Mr. Write's Page

Over the years, I’ve hiked a lot of trails. I have no idea how many, or how many miles that represents.  These days, I keep a record of my hikes, but I was a trail veteran long before I began to document things.

Some of the trails I’ve walked were gems. Some were blah. Some hikes were divine, some were miserable. A few were disastrous. Many were good for a day’s adventure, but soon forgotten.

Naturally, out of all that, a few hikes stand out. And out of those standouts, one towers above the rest: the trail to the summit of Angels Landing in Zion National Park, Utah.

This trail is my absolute favorite. A lot of people probably share that sentiment.

To stand atop Angels Landing is sublime. The pathway that gets you up there is amazing, thrilling, magnificent, breathtaking, dizzying, intimidating, and more.

And the photography. Oh, the photography.

I’ve hiked to the top of Angels Landing only twice. The first time was a complete delight, almost overwhelming. So was the second. And that augers well for the next time.

But let’s begin at the beginning — the trailhead — where this sign is posted:

Angels Landing is a 1200-foot-tall rock monolith that towers above the Virgin River near the head of Zion Canyon.

It was named in 1916 by Frederick Fisher, one of Zion’s first explorers. Looking up at the noble spire, he exclaimed, “Only an angel could land on it.”

The formation is a spectacular rock fin — a narrow, largely naked stone tower with impossibly long, straight sides. The formation itself is as stunning to behold as are the views from its summit.

Angels Landing from the trailhead. It's the one on the right.

The trail is only 2.5 miles long, unfolding in four distinct sections, each of which delivers its own charms.

On section one, the first mile, the trail follows an exposed slope overlooking the Virgin River, steadily gaining in elevation.

The first mile.

After a series of steep, paved switchbacks, you reach a small gap and enter a high, narrow canyon. This is the second section, Refrigerator Canyon, a cool, shady notch that provides respite from the blazing sun. Sunlight rarely reaches the floor of this intimate half-mile stretch.

Refrigerator Canyon.

The third section is a series of 21 sharp zigzags that transport you from the canyon to the scenic plateau above. The switchbacks are called Walter’s Wiggles. This impressive rock staircase is named for Walter Ruesch, Zion’s first superintendent, who helped engineer it in 1924.

Walter's Wiggles.

The Wiggles carry you to Scout Lookout, a narrow saddle that is the jumping-off point for the final half-mile push to the summit.

The views from this lofty perch are fantastic. It’s also the turnaround point for unlucky hikers prevented by weather from reaching the summit — and for numerous others who look up at the monolith, see the dizzying drop-offs, and decline to go further.

Angels Landing from Scout Lookout. Big wall climbing is popular there.

This section of trail, the last half-mile, climbs a narrow sandstone ridge. Sheer cliffs drop straight down to the floor of the canyon on both sides.

As you stand there looking up, the route is quite intimidating. The trail seems impossibly steep. You see safety chains bolted to the rock — never a comforting sign.

Another view of the knife-edged summit.

The going is indeed strenuous, and the path is often narrow and dicey, but it’s easier and safer than it looks. The safety chains make all the difference.

Finally, at about lunchtime, you reach the summit — a long, narrow dome populated by a jumble of boulders, a few weather-beaten pines, and a thriving colony of chipmunks.

The chipmunks flourish up there because, in spite of posted rules forbidding it, people feed them. The little blighters (the chipmunks, not the people) are aggressive scavengers. Best not to leave a pack unattended for long.

You might think that only the most intrepid hikers reach the top of this daunting pinnacle. Not so. The summit of Angels Landing is a very busy place. In addition to the usual hiker types, you’ll see families, children in flip-flops, even a graybeard or two.

Yours truly, posing happily atop Angels Landing.

After a fellow hiker took that photo, I turned to retrieve my pack and interrupted a chipmunk in the act of stealing a package of cookies. While my back was turned, the little thief had burrowed into my pack and was escaping with the best part of my lunch.

I took a quick photo as he labored to drag the cookies away, then reclaimed what was mine.

The little buggers. They won’t get the best of me.