DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post

**entaifsfets** · 12-08-2009, 08:23 PM

My daughter spent two weeks in November vacationing with friends in southern Utah, mainly at Zion National Park. Part of a visit usually involves a trek up to Angel's Landing. I wasn't particularly worried about the trail route or her competence as a climber; we've been up at high places since she was a young teen, such as the Beehive and the Precipice at Acadia National Park in Maine. The helper ladder rungs, called a Via Ferrata (literally iron road), allow the trail to be classified as non-technical, meaning no ropes or special climbing equipment are needed.

Angel's Landing is similarly non-technical; it's a strenuous hike to a summit about 1200 feet above the canyon floor. There are other more technically challenging (but less scary) trails in the park which require a permit, such as the top-down route to The Subway.The last 500 feet (above Scout's Lookout) are along a narrow rock fin (think '59 Cadillac) with shear dropoffs on either side. It's not for anyone who is out of shape and/or afraid of heights. And there's no margin for error.

And that's where I see a problem. The trail has become popular and crowded, especially during the summer months. The park is large at over 170,000 acres, but most visitors enter at the southern entrance, conveniently serviced by the town of Springdale, into the main canyon cut by the north fork of the Virgin River. The road through the canyon is now closed to private vehicles from spring to autumn, and serviced by free shuttle buses. A great idea, but along with the museum and the wheelchair accessible Riverwalk, it might give the impression that a national park is Disneyland. But while Uncle Walt would never have allowed the pirates to keelhaul visitors, the NPS will not stop you from getting into mortal danger.

A hiker died in a fall from Angel's Landing this past August. I began to look at photos and vid clips, and didn't like what I saw or read. The hike up to Scout's Lookout is on a paved trail cut into the rock, but it's a steep slog in the desert heat. People come up without any food or not enough water, not wearing the proper shoes or clothing, toddlers on backbacks. And the assist chains might give some people the impression that nothing bad can happen to them. Lastly, the trail is not a loop; the same route up and down, so people are passing each other. All you need is for someone to have a panic attack and freeze with a white knuckle grip on the chain.

Because of the probable presence of idiots on the cliff, I asked her to use a short rope and carabiner to hook up to the chain if if got crowded. I got an exasperated look with an "OK pop." Stupid request really.

It's hard to let go.

Anyway, they're all safe and sound, but a few weeks later (Thanksgiving weekend, it figures) a woman fell to her death off the trail. In reading the news article from her hometown, I was struck by Rick doesn’t recall Grunig being an avid hiker but mentioned she had been recently serious about getting into shape. He said Grunig went on the hike alone, adding Michael had to run some errands and made plans to meet his wife at the park afterward.

“She talked about (hiking) to my mom during Thanksgiving,” Rick said. “She’s not a real big hiker, but she had been on Angels Landing before. She was basically trying to get herself fit again. She had dropped about 60 pounds, if not more. She was looking really good.” It's awful what happened to this woman, but some of these trails aren't places to go to workout and get into shape.

The last time I was at Zion, the kids were too young, so they stayed at Scout's Landing (that's plenty impressive) with their grandparents, while my wife, brother and I went to the top. The ledge sticks out into the main canyon, and the view is breathtaking in both directions. We did all go up to Observation Point, which is actually at a higher elevation, but the trail is less exposed.

In my opinion, the Colorado Plateau has the most dramatic natural landscapes in the US, and bo accident that most of the national parks and protected areas are located here. And I much prefer Zion to the Grand Canyon.

A little Geology

The sedimentary rock formations that stretch from Bryce Canyon south through Zion to the Grand Canyon are called the Grand Staircase It encompasses exposed rock formations spanning about 2 billion years, the oldest the floor of the Grand Canyon, and the youngest the top of Bryce Canyon.

Angel's Landing

Trail up from the canyon floor. Walter's Wiggles starts at the right.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcdowell_dave/238538724/

Walter's Wiggles
http://www.flickr.com/photos/usarick/2388650950/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w9jim/3759542223/

Scout's Lookout. View back from the Angel's Landing rock fin.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uvagolfer/2269932474/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mallady/3645174369/

Little people
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cessnac...nx/3443300388/

Easy does it
http://www.flickr.com/photos/radiosp...n/photostream/

View south of Zion Canyon from Angel's Landing.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pearbit...94046/sizes/l/

View of the rock formation (dark slab center-left) from north in the canyon.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oxherde...26420/sizes/o/

Zion National Park Photographers Group

Excellent resource on Zion trails, with descriptions and photos, by Joe Bauer. Check out "Photography beyond Zion" from the drop-down menu. Nice photos of the gorges in the Finger Lakes region of NYS.

