Zion @en
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From Utah to Arizona…
I spent the last days of 2014 between Zion and Gooseberry Mesa, not far away.
1. The bottom of the Zion Canyon is quite open, with magnificent cliffs.
2. Gradually, when going upstream in it, he gently tightens.
3. Then suddenly, because of a change of rock, it turns into a narrow, a deep trench not wider than the river bed.
4. Some cliffs are almost vertical walls over 2,000 feet high, really impressive!
5. Along Kolob Terrace Road while it starts snowing… A few miles further, I will tow the Subaru of two French and two Belgian guys stucked in deep snow. Without VivaLaVida, they would have spent the night there, no one else was up there in this season. A little reckless in my opinion, without even a tow strap…
6. I spent my New Year Eve on Gooseberry Mesa, while it was snowing… 😀
7. In the morning, there was about 4 inches fresh snow.
8. The view over the Zion Mountains clears in early morning…
9. Despite the snow that fell the previous night, I tried to reach a viewpoint on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. It’s a really unfrequented corner because of difficult access via a hundred miles trail, really muddy for the first part, then rocky and quite rough for the last 20 miles and closed in winter. However with VLV capabilities, I reached it in late afternoon when the moon rose.
10. Enough air there! I’m on a 20 inches ledge overhanging a truly vertical wall… But it was the only way to show you the Colorado River, exactly 2,890 feet down! 😀
11. Warm last light rays in this winter atmosphere.
12. The snow fallen a few hours earlier makes patchwork design on the sandstone.
13. The camp will be really cold in the clear night…
14. The potholes freeze on the sandstone, with beautiful textures. Here, ice pebbles…
15. Down the next day in the canyon to see Lava Bed Rapids, the most difficult rapids of the entire Colorado River. The trail, sometimes non-existent, is very steep in a lava flow that makes walking dangerous, lava stones rolling like bearings under the feet. there is even some climbing in places, hopefully not too difficult because only I wouldn’t have be able to reach the bottom otherwise. A trek to not recommend to everyone anyway!
16. Here the rapids, without sun this season. Hard to show the scale as the canyon is so huge but it’s pretty impressive. What a power! I understand that there is a portage trail for canoes…
17. The depth of this canyon is just amazing, I fell really small down there!
18. Small beach upstream the rapids.
19. I begin the long climb back. Top left is Toroweap Point where I go, 2,890 feet higher! 😀
Following of the discovery of this part of the Grand Canyon to come soon!
Zion National Park…
While I’ve been in Utah a few times, I had never gone through Zion yet. The upper third of these mountains consists of Navajo Sandstone. It is a very touristy place and I took advantage of the off-season to discover it.
1. Going up in Zion Canyon, accessible by a paved road.
2. Cottonwoods don’t have leaves anymore in this season.
3. Angel Landing. For those who know it, climbing this edge while rock is covered with snow and ice is quite… well… aerial! 😉 I must say that there are a few hundred feet of emptyness on each side and that certain passages are not more than five feet wide.
4. Hiking the West Rim trail…
5. Top left, the edge by which one accesses Angel Landing.
6. Reaching Navajo sandstone in characteristic light color.
7. Toward South…
8. Lower Zion Canyon in late afternoon.
9. From my camp… 😀
The next morning, after obtaining the required permit because the hike is quite engaged, I went for a long hik of about 14 miles. Rather than hiking, I should say a gymkhana! Except for the first two miles, it’s going upstream in a torrent crowling large blocks, constantly going up and down, crossing fifteen times the water at 37F, skating on snow and ice, without any sun… In short, something not to recommend to anyone, especially in this season. Moreover, the ranger looked at me with surprised eyes when I asked him for the permit, saying: “Do you really want to go ther in this season?”. 😀
Why this hike you might think. To exploreng a rather exceptional slot canyon, the “Subway” as it’s called.
10. While there is still about 2 miles to go, the canyon is still open and small waterfalls jump down rock stairs.
11. The most photographed waterfall, less than 1 mile down the slot canyon.
12. Here is the entrance of the slot canyon with its characteristic form that earned it its name.
13. Floods of the river dug a kind of tube-shaped hose.
14. The “turning” from downstream.
15. Small waterfalls dug a series of pots where the water is emerald.
16. Above, the canyon reopens before closing again. It requires climbing equipment to continue.
17. Beautiful pots.
18. The turning from upstream.
19. Coming out of this incomparable canyon…
That’s it for today! 😉
To be followed in some days…