The fear-inducing Hidden Canyon Trail.

Friday, November 1, 2013: Zion National Park.

Lovely Weeping Rock … and the fear-inducing Hidden Canyon Trail.

Today is our last day in Zion and we want to make the most of it.  We shuttle our way back up into the heart of Zion Canyon.  We get off at the Weeping Rock stop and quickly make our way up the short trail to Weeping Rock.  The hanging gardens are lovely and it’s a beautiful view looking down through the canyon.

Nice, but our main goal today is to climb up to the mouth of Hidden Canyon.  So, back down the path to the trailhead, and off we go in the direction of Hidden Canyon.  As we start up the switchbacks we note this sign.

“FALLS FROM CLIFFS ON THIS TRAIL HAVE RESULTED IN DEATH”

“Yikes!” is about all I can muster.  Of course, we proceed.

 

If their wives only knew.

We wind back and forth and up across a few switchbacks.  As we near a sharp turn we hear the pounding of little feet and shrieking laughter of children.  Two little boys and a little girl, all approximately 7 – 8 years old RUN past us and on down the switchbacks.  (Remember the sign?)  Before long they have run back and forth across another 2 or 3 switchbacks. 

We look at each other and I say to Jack, “What kind of parents would let their children do that?  Look at the condition of this trail.”

 It takes only a few minutes to discover what kind of parents really would do that.

As they approach, their discussion of insects drifts our way.

Dad #1: “Well, they’re prevalent in California.  They’re kind of a cross between a fly and a bee.”

Dad #2: “Oh yes.  Those ones that are sort of a blue-gray color?”

Dad #1: “Yes, exactly.  Those are the ones.”

Ladies … if you were in Zion today, and let your husband take the kids for a hike, AND the back side of one these men resembles your husband’s – you may want to kick him in it for not watching the kids!

 

Twenty-one switchbacks later … we have not yet reached the fear-inducing part of the trail.

We continue up the switchbacks finally reaching the junction for Hidden Canyon and hang a right. 

Higher up the mountain and deeper into the canyon we go.

Finally, after 21 switchbacks we reach a long flight of stairs leading up at a sharp incline toward the unknown.

Shortly after hiking past the stairs, in the shadowed side of the mountain, we come to heavy chains anchored into the mountainside.  I think this is where you hang on for dear life so you don’t plummet off the ledge and become one of the casualties the sign was referring to.  Jack leads the way and I take a few shots before clutching the chain myself and following him around a blind cliff.

We climb higher up the narrow trail – clinging to the chain for safety.

I finally tell Jack, “I’m done!  If it’s not around the next narrow ledge, I’m ready to go back.”

Jack leads – and I follow.  We go around more narrow ledges.  How many?  I don’t count, but he continues to tell me “it’s just around the next cliff, you’re fine” and he’s right – as we know, sooner or later he had to be right.  We reach the mouth of Hidden Canyon.  The actual destination was rather anti-climactic in comparison to the hike itself – which was quite nerve-racking in several stretches. 

A family is returning from deeper in the box canyon having hiked up earlier in the day.

Being a box canyon, our return trip is back the same trail we came up.  Oh, great!

As we descend, I take a picture of the sandstone that is in the path of water as it rushes down the canyon after a rain.  Note the pattern created by the washing away of sandstone.

A view from on high.

Back down the ledges – no chain here.

Down the long staircase where the multitude of switchbacks begin again.  A straight-on view of Angels Landing is before us.  It’s the rounded mountain in the mid-ground of the picture.

This is a hike that we have chosen not to take because of the level of danger associated with it and the deaths that have occurred on the trail.

 

Dinner at Café Oscar – What can I say but …fabulous!

With the adrenaline-charged hike behind us, we’re beyond ready for a great meal in Springdale.  We’ve been looking forward to dinner at Café Oscar to celebrate our wonderful week at Zion National Park.

 

We’ve heard good comments and hope for the best.  The best is exactly what we get.  First, we check out the dessert menu.  We both love chocolate and ice cream; therefore, the Brownie Sundae will be in order after dinner.  With that in mind, we decide to split a Murder Burger and sweet potato fries so we can save a little room for dessert.  The Murder Burger is wonderful – and then the Brownie Sundae arrives.  Oh my goodness!

I can’t believe we ate the whole thing.  Neither can the people around us.

The waiter said, “We usually serve one of these for 4 – 6 people.  If we had a T-shirt that said “WE ATE THE WHOLE THING” we’d just give it to you.  You wouldn’t even have to pay for it.  Usually, two people can’t eat this thing.”  Oh great!  That sure makes me feel better.  Actually, it made me feel somewhat worse for the next couple of hours.  Iron Stomach Jack?  As usual, it didn’t bother him in the least.

And with that wonderful meal behind us, we’re off for Arizona tomorrow morning.  Let’s see if I can sleep off that Brownie Sundae tonight.