Zion National Park

Started reminiscing of past hikes and what has led up to the most
incredible 3 years of continuous adventures in my life. I can think
of almost 120 adventures, none of which shadows the other, but a few
that for some reason radiate in my mind?

I believe it was early spring 2 years ago that we decided to check
out North Taylor Creek in the Kolob Canyon District of Zion. Packs
filled, memory cards empty and ready to be filled, bodies and minds
ready to accept whatever would be coming our way.

This trail is very gentle until it splits away from Middle Taylor
Creek Trail, and then it gradually disintigrates into a free for all.
On the way we passed the fresh “kill” which stimulated our senses. It
confirmed that we were in a wild environment, but so close to safety!
Our bodies and minds fresh and clear, but now wary…onward we pushed
into such amazingly beautiful territory. Looking up and left…an
arch appeared! Had others even noticed it before? Undoubtably so, but
we wanted to think we had discovered it. Hence…we christened
it “Pico Rosado” and felt as though we had made our historic find.
What a glorious and exhilirating time for us! Now the remnants of a
medium winter showed us that further progress might just be a dream
without “Technical Gear” (Refer to thread in Canyons-egroup), so soon
our journey had reached an end.

Ah, but we had discovered so much, in a short hike, separated from
civilization. Time to relax, have a great lunch of sandwiches and
revel in such an accomplishment in the most beautiful place on earth!
Rejuvinated, and ready for the return trip, we loaded packs and made
our way west. Soon (thankfully) I remembered that I had left my
camera on the ground at our midway point. Quite embarrased, I told my
hiking partner to remain guarding my pack while I ran the mile or so
back up-canyon to retrieve my goods. After 15 or so minutes of
running, there was the camera which I hastily collected and began an
immediate return not wanting to inconvenience my partner. I passed
what I thought may be where I had left her, but wasn’t sure? Maybe I
had run too far and had missed her? Back up the canyon I ran…all
the way to the end….geeze…I was loosing it! Back down to where I
had thought I had left her! NOT THERE! OK….I’ll just run all the
way back to the parking area…….On the way there she
was!…….Why the heck didn’t you stay put with my pack so we could
hike back together???????……………..Bo, you left me right where
the “Fresh Kill” was and I WASN”T in the mood to be part of the Lions
Dinner!…………….I was so angry, but in hindsight I not only
could kick myself, but have to laugh at my frustration and stupidity!
-Bo

There is so much debate about this when it comes to Canyoneering.  In Zion most accept that the canyons needing a permit are technical and Subway and Orderville are Semitechnical.

Here is Bo’s reply after a long debate on the subject…

If you hike in blue-jeans
and cotton socks with sneakers…its non-technical?

If you wear hydrophylic/ hydrophobic clothing and stealth rubber on
your sandals….its now technical hiking!

Ditto with canyoneering, except hemp rope is semi-technical and nylon-
polyester and dyneema ups the level to technical. Carry a dynomometer,
gps, frs radios, and it really gets technical. Throw in some new led
headlamps, titanium wetsuits, suction cup booties and now its technical
beyond imagination!

If climbing is involved in canyoneering and hiking, then the climbing
adds a new dimension. “technical climbing” generally referred to the
use of “technical gear” i.e, pitons,chocks,ladders, etc. On the other
hand the “purest” form of climbing requires no gear? Is it technical or
non technical? Maybe the technique used is what should be referred to
as “technical”? The best climber I ever saw (point of view) was
a “deadhead” that climbed “technical” routes in his hemp, dyed pants,
barefooted, dreadlocks weighing him down,….no rope…no
protection…..was he technical or non technical? Certainly the gear he
used was non technical…I don’t think he referred to himself as a
technical climber?

Perhaps a canyon rating system could include the canyon rating system
and also the yds system and a canyon might be referred to as a
Canyoneering/Climbing Route “Technical or Non-Technical” depending on
the need of protection to reduce the chance of injury or death?

Zion Narrows  Bo and I did the Zion Narrows yesterday.  Although we know this is considered to be the best “trail” in the National Park system, we still thought it would not stand up to all the off-the-beaten-path stuff we do.  We were wrong.  The Zion Narrows is everything that the media plays it up to be.  It’s a full, fun day of hiking.  Even though most of it is downhill, the slipping and sliding over rocks makes it more difficult.  If you  want to know the best hike in Zion - it is without a doubt the Zion Narrows.

 I decided to “Do It” yesterday on sort of an impulse
and knowing that the weather would be too hot after May 12th.
I started headlamping at 3:05AM from Lee Pass with the intention of
jogging at least 10-15 miles of the hike. Immediately my left knee
said that jogging would be very limited. I wanted to do the entire
Zion Crossing unsupported (no food, water, clothing drops) and carry
everything on my back . I did it sort of! I took on 1.5 quarts of
water at the grotto at mile 37 and I also had my best hiking partner
Tanya pick me up at the East Entrance to give me a ride back to my
Pathfinder at Lee Pass. I also was shooting to get the entire hike
done in 14 hours or less……almost made it!

