Sunday, February 13, 2005

Rockslides along the Switchbacks

There seems to be one area that is having problems. Its lower down on the switchbacks as you can see from the photo. This rock fall was huge. When we were out hiking today on Observation Point we heard something that sounded like a huge gun going off. We decided it was a rockfall.

West Rim to West Rim Springs

This was a cold day, but the sky was clear and the sun was shining. We breezed up to Scouts Outlook where the West Rim Trail and Angels Landing split. I was feeling pretty good about our time until Bo mentioned that he RUNS up to Angels Landing when by himself in less than 1 hour. That is impressive. I seem to forget how steep this trail is each time until I get on it again. The trail was clear and in good condition for our hike, but we ran into snow just prior to Little Sibera. After heading in there I could see how it got its name. The area looked like it rarely saw a drop of direct sunlight. The path was ice and snow which was not too bad until we got to a narrow path with a steep drop off on one side. We put on the crampons and headed up the trail. We made it across without falling, but I would not reccommend that anyone does it. It was pretty scarey. After we got out of Little Sibera the path was a again clear of snow and nice. Bo pointed out the head of Behunin Canyon to me and we laughed about Shane's thoughts on the canyon. We headed up the mountainside trail and marveled at the many waterfalls dripping down onto the trail. The rains this year has made Zion even more spectacualr than usual. When we got to the spring at the top I laughed to see a little hole in the ground with a little water. Not much of a destination but the view from the spring area is gorgeous. This is where one can camp when doing the West Rim backpack.

Observation Point

Today we hiked to Observation Point. We had planned to hike it when we did Hidden Canyon but there was far too much ice and snow to go all the way. Today we had better luck. It had been raining a good deal rather than snowing and we found most of the trail to be nice and dry. At Echo Canyon however there was so much water in the usually dry wash that we had to climb the rocks around or go wading through the ice cold, knee deep water. We chose to climb. At the very top of the Mesa we ran into slushy snow and lots of red mud. It was cold up on top, but the rest of the way it had been a nice warm hike for a February day.

I have never seen Echo Canyon looking so beautiful. In fact the entire way up the hike I was mezmerized by the colors of the rocks. Bo seemed to also enjoy the waterfalls everywhere and the moss that was unusually green and healthy looking. Most of the lower trail past Hidden Canyon had water running on it. There was some trail damage from all the floods and rains this winter, but the trail was still in pretty good condtion.

We took a lot of time on this hike taking pictures because it was so unusally colorful and wet! The water in Echo Canyon was flowing deep and we could hear the water rushing through the canyon during a lot of the hike. It was a great day in Zion and a fun hike with my Best Friend Bo. We got to meet two ladies from the St. George area that were a delight and they breezed around that rock climbing area. I was impressed.

Hidden Canyon

Hidden Canyon is always fun when in the mood for some good exercise. A total of 2.2 miles roundtrip where the first part is very steep, then once in the canyon its a pleasureable walk down a mostly dry wash. The hike begins at the same trailhead as the Weeping Rock and East Rim trail. This is a unique hike through side ravine between Cable Mountain and the Great White Throne. The official hike ends at the first pothole full of water, but the best part is after this. We went in the winter and crossing over the pothole area was dangerous due to the ice. Hopefully when you go you wont have to deal with the ice. I drew a huge sigh of relief after I passed it. The rest of hike is boulder hopping and walking through a sandy wash. If there has been a lot of rain or snow there might be water in there as there was when I went. In the photo album on the website there is a mix of summer and winter photos. Keep your eyes peeled for the freestanding arch. It will be on your right side when hiking into the canyon. Its hard to see since the green moss blends it into the mountain and there are leaves and such hiding it. I have passed it numerous times and never saw it! It's right across from a huge greenish wall. Before long the hiking becomes impossible without climbing and rope skills. Turn around here and be careful if you encounter ice again near the pothole.