Denver, Colorado

Yesterday was quite the day. It started early hiking in Zion National Park and ended after a long drive in Denver at my friends' condo downtown.

As I was driving through the park Thursday evening I began to consider getting up early Friday morning and hiking to Angels Landing. I had attempted this hike in 2003 but had turned back before reaching the summit. The hike takes you 1485 feet from the canyon floor to the peak in two and a half miles and is considered by some to be the best hike in the Nation Park system. Certainly, by all accounts it is the best Zion has to offer.

There is an e-hike video on the Park Service website here.

My view of the peak from the canyon floor as I set out:

The first hike is up to Scouts Lookout

and it requires going up some pretty steep switchbacks.

Once you are there you see signs pointing out that going the next half mile is dangerous and that people have died from falling in that area.

The top part of the hike is assisted by chains and surely required me to suppress my fear of heights since the dropoffs are 1200'-1400' in many places. (The detail in most of these pictures is too small to see. Clicking on any pictures on this site will take you to the photo gallery where the pictures are larger and clicking on the picture again there will enlarge it further.)

At the summit the views are spectacular

I'm really glad I did the hike. But I can't say I'll rush to do it again. For me, the worst part (and what stopped me last time) is when you get stuck behind people who have stopped on the chains blocking your way forward and leaving you to wait a significant time hanging over a 1200' ledge. This is not to my liking.

I was out of the park by noon and drove nine and a half hours to Denver. Today I plan to make the final drive home. I'll do a final summary of DaveTour 2009 in a few days.