A wild place to land:
Hiking Angels Landing on day one
There are a million ways to feel about Zion. This was my first interpretation of the canyon on a training trip for my new job and I will say, It was one of the most profound feelings I have experienced.
After a flight to Vegas from Atlanta and the incredible drive Northeast, I was greeted by the towering walls of Zion. Heading towards the south entrance, passing by Mount Kinesava, The Watchman, The West Temple, Three Marys and bridge Mountain was a feeling that is hard to describe. The walls of Zion are known to have an effect of awe on your spirit. Engulfing your mind and forcing a person who spends time in the canyon to go inward. This was one of my first inclinations about Zion and it was quickly confirmed by my new coworkers at Zion Guru.
My employer could see it unfolding as soon as I showed up to this place, with many years of experience and watching folks come and go he knew just what I needed to truly take it all in. “Hey Kody” He exclaimed! “You should go hike Angels Landing”.
So there I was a few hours into being at Zion, tying up my trail shoes, grabbing my water bottle/headlamp and heading out to complete the mildly strenuous, five-mile (round trip) hike for sunset.
Getting to the trailhead:
Typically during the warmer months and busy times, Zion has a shuttle system. Unless you have a reservation at the Zion Lodge, the shuttle will be the way to access the trailhead. You simply pay the park entry fee and catch that shuttle at the visitor center. My trip was at the beginning of March and I drove out to shuttle stop 6 (Grotto Trailhead on the Zion Canyon loop) and began my adventure up the trail.
The adventure:
The hike started out relatively flat following a dirt path alongside the Virgin river and quickly began to climb. Traversing up the paved trail for a good distance and seeing no direct route to the top, the path suddenly cuts into a canyon and gives a teasing flat spot before approaching Walter’s Wiggles. This part is the very steep set of switchbacks that lead you to Scout's Lookout! With some incredible views and a great look at Zion, Scout’s Lookout is a point I would suggest that you go inward. Given your ability and resources, should you continue up the last half mile of the chain handrails near exposed cliff edges and summit angels landing?
If you are physically capable, well prepared and up to challenge yourself with heights, then your answer would be similar to mine.
“Let's see where the Angels land”
Carefully navigating the incline and exposure, about fifteen or twenty minutes later I found myself sitting on top of Angels Landing. Here I watched the sun fade down into the walls of Zion. Another great spot to ask yourself what all this means to you. To me, it meant change, leaving close friends behind, beautiful uncomfortability, vulnerability and reminding myself how to walk with grace in challenging times. It represented my choice to live my dream. My adventure. A pretty incredible thing to experience on my first day in Zion and the place I would soon call home.
Conclusion:
Angels Landing was an incredible experience! With a little bit of planning (Zion Guru Hiker’s Companion), some intentional thinking and a bit of determination, The landing is a great space to take it all in and let the walls of Zion cast a metaphorical “reflection” of yourself. My advice is to use this incredible place you are visiting as more than a vacation, use it as a place to intentionally go inward. Who knows, you might just leave the canyon a little bit different then you came.
Or, you might just decide to stay.