We flew back last month from a 10 day trip to see the Grand Canyon and some of the National Parks out west. Our flight there was from Atlanta to Las Vegas.
So we flew in, picked up the rental car at the airport and headed out. Zion Park was our first experience to the parks out west. Impressive. Temp was 106 in the afternoon so we planned early morning hikes. We stayed in the park itself, in one of the cabins. Morning #1 we were up at 4:45am to be out the door at 5:45. We walked to the shuttle stop in the dark with flashlights & caught the 6:00am shuttle to the head of the trail to the Narrows. We were the first ones on the trail! Hiked one mile in the dark with headlamps until it was light enough to see. Then (with rented water boots and hiking staff) we spent 6 hours hiking the Narrows up and back. Being some of the first ones in the morning, it felt like we had the entire river to ourselves. Well, at least for the first hour or two.
The next morning was almost the same. Up at 4:45am to be out the door at 5:45. Started hiking up the Angels Landing trail in the dark with headlamps. Hiked one mile in the dark with headlamps until it was light enough to see. Once again, we were the first people on the trailhead. About the time we got to the "Walters Wiggles" switchbacks, we started getting passed by younger college-aged kids that were in much better shape and used to the higher attitudes. It's 1,500 from the bottom to the 5,800 feet summit so we were moving slow.
The final 1/2 mile to the summit of Angels Landing is the hardest and scariest. Hundreds of people do it a day, but you have to take it seriously. Since 2000, 13 people have died on the hike, including two in March. The wife took one look at it and said ($#
@L no!) She decided to wait at Scouts Landing while I made for the summit. It was a scary 1/2 mile of hanging onto chains and watching every foot placement. (Do a search on YouTube for Angels Landing if you want to see what it's like.) I passed a couple of people who started up, but got part way and just got too scared to go on. Once at the top, I took a couple of pics and watched the sunrise for a few minutes, then headed back down before the narrow summit trail up got too crowded. Met up with a well rested wife and hiked back down
That afternoon we drove down to Springdale and rented e-bikes. Where have these been in our lives! Did 18 miles in the park without breaking a sweat. I would love to buy us a couple, but I don't know where I would store them.
The next morning we drove to Bryce Canyon for two nights. In the morning we watched the sunrise at Sunset point then hiked the Queens Garden Trail.
The next day we drove to Page, Arizona, stopping in the Paria area, where we hiked Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch and into the string of slot canyons they have there. It was about 105 degrees and not a cloud around, so it made for a hot and dusty hike down the dry creek beds.
The next morning we visited Horseshoe Bend and then did the lower Antelope Canyon tour. I chose the 12:00 time slot so the sun was overhead and the light on the canyon walls was very good. Due to Covid hitting the Indian Reservation hard, they cut way back on the number of people allowed on the tours, even spacing them 15 minutes apart. That allowed us a little more time photographing than expected. They no longer allow tripods but by bracing against the walls, it was possible to get clear shots.
Later that afternoon we drove to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. We spent 3 night in a cabin on the rim at Bright Angel lodge. The first morning we were up at dawn to catch the sunrise and then we hiked a part of Bright Angel trail. Our last day we were up early to catch the 6:00am shuttle to take us to the trailhead. We hiked South Kaibab past Ooh Ahh point down to Cedar Ridge and back. After a late lunch and a short rest we walked the rim trail then finished the day sharing a bottle of wine at the rim while watching the sunset.
Finally got to sleep in late the next morning. (to 8:30am!) Packed up and drove 4.5 hours back to the Vegas airport to fly home. Total miles on the rental car was almost 1000 miles.
