Day Four: Zion Revisited

Yesterday was pretty intense, between the heights, the heat and just processing the sheer beauty of what I was seeing.  Getting a late start yesterday, I decided to get going at 7 this morning, which at least helped with the heat.  There were many things that I didn't get to see the first trip and, today, I filled in the blanks.

First stop was the Narrows.  This is a winding, level trail that follows the river back into the upper canyon, eventually having you cross the river several times before basically having to trek in the river through the narowing areas of the canyon walls closing in on you.  I didn't bring shoes that could get wet so I actually went barefoot, which proved difficult stepping on the slippery river rock.  I crossed several times before I gave up and went back, as the water deepened and the rocks became more harder to walk on, not to mention the water was very cold.  Along the way, more squirrels and chipmunks and great views of the river and the occasional unique flower that I took a picture of since I am trying to be more creative in my photography, as you may, or may not, be able to tell.

From there, back-tracking down the canyon, I stopped at Big Bend, aptly-named for it's big bend in the canyon and not much else.  If you recall the pictures yesterday when I was very high at Angel's Landing looking down at the bus station... well, that's where I was today, but looking up.  Tiny little specks were the people up on top as I stood at the bottom of the 3000+ ft ascent up the cliff wall.

Next stop was the Weeping Rock, which basically has a natural spring somewhere in the cliff that the water finds it's way out at this waterfall.  Next to that was the steep pathway up to the Observation Deck and the East Rim trail.  Climbing 850 feet in less than a mile, this proved very strenuous and I was soaked.  Fortunately, with the heights issue again, a very fit English guy hiked with me and took my mind off of falling and/or screaming like a little girl out of fear.  I didn't go all the way up (it started thundering and the sky got dark), but far enough to get a good view across the canyon of not only the starting point for Angel's Landing ascent, but a little ways over on the ridge, another view of the people who made it to the top.

After a stop at the museum for a history lesson, I ate something at the lodge and headed back to my car to take the scenic car tour off to the East entrance.  Passing by the Zion Arch (a part of a cliff wall that gave way and formed the shape of an arch), I winded my way up to the tunnel, where they had to dynamite through one mile of solid stone and blasting through, making 7 windows in the tunnel to look out as you drive through.  On the other side of the tunnel, it was a totally different landscape.  Hard to explain, it was rich in texture and vegetation, with erosion and shifting rock evident with every glance.  Sandstone, changed by the wind and rain, looked as though the whole area was cemented.  The most famous example was Checkerboard Mesa, a rounded rock with traces of erosion that formed the shape of a checkerboard (See below). 

Today, I took 215 pictures of, yes, rocks.  When I look through them, I can't help put myself in the place of someone viewing them, thinking "holy shit, how many rock pictures did he take?".  I think when you are experiencing it in person, you can't wrap your head around the scale of everything, the unbelieveable beauty and the detail that you see, so you keep taking more and more pictures hoping to capture eery bit of it.  Then, when you look back at the pictures you took, it doesn't translate and it's frustrating.  No matter how many points of reference I try to make or things to put it into perspective, I simply can't come any where near it... you just have to experience it for yourself.  This is the most beautiful place on earth, as far as I'm concerned.  "Zion" is a Mormon term meaning 'place of refuge', and it is.

Tomorrow, I drive three hours to Bryce Canyon, where it'll be significantly cooler at probably 80 degrees dry heat, compared to 105 degrees today and, again, a whole different type of landscape.