I made good time thru La Verkin Creek and up into Hop Valley, but got
my feet wet in Hop Valley which I wanted to avoid. I headlamped until
6AM. Nonetheless I made it to the Hop Valley TH at 7:07AM. Not
bothering to change socks or even stop at all, I continued on to
Wildcat Canyon Trail and passed West Rim TH at 9:35 AM and decided
that my first stop would be at 7 hours of hiking. I made it down the
West Rim a couple miles before taking a break at 10:05 AM. Should
have seen the faces of the hikers I passed that saw me with cold
weather attire (temps up past 80 by this time) and a headlamp on!
They must have thought I was totally screwed up! (many think I am
anyway!) Took 15 minutes to change socks, ingest some nutrients, shed
a layer or two and back on the trail at 10:20AM. Made it to West Rim
Spring at Noon and made my way down to The Grotto. Got there just as
Tanya and Chris Hansen pulled up in a shuttle to meet me at 1:25 PM.
Took a moment to change socks, add 1.5 quarts of water to my bladder
and Chris asked if he could hike the last 11 miles with me?
Absolutely! I was hammered and needed the moral support. My feet were
screaming bloody murder, Tanya said “Bo take care of that quarter
size blister on your left heel”. I didn’t even know it existed. The
bottoms of my feet were on fire. 90+ degree temps were brutal. 11
miles to go. I mustered what I had left in reserves (and powergels)
and slogged every painful inch up. When I got to Stave Spring the
adrenaline took over. I was almost done and my pace got back to
normal knowing I would complete my 3rd “FFF”. I made it to the smile
and encouragement of Tanya waiting in the Rover at 5:30 PM, just 25
minutes short of my goal of 14 hours or less. Oh well! Another day.

The heat was brutal! Hope you other FFF’ers can find some cool
weather as it really makes a difference! Good luck and have fun!

Bo

By Bo Beck about May 2007 Trek

First of all….the FFF was an idea that was inspired by my one time
supervisor, Terry Tucker. On a May day in the early 90’s he sat down
and was studying the “Hiking Zion” book to get an idea what would be
a fun hike. Terry noted that many of the hikes were listed as better
spring hikes than they were summer hikes. Well since it was getting
close to summer and he had limited weekends to chose from , it would
be a good idea to hike all of the trails very soon.

His hike was done from Lee Pass to La Verkin Creek and up Willis
Creek to Kolob Reservoir then down West Rim and back up East Rim.
When I wanted to repeat the hike I decided I wanted to hike from East
to West and remain in the park the entire time, thus I did my first
crossing in 2001.

Since the scenery was so beautiful on that first hike, I decided that
I needed to hike west to east so it would be a new hike (Tanya has
taught me an appreciation of never doing the same hike over and over)
and thus yesterday became my second, however innaugural FFF!

We started with 6 cheery folks, but by Hop Valley TH we started sort
of splitting up and going our own paces. Got to admit though I stuck
with the one person that I thought I may be able to hang with the
whole time since he was 8 years my senior (age has nothing to do with
endurance by the way). Jeff….YOU DA MAN! Not only is Jeff a fun guy
to hike with, but has an uncanny sense of humor and has an eye like
an eagle. In all the years I’ve been hiking I would never have
noticed a DUCK…yes a DUCK perched in a Pine Tree on the Wildcat
Canyon Trail if it weren’t for the keen eyes of Jeff! BTW…thanks
for letting me use your glasses in the hotel room so I could verify
that I had erased my trip log on the recorder!

Great Day, Great Friends……..This is the Life! Thanks All!

Today Bo and I headed to the top of Checkerboard Mesa. We had exited this way once last winter when the wash was snow filled. Bo had done the climbing route up Checkerboard Mesa before however and knew this route. We started about 10 and it was still shady on the side of the mountain we were hiking on. This made for a nice and easy trek up the mountainside. There are a couple of chimneys that you would have to hike around in the dirt, but besides that its a nice hike through the wash to the ledge where bushwacking is required to get to the top of Checkerboard Mesa.

The hike through the Left Fork of North Creek involves route finding, swimming ice cold pools and navigating through obstacles which often require the use of a rope. Today we took the kids! My 12 year old daughter and Bo’s 20 year old son. This make the trip quite special. The kids laughed and spread their joy. We also invited a few other friends including Reid from the yahoo hiking group and his hiking buddy along with some of Bo’s co-workers.

Hiking in Zion National Park - East Temple Mesa

Here is a route that is off the beaten path. The route begins at the well known Canyon Overlook Trail and runs through the saddle by Zion’s East Temple and exits at Upper Pine Creek. Be prepared for slickrock scrambling since the start of this hike is rather steep and up the side of the mountain. The route is 2.25 miles long and once on top its a easy hike down, until hitting the slope going into Upper Pine Creek. At this point those sticky rubber shoes are crucial.

Hidden Arch is a short little hike to a jug handle arch located on the east side of Zion National Park. Park your car at the Checkerboard Mesa parking lot. Look over the end of the wall for the beaten path. Its not a marked trail. Remember to stay on the path so the park does not close trails like this.

After you are in the creekbed, turn left. The water course will split. Take the fork on the right and hike up that for about 3/4 mile. Stay close to the mountainside. You can see the arch after you actually hike a bit past it.

Hidden Arch

Two Pines Arch

Bo and I headed out to find one of the elusive natural arches in Zion National Park. We had heard about this arch and that it could actually be seen from the road. This is true, but it helps to hike there so you know were you a the road. Look for the slot or wash by the yellow road sign. Once down in the wash hike for about 150 yards. Hike in the wash to the arch.

Detailed directions and photos
Two Pine Arch