Angels Landing


Angels Landing is an excellent hike that combines some heart pumping steep hiking, enough exposure along side shear cliffs to keep things real exciting and breathtaking views of Zion Canyon from the top.  This hike involves some serious exposure and should not be attempted by anyone fearful of heights.  The Park Service has installed chains along the most dangerous sections to give hikers something to hang on to.

Be sure to click on these thumbnail photos for larger versions.

 1. At center of the photo is Angels Landing as seen shortly after leaving trailhead.
 2. Looking back down at the trail leading up to Refrigerator Canyon after climbing a bit.
 3. Hikers on the trail up ahead, nearing the entrance to Refrigerator Canyon.
 4. This is Refrigerator Canyon, which lies between Angels Landing and Cathedral Mountain.  The trail passes through a portion of this canyon to a steep climb up to Scout Lookout.
 5. A gouge in the rock wall in Refrigerator Canyon.
 6. Walter's Wiggles is a series of 21 short switchbacks up a steep part of the trail climbing out of Refrigerator Canyon.  I found an interesting photograph of the Wiggles taken from above at xtremeformat.com.
 7. This is looking down at Walter's Wiggles.
 8. Just above Walter's Wiggles and before the trail gets real exciting on the fin leading to Angels Landing is this broad sandy area called Scout Lookout.  It's a good place to take a short break and contemplate the trail up ahead.  The great white throne is visible in the background across Zion Canyon.
 9. Chains were placed at certain places along the trail that are exceptionally steep or alongside steep drop-offs.  Photographs tend to minimize a perception of steepness, and this photograph makes this area look rather tame.  And although it is quite steep here, it is rather tame compared with what is up ahead.  Note the tree and how well it is doing despite having only rock to root in.
 10. This is Angels Landing and the connecting fin atop which you hike to reach Angels Landing.  This fin is definitely no place for someone fearful of heights.  The east side of the fin shown here is a shear drop-off of a thousand feet or so.  The west side isn't so shear and deep, but it is still a serious risk.  There are chains along the fin to give hikers something to hold on to.
 11. This is the view of the fin from the Angels Landing end.  The shaded area to the left (west) of the fin is Refrigerator Canyon.
 12. This is the home stretch to the top.  Again there are chains to hold on to.
 13. Zion Canyon looking north from Angels Landing.  The Big Bend bus stop can be seen at the bottom of the photograph.
 14. Zion Canyon looking south from Angels Landing.
 15. That's me.  The background is looking north, up canyon.
 16. The dark object in the foreground is Angels Landing and it's narrow connecting fin as seen from near the Big Bend but stop in the bottom of Zion Canyon.  The white rock behind is Cathedral Mountain.