One hike from our weekend in Zion National Park merits a post of its own - Angels Landing. At 5 miles and a 1500 vertical foot climb, the hike itself is no small achievement, but it's the last 1/2 mile - a climb up a vertical rock fin that makes it so amazing.
At the start - the monolith behind Sam and Buddy was our destination!
Hiking up the steep, hot, sunny, steep switchbacks (this was not my favorite part of the hike)
Views of the etched canyon walls on the way up - this part was so beautiful
And up the fin we go!
We got about 1/3 of the way up the fin and Mommy and Buddy decided that we had enough. I tired of the certain death for me and my child looming around every corner. Sam did not share the lame grown-up opinion. But he held it together quite nobly despite the utter unfairness of it all.
But just as all hope was lost, Daddy to the rescue! Daddy went back down to the campsite to put Sasha down for a nap, but then he took the bus up to the trailhead and by the time we got down off of the fin he caught up with us. We decided this was definitely an adventure for a father and son and Steve and Sam started back up the fin again. Mommy took a nap at the saddle, relieved that Sam got to complete his adventure without me. From this picture, you can understand my reluctance to go myself, let alone take my boy!
They made it!
Sam reflects on the majesty of God's creation (at least that's what Mommy projects onto this photo)
Ah, yes, this is why Mommy did not join Sam and Daddy. Apparently the vista as viewed from the comparative safety of the center of the fin was not enough. No, the child had to peer over the edge as his father photographed it. Note the teeny tiny miniature road far, far below.
Here's Sam's view from the corresponding shot taken by Daddy. The only thing ok about this photo is that I know he made it back down alive.
And back down again...
Suddenly, the tarantula we saw on the trail didn't seem that dangerous.
And back down the switchbacks. They were way more fun on the way down.
And extraordinary hike in an extraordinary place with extraordinary men.
1 comment:
I know you wrote this post a LONG time ago, but I've been following for a while and am going back through your history with WanYing (we've recently received PA for our little girl). I was drawn to the Zion posts because we've been there a couple of times, most recently last year with our (then) 6 and 4 year olds. I was absolutely petrified hiking. Like paralyzed-with-fear, scared-to-death, couldn't-look-at-them-as-they-walked, kind of petrified. How do I overcome this?!?! I don't want to rob them of these amazing, wonderful experiences -- but how do I get over my fear of them falling off a cliff?!? HELP!
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