!
On top I met a nice young man (can't believe I'm old enough to say that) named Angus. He is a Canyoneer, meaning instead of climbing up sheer cliffs, he rappels down into slot canyons. He used my camera to take this shot.
Here we go back down. Wow, what a hike, what a view.
Continuing on down. Don't fall either direction here.
A good view to see both sides of the "fin" and how far down it is.
Looking back again at the fantastic and scary view. Remember, look out, not down.
The view from Scout Lookout on our way back down. As you can see, the light is now starting to get interesting. I'm now thinking of the fantastic sunset shot I might get later.
This is pretty much the view from the first image in this gallery. See how the changing light makes for a much more attractive scene? It's all about the light. I hiked Angels Landing !!!