Angel's Landing

Ok, this is for Emil, who suggested this hike at Zion. This is Angel's Landing, the top part. At this point, looking at that peak, we're already maybe 1,000 feet up. You get to this part and think you're at the summit, but think again. Take a good look at this picture. See the little people at the bottom? To the left of them is a smooth place in the rock. That's where I watched two climbers hanging out. To do this climb, they have to sleep in sleeping bags hanging on the side of the cliff. You can't do it in one day. I'm not sure where they got to in this picture, but they were very tiny, even from way up where I was sitting. Also watched a condor soaring around me here.

Now the little people there just finished hiking across a very narrow little bridge of rocks (just rocks, nothing manmade) with sheer cliff drops on either side. After crossing the narrow part, you get to basically climb the peak. The route follows the line of trees on the right. No nice trail, no elevator. And no ropes! Except there are these nice bolted chains going up along the way. Rand did this. I really wanted to, but my walking stick and I waited at Scout's Landing, rocks on the cliff looking up at this big rock face. You really want both hands free to do this. From my vantage point, it was like watching an escalator full of little people up and down, up and down the thing all afternoon. It's amazing how many people do this. It's seriously dangerous. You want your footing in the right place, firmly. Rand said it was mostly college kids and they just bounded up and down.

Now to get to that part of Angel's Landing, you must first go here,


and here,

and here,

and here,

and here (see people on the right).

But NOT here.

Rand did it.

I did too, mostly.

The whole valley is like Land of the Lost. Always expecting dinosaurs, or a Sleestack to jump out at any time.

At the end, waiting for the shuttle. Tired.