13/5 - Hard Trails

Sunday was our last full day in Zion. We used it well; doing three different walks on a day that was hot; but not to the same extent as the previous day.

The previous day Maria and I had discussed me doing the Angel's Landing trail. It is rated very physically demanding, with lots of exposure ("not for those with a fear of heights") that includes quite a few chained sections, and said to take about 4 hours. A trail we felt was not appropriate for the kids. I was looking forward to it, but also feeling a deal of trepidation - I had observed Angel's Landing the day before, as well as seeing the posters of the trail in the Visitor's Centre.

I was at the Visitor's Centre well before 8am and at the trailhead just after 8:30, on a day that started cool and fresh. There's a lot I could say about the trail, but I'm sure it has been described much better elsewhere. To my mind the trail has 5 portions: low sweeping trails with a slow ascent down by the river, then a series of switchbacks still on the "front" of the mountain, followed by a near flat trail that passes between Angel's Landing and another peak - taking you to the "back" of the mountain, that is then followed by the famous "Walter's Wiggles"- a long series of switchbacks, and finally the most mentally demanding - the half-mile climb up the exposed ridgeline. The last half-mile is the "infamous" section - very steep and with sheer drops often a step or 2 away; about a third (by my estimates) is firmly chained...and these chains are very useful.

Subconsciously I realise I had been hoping for a "transformational" experience by doing the trail alone (of course there were other walkers, and for some of them the trail was "no big deal"). What I found instead was that indeed the trail was physically demanding (my quads ached badly for the next 2 days) and that rather than transcending the fear of falling and going to a place of relaxed ease, I became extremely focussed and tense (which increased my fatigue) - dealing with each step and move second by second. I'm extremely glad I made the walk - the views were beautiful and it provided me with a sense of accomplishment - but I was even gladder when I came down from the ridgeline.

Back at the trailhead by 11:30, I made it back to the hotel by 12:15. Maria had been her solid dependable self and done a load of washing, while the kids were enjoying the heated outdoor pool. We sat by the pool for a while, while I wound down, then before heading back to the park grabbed some lunch at the Pioneer Restaurant (you should have seen the waiter's consternation when Grant said he didn't want fries with his burger).

Over lunch I suggested we try the horse riding (must have been feeling foolishly cocky - maybe I thought it would give a massage) and so we rode the shuttle back up to the lodge. There we were able to take a 1-hour ride that consisted only of the four of us, plus the guide (classic starched white western shirt, large hat, jeans, blond hair tied back) and her daughter. The ridetook us across the river and down to the Court of the Patriaches, and back. Along the way we were provided with some history of the area (with a cowboy bent) and such classic jokes as "That rock is poison [referring to a huge boulder overhanging the trail] ... one drop and you're dead." I'm certainly glad we didn't even consider the 3-hour ride, everyone complained of a sore behind or thighs by the time we hopped off.

As we hadn't seen the top part of the valley we decided to ride the shuttle to the top - Temple of Sinawava - and do the River Trail walk that leads to the start of The Narrows. The area is very impressive with the valley walls closing in, while remaining very lush and beautiful. Again we saw a great variety of wildlife, including mule-deer at very close quarters.

The Narrows looked like it would be a fantastic walk to do - you wade upstream through the river - but we were not prepared and it was already late in the day (the kids went for a short wade anyway). Ahhh, next time...

Returning, we enjoyed Thai again for dinner - Grant even ordering and consuming a fair quantity of curry. A big step for him. Then it was another ranger talk post-dinner - this one in one of the camp grounds. Again it was very dark and I sent us to the wrong (there are 2) campground first. In the dark Zoe walked into a low cactus and though not seriously hurt would occasionally complain across the next couple of days of the needles in her leg. This talk was about the Mountain Lion, but the amusing thing was that we were early (thought it was a 9pm start rather than 9:30), and Grant unself-consciously began a long conversation with the ranger (out the front of the open air auditorium) about our travels etc. - while the audience members listened in. A good day, and we were all glad to get into bed finally.