Laura and I had the opportunity to spend a couple days in Zion after CES. It’s actually a great place to visit in the Winter. The park was practically empty, places to stay were cheap, and it was perfect hiking weather.
Angels Landing, with its steep narrow final stretch, was definitely a highlight. Quite a few people on the trail had turned back before reaching the end (and the signs continuously remind you that quite a few people have fallen off and died), so I was actually expecting it to be more narrow than it is. When I got to the end, I didn’t realize I was there because I was expecting to hit a point where I questioned whether I’d continue. Not to say it isn’t intense.
Here are a few shots, first from the West Rim Trail hike on the way to Angels Landing:
And here’s the final stretch:
It actually felt steeper on the way down:
We drove around and had some good views, mostly in the evening and the following morning:
Another highlight was the Watchman Trail, where we saw a bunch of mule deer:
And the view at the top: