From the sublime to the ridiculous - Spring Break trip report with a 13 yr. old - Zion, Bryce & Vegas
Apr 13th, 2006, 01:34 PM
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From the sublime to the ridiculous - Spring Break trip report with a 13 yr. old - Zion, Bryce & Vegas
This is my first trip report so please forgive any first timer mistakes or at least tell me it sucks in a nice way. Control freak that I am, I sat my husband and son down 6 weeks ago and told them that if we all wanted to go somewhere new for spring break, they should be the ones to decide. Enough of me planning every trip, enough of me setting the itinerary - I was just going to sit back and enjoy somene else taking care of things. My son decided it would be fun to go to a couple of National Parks so we went to the book store, bought Fodor's National Parks of the Southwest and brought the book home. Where it sat... and sat and sat until I hinted if we wanted to have places to stay in the year 2006, perhaps it would be wise to actually open the book. My son's a budding rock climber so he thought Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park looked pretty interesting to him. Being reassured that they would take care of all of the arrangements and not to worry my pretty little OCD head about anything, I made myself a cocktail and a week later booked the trip myself.
Our goal was to actually stay in the Parks themselves and as many of you probably know, they book up WAYYY in advance. Because our spring break is earlier, we lucked out. Both of these parks are booked through www.xanterra.com. and we manged to find space. In Zion, we booked a "Western style cabin" and in Bryce, a motel room in the park. More on xanterra later.
Having fond memories of many road trips as a kid, we loaded up our car with too many clothes, too many snacks and wedged ourselves in between everything and took off for points Northeast (we live in LA). First stop: Zion.
We made our way past Vegas, and into a little bit of Arizona and the landscape began to change from brush and dust into something miraculous. The more we climbed, the more the topgraphy changed. To see how the plates of the earth shifted thousands of years before and were shoved up at all angles in a rainbow of colors was amazing. My memories of towering mountains and cliffs returned and my son looked in awe at how prehistoric everything was. We stopped a couple of times - once at the Virgin River Scenic Rest stop and hiked down to the river. It's a nice place to stretch your legs, make the jokes everyone has certainly heard a million times in the town of Virgin and then moved on.
As sun began to set, we climbed into the Dixie National Forest and Zion. I've been to many places in my lifetime and I will tell you, it's one of the most beatiful drives in this country you will ever take. The mountains are stunningly red and made more brilliant by the setting sun. Around every corner was a new vista more beautiful than the last. We drove through the little town of Springdale right outside the entrace and then drove into the park. You need a special pass to go down the main road to the lodge - just give them the confirmation # of your room and they will let you have one. Make sure to hold onto your receipt if you plan on leaving the park to go into town. They'll ask to see it again. As we drive slowly, there are deer and wild turkeys everywhere, clouds and a dusting of snow on the highest peaks. The lodge and surrounding cabins quite literally sit between two towering 1500 foot cliffs. Our cabin is perfect - two double beds, a gas fireplace, nice bathroom with a tub (which comes in handy after grueling hikes) and a little porch with a rocking chair. We unloaded our car, had a pretty nice dinner at the lodge and yes, there is beer and wine (another nice thing after a grueling hike - will there be an alcoholic theme here? perhaps.) We settled in for the night as the fake fire flickered and got ready for our adventures of the next day.
NEXT: OUR HIKE FROM HELL to ANGEL'S LANDING, FLYING TURKEYS AND PARK GUIDES WHO MUST ALL READ DIFFERENT BOOKS ABOUT ZION....
Our goal was to actually stay in the Parks themselves and as many of you probably know, they book up WAYYY in advance. Because our spring break is earlier, we lucked out. Both of these parks are booked through www.xanterra.com. and we manged to find space. In Zion, we booked a "Western style cabin" and in Bryce, a motel room in the park. More on xanterra later.
Having fond memories of many road trips as a kid, we loaded up our car with too many clothes, too many snacks and wedged ourselves in between everything and took off for points Northeast (we live in LA). First stop: Zion.
We made our way past Vegas, and into a little bit of Arizona and the landscape began to change from brush and dust into something miraculous. The more we climbed, the more the topgraphy changed. To see how the plates of the earth shifted thousands of years before and were shoved up at all angles in a rainbow of colors was amazing. My memories of towering mountains and cliffs returned and my son looked in awe at how prehistoric everything was. We stopped a couple of times - once at the Virgin River Scenic Rest stop and hiked down to the river. It's a nice place to stretch your legs, make the jokes everyone has certainly heard a million times in the town of Virgin and then moved on.
As sun began to set, we climbed into the Dixie National Forest and Zion. I've been to many places in my lifetime and I will tell you, it's one of the most beatiful drives in this country you will ever take. The mountains are stunningly red and made more brilliant by the setting sun. Around every corner was a new vista more beautiful than the last. We drove through the little town of Springdale right outside the entrace and then drove into the park. You need a special pass to go down the main road to the lodge - just give them the confirmation # of your room and they will let you have one. Make sure to hold onto your receipt if you plan on leaving the park to go into town. They'll ask to see it again. As we drive slowly, there are deer and wild turkeys everywhere, clouds and a dusting of snow on the highest peaks. The lodge and surrounding cabins quite literally sit between two towering 1500 foot cliffs. Our cabin is perfect - two double beds, a gas fireplace, nice bathroom with a tub (which comes in handy after grueling hikes) and a little porch with a rocking chair. We unloaded our car, had a pretty nice dinner at the lodge and yes, there is beer and wine (another nice thing after a grueling hike - will there be an alcoholic theme here? perhaps.) We settled in for the night as the fake fire flickered and got ready for our adventures of the next day.
NEXT: OUR HIKE FROM HELL to ANGEL'S LANDING, FLYING TURKEYS AND PARK GUIDES WHO MUST ALL READ DIFFERENT BOOKS ABOUT ZION....
Apr 13th, 2006, 04:15 PM
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LOL, italy06 (hope you are going to Italy this year!) I think most women here can relate to your wanting someone else to make the vacations plans for a change. And a week later you booked the trip yourself. Yes we can all relate I am sure!! LOL.
Charmin trip report even if it wasn't your first trip report. I sure look forward to the next installment. Your descriptions of the scenery are fantastic!
Charmin trip report even if it wasn't your first trip report. I sure look forward to the next installment. Your descriptions of the scenery are fantastic!
Apr 13th, 2006, 04:45 PM
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Oh goodie. Terrific report and I know I'll love what follows. We stayed in the lodge at Zion and I'd wondered what the cabins were like--they looked fabulous, in that rustic nat'l parks way! LOL Aren't the cliff faces rising from that area incredible? I hope you saw them in full moon, or close to that. At first I couldn't imagine what I was looking at, FL flatlander that I was!
Of our party of 6 on our last trip, only two completed Angels Landing. Did you make it?
Of our party of 6 on our last trip, only two completed Angels Landing. Did you make it?
Apr 13th, 2006, 05:36 PM
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Thanks, LoveItaly! Yes, I AM going to Italy this year - in 54 days but who's counting? Venice, Tuscany and Rome for 19 days but I'll save that for the Europe Forum. In fact, this Spring trip has gotten my leg and drinking muscles in shape for the hills of Chianti. More on Zion:
We awoke the next day to sunshine, brisk temperatures and a hike my son had picked out. It seemed serene enough, after all, it had the word Angel in it. That can't be bad, can it? First you hop on a shuttle to take you a half mile up the road to the Grotto. Apparently in 2000, the Park Service made the decision to ban all cars from the park. Wildlife was scarce, plants were dying and 6,000 cars a day were fighting for 400 parking places. Finally a governmental decision that made sense! Within a year, wildlife had returned and the park was flourishing. The shuttle takes a great little loop through the park with guides giving you information along the way. It stops at 4 or 5 places, runs until long after dark and arrives no more than every ten minutes apart. Even if you don't do a hike, I advise getting off at the stops and checking them out. So many beautiful things to see. The information from the guides was pretty inconsistent, though. Some acted like no more than urban bus drivers and didn't say a word. Others were very informative even if they gave out wildly varying info. My son asked 3 different drivers if anyone had fallen off the surrounding hills and got three different answers - "no," "yes but only because they were stupid" and "yep, we lost a Boy Scout last year - fell 1500 feet." Comforting. We got off at the Grotto to start our seemingly angelic hike up to Angels Landing. I was going to go with the flow and let my son pick what he wanted to do and trusted him to impart the necessary info about the hike. All he said was that it wasn't recommended for small children and there were some chains involved at some point in time. Chains? Hmmmm. Should've been my first clue but we forged on. My first big clue was the benign sign that the National Parks people do so well that shows a stick figure of a man on some crumbling rock seemingly falling to his untimely death. I LOVE National Parks - they will tell you you might die but hey, keep going, it's pretty up ahead. Actually, it's pretty cool that we have these parks with really very few rules and if you're leveleheaded, can take the amount of risk you feel comfortable with. Onward and upward literally. As I was to find out, the Angels Landing Trail was a 2.5 mile trek almost straight up that at one point involves 21 switchbacks called Walter's Wiggles. And that's the easy part. It starts off slowly enough but all I know is by the time I hit mile two, I was waving my Visa card to helicopters overhead hoping they'd take pity on me. No such luck. It's a beautiful hike and we took it VERY slowly and at a couple of points it's pretty dizzying looking down to the valley below. Just when you think you're going to become James Stewart in the opening scene of Vertigo, it moves into a narrow canyon with lots of shade and a pretty easy path. From there, up the 21 switchbacks which are grueling but architecturally fantastic and then you get to a plateau called Scout's Lookout. A little water, an apple and you think you're ready to move ahead. Then come the chains... This is where I put my game, "sure I'll try it" face on for my son but all the time thinking "For the love of all I hold dear, what the hell am I doing?" There are chains bolted into the side of a huge rock that you hold onto and climb so you don't fall into the canyon 1200 feet below you. No problem. We made it up about four of these chains until, thank God, my son said, "you know, I'm getting a little tired, let's head back." Whether out of his own fear or pity for the terrified look on my face, I loved him just a little bit more for that moment. Coming down the chains was even scarier but we made it back to level ground as a marathon runner sprinted, yes sprinted past us, not using the chains but running like a skittering mountain lion all the way up the rock. My husband, of course, had the sense to say , "you know, I'll document your climb and just stay here at the Landing." He's no fool. For the brave hearted, beyond the point where we turned back in terror, was another hill down and then up to a path that was no more than three feet wide and a 1500 foot drop on both sides. Apparently it was a stunning view at the top but we were more than happy to take someone else's word for it. We did buy the "I climbed Angel's Landing " t-shirt at the gift shop though. I think we deserved it. I do recommend the hike but read the book or trail guide first and see if you're up to it. Even if you go part way, it's terrific and makes you feel good and lucky to be alive and breathing such pure, great air. And it was a great bonding adventure for us as a family who like everyone, gets so fragmented in our real lives with work, homework, chores and all of the other mundane stuff that in that moment seemd so very far away. LATER: Flying turkeys and thunderstorms....
We awoke the next day to sunshine, brisk temperatures and a hike my son had picked out. It seemed serene enough, after all, it had the word Angel in it. That can't be bad, can it? First you hop on a shuttle to take you a half mile up the road to the Grotto. Apparently in 2000, the Park Service made the decision to ban all cars from the park. Wildlife was scarce, plants were dying and 6,000 cars a day were fighting for 400 parking places. Finally a governmental decision that made sense! Within a year, wildlife had returned and the park was flourishing. The shuttle takes a great little loop through the park with guides giving you information along the way. It stops at 4 or 5 places, runs until long after dark and arrives no more than every ten minutes apart. Even if you don't do a hike, I advise getting off at the stops and checking them out. So many beautiful things to see. The information from the guides was pretty inconsistent, though. Some acted like no more than urban bus drivers and didn't say a word. Others were very informative even if they gave out wildly varying info. My son asked 3 different drivers if anyone had fallen off the surrounding hills and got three different answers - "no," "yes but only because they were stupid" and "yep, we lost a Boy Scout last year - fell 1500 feet." Comforting. We got off at the Grotto to start our seemingly angelic hike up to Angels Landing. I was going to go with the flow and let my son pick what he wanted to do and trusted him to impart the necessary info about the hike. All he said was that it wasn't recommended for small children and there were some chains involved at some point in time. Chains? Hmmmm. Should've been my first clue but we forged on. My first big clue was the benign sign that the National Parks people do so well that shows a stick figure of a man on some crumbling rock seemingly falling to his untimely death. I LOVE National Parks - they will tell you you might die but hey, keep going, it's pretty up ahead. Actually, it's pretty cool that we have these parks with really very few rules and if you're leveleheaded, can take the amount of risk you feel comfortable with. Onward and upward literally. As I was to find out, the Angels Landing Trail was a 2.5 mile trek almost straight up that at one point involves 21 switchbacks called Walter's Wiggles. And that's the easy part. It starts off slowly enough but all I know is by the time I hit mile two, I was waving my Visa card to helicopters overhead hoping they'd take pity on me. No such luck. It's a beautiful hike and we took it VERY slowly and at a couple of points it's pretty dizzying looking down to the valley below. Just when you think you're going to become James Stewart in the opening scene of Vertigo, it moves into a narrow canyon with lots of shade and a pretty easy path. From there, up the 21 switchbacks which are grueling but architecturally fantastic and then you get to a plateau called Scout's Lookout. A little water, an apple and you think you're ready to move ahead. Then come the chains... This is where I put my game, "sure I'll try it" face on for my son but all the time thinking "For the love of all I hold dear, what the hell am I doing?" There are chains bolted into the side of a huge rock that you hold onto and climb so you don't fall into the canyon 1200 feet below you. No problem. We made it up about four of these chains until, thank God, my son said, "you know, I'm getting a little tired, let's head back." Whether out of his own fear or pity for the terrified look on my face, I loved him just a little bit more for that moment. Coming down the chains was even scarier but we made it back to level ground as a marathon runner sprinted, yes sprinted past us, not using the chains but running like a skittering mountain lion all the way up the rock. My husband, of course, had the sense to say , "you know, I'll document your climb and just stay here at the Landing." He's no fool. For the brave hearted, beyond the point where we turned back in terror, was another hill down and then up to a path that was no more than three feet wide and a 1500 foot drop on both sides. Apparently it was a stunning view at the top but we were more than happy to take someone else's word for it. We did buy the "I climbed Angel's Landing " t-shirt at the gift shop though. I think we deserved it. I do recommend the hike but read the book or trail guide first and see if you're up to it. Even if you go part way, it's terrific and makes you feel good and lucky to be alive and breathing such pure, great air. And it was a great bonding adventure for us as a family who like everyone, gets so fragmented in our real lives with work, homework, chores and all of the other mundane stuff that in that moment seemd so very far away. LATER: Flying turkeys and thunderstorms....
Apr 14th, 2006, 09:03 AM
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I'm really enjoying this descriptive report so far. Zion has just moved up several notches on my "list".
P.S: We'll be in Italy (with a 13 & 11 year old) in 114 days. I look forward to reading your trip report upon your return.
P.S: We'll be in Italy (with a 13 & 11 year old) in 114 days. I look forward to reading your trip report upon your return.
Apr 14th, 2006, 09:17 AM
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This is So Great!!
I have become a wuss when it comes to climbing rocks and high places, from living with a wuss who really does not like high places ( who knew it was contagious?) so it is a pleasure to read about those that Do these things and who also get scared too
The falling man sign would have had me crawling the rest of the way up...
I am reeally enjoying this!!
ok, you can tell us more now~
I have become a wuss when it comes to climbing rocks and high places, from living with a wuss who really does not like high places ( who knew it was contagious?) so it is a pleasure to read about those that Do these things and who also get scared too
The falling man sign would have had me crawling the rest of the way up...
I am reeally enjoying this!!
ok, you can tell us more now~
Apr 14th, 2006, 09:40 AM
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This is great. I knew I was in for a treat when it starts out with:
>>Being reassured that they would take care of all of the arrangements and not to worry my pretty little OCD head about anything, I made myself a cocktail and a week later booked the trip myself.<<
Having a good laugh reading all the descriptions of the Angel Trail. I look forward to reading the rest.
>>Being reassured that they would take care of all of the arrangements and not to worry my pretty little OCD head about anything, I made myself a cocktail and a week later booked the trip myself.<<
Having a good laugh reading all the descriptions of the Angel Trail. I look forward to reading the rest.
Apr 14th, 2006, 10:30 AM
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Hello italy06,
Terrific job of reporting! You make the area come alive!
Bryce and Zion are 2 of my favorite places in the U.S., but I've never been so brave as to do the Angel's hike. Pull the chain? Oh no, not me.
Terrific job of reporting! You make the area come alive!
Bryce and Zion are 2 of my favorite places in the U.S., but I've never been so brave as to do the Angel's hike. Pull the chain? Oh no, not me.
Apr 14th, 2006, 11:20 AM
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This is an excellent report....hopefully the first of many.
I can so relate to the terrifying hiking thing. We were hiking along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon with our then 8 and 11 year old boys - some of the paths were so narrow with a sheer drop just inches away.... eeek, scares me all over again just thinking about it. But, it does feel great to have done it AND to have had that experience as a family.
More, please.
I can so relate to the terrifying hiking thing. We were hiking along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon with our then 8 and 11 year old boys - some of the paths were so narrow with a sheer drop just inches away.... eeek, scares me all over again just thinking about it. But, it does feel great to have done it AND to have had that experience as a family.
More, please.
Apr 14th, 2006, 11:58 AM
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Thanks for all of your kind words! As we left Angel's Landing and boarded the shuttle on the way back, I knew I was going to be in trouble when my legs wouldn't move the way they did in the morning. I knew a hot bath and many cocktails were in my immediate future to ease the pain in my calves. As we were driving back, someone yelled to look out the window and as God as my witness, giant wild turkeys were flying up into trees to roost for the night. It was an amazing sight to look at all the trees and see them filled with turkeys. And we think they're just good with gravy...
After some Motrin and a leg rub by my sympathetic husband, we headed into the town of Springdale for dinner. Let me say this about food in and around National Parks - you must remind yourself you are there for the scenery and the beautiful landscapes that surround you. It's never gonna be the gastronomical delights of Rome or Paris or Rome, Georgia or Paris, Texas for that matter.
There are about 8 or so National Park accommodations and restaurants in and around the southwest (including the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone) that are serviced by a company called Xanterra. I mentioned their website earlier. You must book through them to get rooms and they run the restaurants as well. The food is, well, ok. Nothing special and quite frankly I think with just a little more effort , it would be great. The service at both parks was pretty inconsistent and having been a waitress in my college days, it just seemed like no one had taken the time to train the staffs well enough. I have a feeling it's hard to attract people to come live in a remote place year round and wait tables. If you're young, it's pretty isolating up there. Oh well, again, not there for the food. In Springdale, we ate at The Spotted Dog (which thankfully wasn't a choice on the menu) - the food was pretty good. We also had lunch at a fabulous little Mexican health food place tucked back in a corner on the right side of the road as you're leaving the park. It's called Oscar's - excellent food and beers from local microbreweries. Highly recommended.
As I mentioned earlier, my son's a rock climber so the next morning was going to be a 4 hour rock climb with a local guide and my husband while I studied the inside of my eyelids in front of a warm fire and dreamed of the massage I would book the minute we got home. Somewhere around 5 in the morning it began to sound like the mountains were starting to fall on our cabin. We peeked out the window to see one of the most spectacular thunder and lightning storms I'd ever seen. Living in LA, we don't get too much in the way of thunder. I reassured my son that he was witnessing something really amazing and we were safe and sound. He seemed reassured until a guide the next day told him that the whole Lodge and surrounding cabins had gone up in flames decades earlier and what we were staying in were pretty new accommodations. My son eyed me suspiciously the rest of the trip.
The rains cancelled the rock climbing and my time alone to reflect but by the time we woke up, there was snow on all the hills and everywhere we looked there were crashing waterfalls cascading off of the cliffs above us.
As a consolation for the cancelled rock climbing, we promised my son more hiking. Lucky me... And you know what? Lucky me - it was great. Two hikes I recommend that won't make your stomach churn in fear - a moderate 1/2 mile hike to Weeping Rock was first. It's an easy trail and because of the earlier rain, there was a giant waterfall pouring out of one of the cliffs a thousand feet over head. Although the rock "weeps" year round because it's so porous, we had the bonus of the waterfall. It's gorgeous up there and has a hanging garden of many different types of plants as well. The other hike we took was the Riverside Walk - it's the last stop on the shuttle. Again, a nice easy, level walk along the Virgin river. It's very relaxing, has a few boulders for kids to climb and the cliffs narrow in around you as you walk. If you're lucky, you'll see deer feeding on some of the vegetation above you. At the end of this walk is another more strenuous hike called the Narrows Trail. Because it's still essentially winter up there, it was closed because the river was too high. It's supposed to be great - the book says be prepared to swim occasionally in icy water - maybe next time... when I can feel my thighs again. All in all, I highly recommend Zion and would go there again and spend more time. It's lovely and amazing and made me realize how fortunate we are to have such untamed nature in our backyards just waiting for us to visit and appreciate.
NEXT: Checkerboard Mesa, blinding snow, Thunderbird Diner- home of "ho-made" pies and Bryce.
After some Motrin and a leg rub by my sympathetic husband, we headed into the town of Springdale for dinner. Let me say this about food in and around National Parks - you must remind yourself you are there for the scenery and the beautiful landscapes that surround you. It's never gonna be the gastronomical delights of Rome or Paris or Rome, Georgia or Paris, Texas for that matter.
There are about 8 or so National Park accommodations and restaurants in and around the southwest (including the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone) that are serviced by a company called Xanterra. I mentioned their website earlier. You must book through them to get rooms and they run the restaurants as well. The food is, well, ok. Nothing special and quite frankly I think with just a little more effort , it would be great. The service at both parks was pretty inconsistent and having been a waitress in my college days, it just seemed like no one had taken the time to train the staffs well enough. I have a feeling it's hard to attract people to come live in a remote place year round and wait tables. If you're young, it's pretty isolating up there. Oh well, again, not there for the food. In Springdale, we ate at The Spotted Dog (which thankfully wasn't a choice on the menu) - the food was pretty good. We also had lunch at a fabulous little Mexican health food place tucked back in a corner on the right side of the road as you're leaving the park. It's called Oscar's - excellent food and beers from local microbreweries. Highly recommended.
As I mentioned earlier, my son's a rock climber so the next morning was going to be a 4 hour rock climb with a local guide and my husband while I studied the inside of my eyelids in front of a warm fire and dreamed of the massage I would book the minute we got home. Somewhere around 5 in the morning it began to sound like the mountains were starting to fall on our cabin. We peeked out the window to see one of the most spectacular thunder and lightning storms I'd ever seen. Living in LA, we don't get too much in the way of thunder. I reassured my son that he was witnessing something really amazing and we were safe and sound. He seemed reassured until a guide the next day told him that the whole Lodge and surrounding cabins had gone up in flames decades earlier and what we were staying in were pretty new accommodations. My son eyed me suspiciously the rest of the trip.
The rains cancelled the rock climbing and my time alone to reflect but by the time we woke up, there was snow on all the hills and everywhere we looked there were crashing waterfalls cascading off of the cliffs above us.
As a consolation for the cancelled rock climbing, we promised my son more hiking. Lucky me... And you know what? Lucky me - it was great. Two hikes I recommend that won't make your stomach churn in fear - a moderate 1/2 mile hike to Weeping Rock was first. It's an easy trail and because of the earlier rain, there was a giant waterfall pouring out of one of the cliffs a thousand feet over head. Although the rock "weeps" year round because it's so porous, we had the bonus of the waterfall. It's gorgeous up there and has a hanging garden of many different types of plants as well. The other hike we took was the Riverside Walk - it's the last stop on the shuttle. Again, a nice easy, level walk along the Virgin river. It's very relaxing, has a few boulders for kids to climb and the cliffs narrow in around you as you walk. If you're lucky, you'll see deer feeding on some of the vegetation above you. At the end of this walk is another more strenuous hike called the Narrows Trail. Because it's still essentially winter up there, it was closed because the river was too high. It's supposed to be great - the book says be prepared to swim occasionally in icy water - maybe next time... when I can feel my thighs again. All in all, I highly recommend Zion and would go there again and spend more time. It's lovely and amazing and made me realize how fortunate we are to have such untamed nature in our backyards just waiting for us to visit and appreciate.
NEXT: Checkerboard Mesa, blinding snow, Thunderbird Diner- home of "ho-made" pies and Bryce.
Apr 14th, 2006, 12:17 PM
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Oh italy, you are one brave lady!! I am like Scarlett, LOL. I do love hiking but only on flat trails or ones with a gentle (I stress gentle) slopes, no terrifying mountainside trails for me!
P.S. How great you will be in Italy in less than two months!
P.S. How great you will be in Italy in less than two months!
Apr 14th, 2006, 02:27 PM
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Italy06, welcome to Angel Chickenhood, the not so elite group that did not finish the climb. I did one section of chains and it was so like this recurring dream I have of going up something so steep gravity eventually overcomes me and we fly off the mountain backwards. It was very real to me there and I've dreamed it so many times! LOL
We've made two trips to Zion and are ready to go back any time...it's that great.
Love what you had to say about food at National Parks. ROFLMAO So true!!
We've made two trips to Zion and are ready to go back any time...it's that great.
