Wednesday, October 23, 2024
I arrived at the Grotto, Stop #6 on the Zion Canyon shuttle bus, at around 10:30 AM. The Angel’s Landing Trailhead begins after a short walk over the pedestrian bridge that crosses the Virgin River. There was a cool breeze in the air. Looking at Angel’s Landing at some distance, it looks like one big rock. The sandstone - a multicolor blend of colors with shades of red, orange, tan, brown, black, and white - reaches from ground level to upwards of 1000 feet. It has a cliff structure on all sides. Ironically, as high as it is, it is surrounded in the canyon by rock formations that are even higher, adding to the dramatic landscape.
The trail is approximately five miles round-trip and with an elevation change of about 1,500 feet. It gains about 1,500 feet over about two and a half miles. The last half mile is along a steep, narrow spine of rock with drop-offs of up to a thousand feet along much of the way. In many sections, but definitely not all, there are chains anchored into the rock to provide “security.” One can hold the chain as they walk along these sections and also use it to help pull themselves up (or lower themselves down) as they negotiate some sections. Still, it can be very intimidating.
The first half mile of trail is dirt and runs north, adjacent for a short time to the south-flowing river. The trail here has a slight elevation gain. After that half mile, the trail becomes concrete and soon rises rather steeply. This section is several feet wide, too. It keeps a steep pitch, utilizing many switchbacks for the next mile or so, climbing from the base of the cliff. The trail is cut right out of the rock in some places, rising to a low point between two high sections, where hikers enter a beautiful narrow side canyon. This section is not very steep, though it still rises. It is a relief for many from the work that preceded it. It is often in the shade, too, so it is a good place for recovering from the hot sun. But it is not long, taking about ten minutes of steady walking, and after a brief respite, the trail enters another set of steep switchbacks, culminating a 21-turn set known as Walter’s Wiggles. Each switchback here is about thirty feet long, then has a 180-degree turn, another thirty feet, another 180, and so on, rising to a flat saddle area called Scout’s Landing. From here the concrete finally ends, and a dirt trail leads to the first set of chains. Once at these chains, the rest of the trail is always on some rock surface. No more concrete, no more dirt. It’s a chain-aided, rock scramble the rest of the way.
There are park rangers at the entrance to this section. They check your ID and reservation pass. In 2022 a reservation system was initiated to limit the number of people on this section. There were so many people hiking it that the single-track sections ended up as bottlenecks that held up hikers for long periods of time, making the hike somewhat more dangerous while potentially having a negative environmental impact based on there being too many people.
This was my fourth time hiking Angel’s Landing. I think there were fewer people than in my previous times. The trail is truly narrow, with only enough room for single file movement along much of the way. This means hikers going in one direction must step aside, where there is room, to let hikers pass from the other direction. It’s like a one-way road at a construction project. Fortunately, kindly behavior seems to be prevalent. I think the physical characteristics of the hike help to create a sense of community along the trail, people joined by a sense of mutual emotions and thoughts. People are generally patient and joyfully accommodating. Of course, having fewer people also lends to having fewer bottleneck experiences.
The first time I did this hike was with my brother Richie in May 2022. I was apprehensive about it. I had second thoughts more than once, as did he. There are some sections where it looks so narrow, so steep, that is was so intimidating that I had contemplated stopping. But, utilizing a one step at a time approach, my nerves became totally manageable. The initial stressful parts were due to a combination of it being so narrow and steep off the sides. As I mentioned, the width is such that hikers can only pass along one direction at a time, while the visuals involve looking up at the monstrous climb and down at the canyon floor hundreds to a thousand feet below. The narrow, single passage width meant waiting at times in an uncomfortable position, standing on the side of a steep cliff while holding onto a chain, steadying oneself by placing one’s hand on the cliff edge, simply holding a tree branch that was handy, or sometimes having to just stand steady with nothing to hold on to while being uncomfortable close to the edge.
Nerves aside 😊, it is an exhilarating and energizing experience. There is concern about the risks, but there is a simultaneous sense of wonder and awe. There is sense of strength in the mind and body as one climbs higher. The views can be scary, but they are also inspirational. As one makes progress, looking back on the trail thus covered, it’s an amazing feeling. You look back at that narrow spine of rock, look down on the river and road far below, their small footprint as seen from this perch. Being in the moment, internally grounding, combined with the visual beauty of the landscape and the adrenaline rush of the place and activity, creates a sense of fulfillment. It just feels good. And feeling good is a nice way to feel …
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