Hiking Hints (Learned the Hard Way)

*Always tell someone where you will be hiking, in case you don't come back!
*Always carry a cell phone. Most areas get cell coverage because many trails go along mountain tops.
*Always have a trail map of the hiking area. Many trails are very poorly marked.
*Don't wander off the trail. There is likely to be poison oak in the brush. Learn to recognize it, but remember it is still active in the winter when all it is a stick.
*Use a walking stick for steep trails. It saves strain on the knees and can double as a weapon if you encounter mountain lions or wild boar. (Which you most likely won't)
*Always take water with you.
*Use sunblock or you will end up looking like a piece of rawhide.
*Keep granola bars or other non-perishable snacks in your pocket or backpack.
*Have a jacket with you that can be tied around your waist in case of chilly weather.
*Ibuprofen is an essential item for your pocket also.
*In cold weather kleenex comes in handy for your nose. It's an essential for women too on long hikes with small bladders.
*A pedometer is a fun item to use so you can brag to your friends about how far you walked!
*Leave enough time so that you will not be caught with the sun setting and you're still out on the trail.
*Avoid walking through tall grass. Ticks love to wait on a stalk of grass and jump on your leg as you pass. Ticks infected with Lyme disease have been found in the Santa Cruz Mountains and other areas of California. Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease. (A tick remover is a handy device for your backpack.)
*If you do encounter a Mountain Lion, calmly repeat "nice kitty, kitty" while backing away slowly.
*Be careful where you sit and put your hands, especially around sunny rocks. Rattlesnakes like to sunbathe there and will resent your intrusion. (A snake bite kit is another handy item to carry.) By the way, you probably won't die if you get bit by a rattlesnake.
*One of the most important items to carry is Chapstick. Huffing and puffing uphill can really dry out your lips.
*Sucking on hard candy can help with a dry mouth from all that huffing and puffing too.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Zion's National Park

In late April, Cheryl, Dan and I went to Zion's National Park. We flew into Las Vegas with Jeanette, Morgan and Lacey and dropped them off at the Excalibur Hotel while we rented a car and drove to Zion's. We stayed at the Desert Pearl Inn in Springdale, about 1/2 mile from the park entrance. The weather was perfect, in the mid 70's and we were overwhelmed by the grandeur of the park. Zion's is celebrating its 100 year birthday in 2009 and has chosen for its theme "A Century of Sanctuary." It truly is a place of sanctuary and sanctity. We had planned to hike the "Narrows" which basically means walking up the Virgin River into very narrow and colorful canyons, but the "trail" was closed due to high water. We would have been walking in waist deep water for 90% of the 11 miles. Now they tell us the best time to hike the Narrows is in June or September. Dan and I did hike to Angel's Landing, which was one of the scariest things I've ever done and one of the most rewarding. The Emerald Pools hike was beautiful and the Canyon Overlook Trail was breathtaking. It is only a mile long trail which starts at the far end of the long rock tunnel. Almost all of the trails in the Park are paved! This is to prevent erosion. The Park was created by the Virgin River carving through colorful sandstone. This is what we saw:


This is the short tunnel through the mountain.



The view of the road leading up to the long tunnel as seen from Canyon Overlook.

The view from Canyon Overlook.

Near the top of Canyon Overlook


On the Canyon Overlook Trail

Plants growing in rock at top of Canyon Overlook

The view of one of the windows in the Long Tunnel

Jan and Dan at the Canyon Overlook


Cheryl at the Canyon Overlook





Crazy rock climbers. They had been on the rock face for 3 days.

A little chow-hound eating a goldfish cracker

This is the back side of Angel's Landing.

"Walter's Wiggles" switchbacks on the Angel's Landing Trail

On the Angel's Landing Trail




Angel's Landing Trail

View from Angel's Landing

Looking over the edge at Angel's Landing

Dan and Jan near the top of Angel's Landing


Amazing trees at the top of Angel's Landing







Hanging on to the chain on the Angel's Landing Trail. 1500 feet drop off.

The trail goes up this ridge, only 3 feet wide in places.





One of the waterfalls at the Upper Emerald Pools

Mule Deer









Along the Emerald Pools Trail

Cheryl, Jan and Dan at the Emerald Pools









29 people have died at Zions. 5 have fallen off Angel's Landing,
7 have fallen off Emerald Pools Trail and several have
died in flash floods.
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1 comment:

Shellee said...

sure, show us the beautiful scenery,then the scary warning sign.

It looks like a great trip. If you go back to hike the narrows, let me know, maybe I'll meet up with you (after flash flood season).

April 30, 2008 at 1:43 PM

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