Initially this week we hiked Angel Landing in Zion and then Bright Angel Point on North Rim of Grand Canyon followed by Angels Window.
Everyone who has been has said that the North Rim of Grand Canyon is much better than the South Rim – we have to agree and consequently moved days around from South Rim to spend more time North.
Photo of us on top pf Angel's Landing:
Saturday August 21st - Bryce
After our jaw-dropping view of Bryce Canyon the night before without even going on a substantial hike, we decided to drive to most of the look out points and see which trails we should do. We made our weekly zoom call to Granny Scotland and the Surrey Baldwins from the top of Bryce Canyon and showed them its wondrous formations.
Sunday August 22nd - Bryce
A chilled day. In the afternoon we checked and pumped up the tyres with the bicycle pump as our 12v pump has decided its not going to work anymore, we wanted our horse and cart to be ready for our next destination Zion National Park
Monday August 23rd - Zion
We were a little bit sad to leave our Bryce sunny & shady campsite which had the best temperature so far, a little crisp in the mornings, a little heat in the afternoon and a little crisp again, I am very sad as the temperature for Zion is HOT! Again, USA, UTAH does not disappoint with the views from the road, we know there is a long tunnel coming up and we get a little taster on our way.
When we reach the park entrance, we give our measurements to the Park Ranger and he gives us the go ahead and paper that we are an undersized vehicle (we stick the note on our windscreen) and do not have to purchase a permit to go through the tunnel. We drive down to the entrance of the tunnel and wait for 5 minutes as there is an oversized vehicle coming through and it will be using both lanes. We put our lights and running lights on as our turn to drive through this about a mile plus tunnel with traffic both ways. There are a couple of pics of our journey. So please Peter is driving 😊
We reach our camping spot and its HOT our air cooling system is coming out. We hike down to the visitors center and figure out our hikes for the next couple of days, we decide on Angels Landing tomorrow, I have seen the description and some of the pics – dread and excitement.
Tuesday August 24th – Angels Landing, Zion
Apologies there are a ton of photos as words do not describe this hike.
We get up early before the heat of the day and catch the shuttle bus – masks on!
We get off at the Grotto and start the climb on a gentle trail, and we look up and see the switchbacks of a few hikers in front of us. We climb and climb (1600 feet) the trail resting for water and adjusting to the altitude. We walk through narrow gorges in the shade past signs for nesting Mexican Spotted Owls that we don’t see. There are human mountain goats who seem to be able to sprint up these trails, Peter and I are of the "slow and steady is the way" kind. We finally get to a chain and I think this is it, and the fear kicks in, luckily just before we got to the first chain, we met Kelsey and her brother from Indiana. Kelsey and her brother who is Jet Engineer in the forces, they are on a Sibling Quest to do as many National Parks in a week, while he is on leave and before Kelsey starts Grad School for Genetics. Kelsey is also a little height shy and we both connected and decided we can do this. We get to the next plateau and think we are there and then we see there is another climb and chains, I thought I am not doing that, Kelsey says come on Jo we got this, and off we go, me not daring to look down as we navigate the climb with chains, waits for people to come down to give us clear passage on the tiniest rocks/ledges. I use muscles I haven’t used in ages as I pull myself up the chains with my arms and legs again not daring to look down and in some instances go onto all fours as there is no way I am standing upright on this ascent. At every wait for people to come down and us to go up, hikers say its worth it keep going, not far to go. We keep going until we do get to the tippy top and are literally standing above where the condors are soaring – see pics. Peter is amazed that I did it, and so am I. We start our descent and I am now a mountain goat, why is it downhill is so much easier. We stop for a water break with our Indiana friends at the plateau and both Kelsey and I are amazed we did THAT!... We say our goodbyes as they are off to some more National Parks and we gently wind our way down the trail knowing tomorrow our muscles are not going to be happy with us.
Once we get to the bottom, there is Nirvana, a beer and a shady tree and we munch our packed lunch.
Wednesday August 25th - Zion
Its going to be HOT again, so we get up early and drive back through the tunnel to a small parking lot to hike the Canyon Overlook trail, our legs are heavy climbing up is fine, its going down a step or two that we feel it. Luckily this is only a mile and worth the muscle stretching.
We drive through the tunnel again and stop at all the good scenic spots and take some photos for a change. We drive into Springdale the town on the other side for an iced coffee and smoothie a bit of data coverage and chill in the shade.
Back to our HOT camping spot and the air cooler, this is worth every painful step to refill from the camping spigot.
Thursday August 26th - North Rim Grand Canyon
We pack up and leave for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and De Motte Campground.
The road to the campground is not an orange one (we have a hard copy map where orange roads are trailer and RV friendly) we called the rangers and they assured us the road is fine. Again, the vistas from the road through the boarder of Utah to Arizona are beautiful.
We climb again to nearly,9,000 feet and Ruby & Big Al are taking it all in their stride! We drive through meadows on either side with pines and the most stunning quaking aspen trees and the temperature is a cool 78 degrees. Just before the turn to our campsite there is a fuel station and a little coffee trailer offering lattes, smoothies etc. We will be returning !!
We get to our campsite in a gorgeous forest an easy reverse in and quickly un hook and drive to the North Rim for a short painful hike to another Angel named spot, this one called Bright Angel Point. See photos, we then find a seat and have a beer taking in the changes of color over the canyon as the clouds and sun dance with each other….. ooh, sorry getting a bit overly waxie lyrical…hee hee.
Friday August 27th - North Rim Grand Canyon
Blog writing morning and then a quick stop at the espresso van for beverages and nibbles, then we drove along Cape Royal Road, for the overlooks of Angel's Window, Walhalla, Roosevelt Point, Vista Encantada, and Point Imperial. We were amazed to see a couple of bends of the Colorado River. All overlooks were majestic and ethereal.
Sometimes the best way to really appreciate the size of the canyon is using Panoramic photos - here are a few:
Then to the lodge for wifi and sunset drinks and a cloud of lightning.
As a footnote to this post - here are some photos of when Peter was at Grand Canyon with his friend Les Evans – nearly 40 years ago. We went up & down to the River Colorado in a day and drove all night to LA - oh to be young again :)