12-08-2009, 08:23 PM	#8
entaifsfets Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 429 Senior Member	My daughter spent two weeks in November vacationing with friends in southern Utah, mainly at Zion National Park. Part of a visit usually involves a trek up to Angel's Landing. I wasn't particularly worried about the trail route or her competence as a climber; we've been up at high places since she was a young teen, such as the Beehive and the Precipice at Acadia National Park in Maine. The helper ladder rungs, called a Via Ferrata (literally iron road), allow the trail to be classified as non-technical, meaning no ropes or special climbing equipment are needed. Angel's Landing is similarly non-technical; it's a strenuous hike to a summit about 1200 feet above the canyon floor. There are other more technically challenging (but less scary) trails in the park which require a permit, such as the top-down route to The Subway.The last 500 feet (above Scout's Lookout) are along a narrow rock fin (think '59 Cadillac) with shear dropoffs on either side. It's not for anyone who is out of shape and/or afraid of heights. And there's no margin for error. And that's where I see a problem. The trail has become popular and crowded, especially during the summer months. The park is large at over 170,000 acres, but most visitors enter at the southern entrance, conveniently serviced by the town of Springdale, into the main canyon cut by the north fork of the Virgin River. The road through the canyon is now closed to private vehicles from spring to autumn, and serviced by free shuttle buses. A great idea, but along with the museum and the wheelchair accessible Riverwalk, it might give the impression that a national park is Disneyland. But while Uncle Walt would never have allowed the pirates to keelhaul visitors, the NPS will not stop you from getting into mortal danger. A hiker died in a fall from Angel's Landing this past August. I began to look at photos and vid clips, and didn't like what I saw or read. The hike up to Scout's Lookout is on a paved trail cut into the rock, but it's a steep slog in the desert heat. People come up without any food or not enough water, not wearing the proper shoes or clothing, toddlers on backbacks. And the assist chains might give some people the impression that nothing bad can happen to them. Lastly, the trail is not a loop; the same route up and down, so people are passing each other. All you need is for someone to have a panic attack and freeze with a white knuckle grip on the chain. Because of the probable presence of idiots on the cliff, I asked her to use a short rope and carabiner to hook up to the chain if if got crowded. I got an exasperated look with an "OK pop." Stupid request really. It's hard to let go. Anyway, they're all safe and sound, but a few weeks later (Thanksgiving weekend, it figures) a woman fell to her death off the trail. In reading the news article from her hometown, I was struck by Rick doesn’t recall Grunig being an avid hiker but mentioned she had been recently serious about getting into shape. He said Grunig went on the hike alone, adding Michael had to run some errands and made plans to meet his wife at the park afterward. “She talked about (hiking) to my mom during Thanksgiving,” Rick said. “She’s not a real big hiker, but she had been on Angels Landing before. She was basically trying to get herself fit again. She had dropped about 60 pounds, if not more. She was looking really good.” It's awful what happened to this woman, but some of these trails aren't places to go to workout and get into shape. The last time I was at Zion, the kids were too young, so they stayed at Scout's Landing (that's plenty impressive) with their grandparents, while my wife, brother and I went to the top. The ledge sticks out into the main canyon, and the view is breathtaking in both directions. We did all go up to Observation Point, which is actually at a higher elevation, but the trail is less exposed. In my opinion, the Colorado Plateau has the most dramatic natural landscapes in the US, and bo accident that most of the national parks and protected areas are located here. And I much prefer Zion to the Grand Canyon. A little Geology The sedimentary rock formations that stretch from Bryce Canyon south through Zion to the Grand Canyon are called the Grand Staircase It encompasses exposed rock formations spanning about 2 billion years, the oldest the floor of the Grand Canyon, and the youngest the top of Bryce Canyon. Angel's Landing Trail up from the canyon floor. Walter's Wiggles starts at the right. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcdowell_dave/238538724/ Walter's Wiggles http://www.flickr.com/photos/usarick/2388650950/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/w9jim/3759542223/ Scout's Lookout. View back from the Angel's Landing rock fin. http://www.flickr.com/photos/uvagolfer/2269932474/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/mallady/3645174369/ Little people http://www.flickr.com/photos/cessnac...nx/3443300388/ Easy does it http://www.flickr.com/photos/radiosp...n/photostream/ View south of Zion Canyon from Angel's Landing. http://www.flickr.com/photos/pearbit...94046/sizes/l/ View of the rock formation (dark slab center-left) from north in the canyon. http://www.flickr.com/photos/oxherde...26420/sizes/o/ Zion National Park Photographers Group Excellent resource on Zion trails, with descriptions and photos, by Joe Bauer. Check out "Photography beyond Zion" from the drop-down menu. Nice photos of the gorges in the Finger Lakes region of NYS.
	Quote