Germar's Monthly Updater

October 2005: Zion National Park Check box, if you don't want to see comments when enjoying full-size pictures.

End of October, I spent a long weekend with friends in Zion National Park. It is a stunningly beautiful place filled with cliffs, canyons, rivers and mountains. The weather was ideal for hiking, cool in the mornings and crystal blue skies throughout the day. On the first day, we hiked up to Angels Landing, a big rock in the center of Zion Canyon. We went up to Observation Point on the following day.

Angels Landing The last leg of the trail going up to Angels Landing is nothing for the faint hearted. The path is on a narrow ridge with 1500 foot drop-offs on either side. While contemplating our changes to fall to our death, we met a couple who climbed up the vertical cliff. They had bivouacked the previous night in the middle of the wall with only a thin cloth between their backs and the abyss. Unbelievable.

Last ascent On top View down

Observation Point Trail Observation Point is 2200 feet above Zion Canyon and offers the best views of the park. The trail up goes through Echo Canyon, a narrow gorge at the bottom of a 1500 foot vertical wall. We felt like dwarfs!

Switchbacks Lonely sentinel Echo canyon Green and orange Observation Point Big Bend

Emerald Pool Trail The Emerald Pools are just a one-mile hike behind Zion Lodge. I went there thrice, once during twilight, once when a thunderstorm was lingering, and once in the morning when the sky was bright blue. It was always beautiful.

Emerald Falls Thunderstrom Moon on the rocks

Critters along the Way

Enjoying the Sun The Narrows Morning meal

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