I spent a lot of my young adulthood working very hard in the restaurant business. While others in their 20’s were jumping on planes to explore the world, my travel mainly consisted of a commute between the kitchen and dining room at Three’s Bar and Grill.
Fast-forward 12 years, and I’m proud (and relieved) to say that hard work, by me, my business partners and staff, made a difference. With co-owners and managers I can trust, it allows me to take trips here and there. This summer, a last-minute opportunity came up to explore a place I’d never been: Zion National Park in Southwest Utah.
According to Utah. com (yes, I always do my research ahead of time), Zion Canyon’s rock layers are 270 million years old, taking us back to the Triassic period when there were no mountains, and this part of the Colorado Plateau was just a flat basin at sea level.
Off We Go!
I made my way to the mainland and joined some of my hardcore hiking buddies, crashing on bunk beds as needed, to experience some of the most incredible hiking to date.
An Early Start at Zion
Despite a severe lack of sleep, I was so excited to adventure, and my first day lasted from before sunrise until past 11 p.m., in part due to the group losing its way on a trail, forcing us to scramble up a mountainside in the dark with no cell service. Talk about stressful! We all emerged with some scrapes, bumps and massive gratitude that we made it back to civilization in-tact!
Subway Cave was a Trip!
The Subway Trail at Zion National Park today is an absolutely amazing hike that descends into a narrow slot canyon. My hiking buddies and I swam, rope climbed, rock scrambled, stream trekked and finally ascended out before thunderstorms rolled in late in the afternoon.
I’d consider this the most technical water hike I’ve done yet with all my camera gear. But the flowing river and turquoise pools were simply magical!
This was my favorite photo of the trek, but it was a tough capture, since I had to unpack gear from (now wet) dry bags, balance a tripod on a narrow slippery ledge and take a long exposure when hikers aren’t passing through.
Out of a dozen photos, only one or two were in perfect focus. It was worth the effort though; I loved this section of the trail. Natural abstract shapes and vibrant colors everywhere, with flowing water tying it all together. This photo made the trip totally worth it!
It’s Not My Fault
This is Subway’s famous water fault line that cuts through the canyon floor. An iconic part of an iconic trail. Known as “The Crack” or “The Chute,” it’s a simple fracture line in the red river rock.
Water from the North Creek flows through, giving a stunning visual contrast between crimson and blue. I had to make time to get this one right!
Awestruck at Angel’s Landing
Only an angel could land there. That was apparently the observation of a minister who visited Zion Canyon in 1916, according to the National Park Service. And the name stuck.
Angel’s Landing is one of the most popular destinations in Zion National Park. I applied for a permit on a whim and surprisingly got it! It’s one of the the world’s most renowned hikes and definitely belongs on an avid hiker’s bucket list.
This 5-mile hike has an elevation gain of 1,488 feet, and the chain section is pretty harrowing, but man — what views up there! So glad I did it…and made it back down safely!!
Navigating The Narrows
As the name suggests, The Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. The walls stretch up a thousand feet in some sections, with the river sometimes just twenty to thirty feet wide. This all-day hike was a surreal and mesmerizing sensory experience.
All in all, this was a fantastic trip. A few overzealous moments perhaps, but grateful I took the chance and ventured out. I’ll end with a quote that sums it all up for me.
“Wilderness is not a luxury, but a necessity of the human spirit.”
— Edward Abbey