Zion National Park, Utah
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The Subway Zion National Park, Utah |
October 12, 2014
This is the big day. Gary, David and I all had applied for three of the sixty available online permits for this date, and all three requests were awarded. That fact suggests that demand was low, and that less than the full complement of visitors will be seen today. That is perfectly fine, however; for the three of us already are weary of crowded trail conditions.
Our day will be spent in Great West Canyon
Our first task is to negotiate a 400-foot scramble down the canyon wall to the creek below, which is easier said than done. This section of the trail is quite steep and rough.
And we had to pay to come here
Cancel what I said five years ago about Zion's trail surfaces being unmatched for quality; I am appalled that an official national park trail could be this awful. Perhaps making it tolerable would somehow detract from our 'canyoneering experience'.
Before-and-after views of the Left Fork of North Creek
Some water is flowing, which is critically important; yet the stream flow seems low, which I know to be equally important.
Great colors everywhere
Up to now I have not shared much information about this trail with companions Gary and David, except that it is extraordinarily beautiful. Now they will learn that the rewards must be earned.
The obstacle course begins
We must find a way around this boulder
After another mile or more of constant rock-hopping, creek-crossing,
and trail-guessing, we arrive at the first of a series of waterfalls
known informally as the Archangel Cascades. David has read about them,
and he knows to expect something extra-special; but that doesn't stop
his first view of the falls from taking his breath away.
Lower Archangel Cascade
Gary and David promptly plop themselves down for a snack; then they break out their tripods.
We will be here a while
At some point, David says something like "as good as it gets";
but I just smile and respond, "The next one is better".
Another round of bushwhacking and route-finding gets us
to the next major attraction:
Middle Archangel Falls
I believe that David is in agreement — this one is even better.
One unique feature of these two cascades is that they also serve as the trail. In order to proceed upstream, we get to walk directly up the flowing stair steps, which I find to be great fun.
We are at the start of what I had previously declared to be the most scenic
quarter-mile in my experience; I hope that it still is. The route
nearest the cliff is posted as no-walking; but it is the only actual
trail, so David and I take it anyway. Gary opts for the lower route.
Just beyond the overhang is the final falls in the series:
Upper Archangel Cascade
There is more stream flow today than on my prior visit, which is unfortunate; for some special features of the next long slab are relatively hidden by the depth of the water, even though it is only an inch or so.
It's just around the corner
The Keyhole appears
Almost there
Inside the Subway, it is business as usual — elegant pools feeding other elegant pools.
This is why we came here
As soon as Gary sees this stuff, he sets up his tripod and starts shooting like mad. It is some time before he bothers to explore the rest of the slot, partly because of a nearly disastrous tumble into one of the pools.
Gary will be pleased to get up here
At the upper end of the walkable section, four canyoneers, whom I did not bother to photograph, have appeared above the labyrinth of green pools. Apparently they have not gone the right way, because they stand around for some time looking twenty feet down at the section that they are going to have to swim after they figure out how to get down there.
There is no way to avoid getting wet here
Gary's camera is pointing my way
David chats with a photographer who has been here for two hours
Finally, a clear shot
The rest of the story
Gary does some more shooting at the Keyhole entrance, then discovers that a lens cap is missing. We scour the entire place for it, without success.
Here is one result of Gary's effort:
A fine photograph indeed
By the time we leave, the four canyoneers still have not managed to solve their dilemma. They have no option but to work it out, however.
A last look inside
In fact, this probably will be my last look, because it is unlikely that I would return. At my age, two visits are enough, I think. Of course, if someone else were to ask me to go...
Is that a giant worm? Or is it a channel of white water
rushing between red slabs?
Being somewhat ahead of Gary, I head back up the high trail beside the cliff. At the top, lying in the middle of the path, is the missing lens cap! I guess that Gary ended up on this high route after all. David, who has forged ahead as usual, must have gone the other way; otherwise, he probably would have spotted the item himself.
Gary must have stopped here earlier for a photo, and that
certainly is understandable
The canyon now is bathed in sunlight, while it lasts. This makes it somewhat easier to photograph the cascades.
Upper Cascade
This is why I go hiking
Lower Cascade
In between those cascades is another mile and a half of scrambling, yet somehow the going seems a bit easier now. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that we actually are reducing the distance to the trailhead. I don't know how much actual mileage remains, for I have been too lazy to replace the batteries in my GPS.
We just keep going
Some little person has left a nice note
En route, a couple of sizable groups of youngsters overtake us. They must
have come down from the top. Gary observes that we three are easily the
oldest hikers in evidence today — probably thirty-plus years
older in my case. Is there some sort of message in that?
The sunlight is disappearing from the canyon floor
Prickly Pear Cactus
The signpost pointing upward is a most welcome sight. Now, all that remains is to see how long it will take to scramble up the big hill.
I hope that that rock remains in place
We're getting out of here just in time
Last time, it took me well over an hour to make this ascent in
90-degree heat, when I already had nearly run out of water.
Today, Gary and I easily make it back to the car in 45 minutes.
David has been standing there for half an hour, getting cold.
It being past his dinnertime, we are mildly surprised that he has not
broken out a car window to get at the box of pretzels inside.
End of a ten-hour trek
§: The Subway is in a class of its own, and I feel that the
elegance and beauty of the Archangel Cascades cannot be adequately expressed
in writing or adequately portrayed in photographs. They also are in a
class of their own.
The fact that we averaged just one mile per hour on the trail pretty much
tells the story of this time-consuming and trying route. Other
than a top-down approach requiring climbing equipment, this trail is
the only access to the prettiest place one might ever be lucky enough to visit.
Today the stream flow was greater than optimum; and due to the lateness of
the season, there were virtually no flowers and the overall lighting wasn't
as good as on my visit four years ago. If you can stand the heat,
I recommend a late-September hike here in a virtual garden of eden.
In the spring, the water levels rate to be too high for comfort or enjoyment.
Hikers with water-tolerant shoes definitely can save time and effort
by remaining in the creek much of the time. Alternatively, I managed to
keep my own feet dry today with just my waterproof mid-height Merrells.
I am mildly irked at myself for having made it back to the trailhead just before sunset. That was the second time this year that I escaped a deep canyon just in time to avoid the necessity of walking in the dark. On both occasions I was foolishly unprepared for that contingency, and today I didn't even have anything warm to wear. On the bright side, I feel that I actually could have made it all the way up that final grade without pausing to rest, had someone made it worth my while to do so.
All that having been said, this walk still was as good as they come. Thanks, guys, for joining me; I wouldn't have repeated this trek without you.
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