Love what you had to say about food at National Parks. ROFLMAO So true!!
Apr 14th, 2006, 05:24 PM
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Soap. I forgot to mention the soap thing. At both National Parks, being environmentally conscious, there are no little motel bars of soap in the shower or by the sink. Just a dispenser that's all purpose soap, shampoo, disinfectant and God knows what else. So if you're slightly princessy like me, BYOS. ON TO BRYCE CANYON!
After the sleep of the dead from so much hiking, we piled our stuff back into our overloaded car and headed to Bryce. Smug sidebar: The day we hiked Angels Landing, it was in the 70's and made hotter by the climb. Being from the "why plan when you can overplan" school, I googled for weather before we left and it said it would be cold. Being practical, I brought our cold weather gear only to be taunted and teased throughout the hike by my son and husband with "Geez, honey, it's dipping into the low 70's, I'm feeling a chill. Do you have those long underwear you packed handy?" When we woke up and it was 30 degrees in the sun, they were the first to dive into the jackets and sweaters and give me a begrudging nod of respect.
We left the park and headed East on the Mt. Carmel Highway that would take us to Bryce. Again, the topography changed almost immediately to more rolling stone mountains. It was as if they had been polished on the floor of the ocean a little longer than Zion a million years ago. The first cool thing on the highway, especially for a 13 year old, was the mile long tunnel through a mountain. It's one way and if you're the last car in line, they hand you a baton to hand off to the park ranger on the other side to signal it's safe to send opposing traffic through. Once through the tunnel, it began to snow. It's a windy highway with many turnouts and I advise you to take your time because it's so beautiful. Definitely stop and take a look at Checkerboard Mesa - a beautiful sandstone mountain that, especially in the snow, looks like a, what a surprise, checkboard! Once we left the highway and headed north, the snow really kicked up. It was so peaceful going through the rolling hills and for those of you who know that quiet sound of snow falling, it was a treat. We began to get hungry for lunch and thought there would be plenty of places to stop and eat, but there is a scarcity of restaurants between the two parks so pack snacks or stop when you see a place. We foolishly passed up Thunderbird Diner - Home of the Ho-Made pies. You'd think the sign alone would've taken us in to see the pie-makers but we travelled on.
Okay, another sidebar here: What is it with men and peeing outside? My son and husband can go hours through a day at home or at school or at a concert and never have to use the facilities, But in the middle of nowhere, with no one around and add to the mix, SNOW, and it was as if some ancient siren was calling to them telling them to relieve themselves of their bladder burden. I don't get it....
We finally found a little diner not far from Bryce and had a good hearty lunch surrounded by mounted deer heads on the wall that ironically held hunting caps for sale on their antlers. I love America!
As we drove into the Bryce canyon area, I was really glad I managed to book lodgings in the park. There are really slim pickings outside its entrance - even more so than Zion and a pretty far drive into the park from there. The lodge was quite nice and our adjacent motel building had large rooms with two queen sized beds, a bathtub and a little porch. Pretty cozy. We immediately stuck a couple of bottles of wine into a snowbank outside our door for later and walked out aways to see what Bryce was all about. It just seemed like we were on a pretty flat windy plateau when WHOA! What's that? I used to think the Imagineering people at Disneyland had a little too much peyote when they designed Thunder Mountain but that was before I looked over the ledge into the wildest canyon you will ever see. There were hoodoos or skinny rock formations everywhere and in every shape and size. It was like the stone version of the topiary garden in "The Shining." My son was yelling, "look, there's Bart Simpson! There are barking seals!" And the colors. I can't even describe all of the shades of red I saw. And some of the rocks looked like they were glowing. One of the guides told us that local Indian tribes avoided Bryce Canyon because they thought it was somehow enchanted or cursed - that they thought people and animals were actually turned into stone and frozen for all eternity. It really does look that way. We watched an amazing sunset, put our arms around each other and smiled until darkness and cold set in. We headed back to our room, toasted with one of our chilly bottles of wine and headed to dinner. But a warning here. Don't forget you're at 8,000 feet when you decide to share a bottle of wine. I'm sure the lodge staff took one glance at my veering path to the table and looked sadly at my son thinking I'm sorry your mom's such a lush...
Needless to say , we slept well as thoughts of crazy stone creatures danced through our heads. Well, at least my head - no doubt the wine talking...
NEXT: JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH AND A HORSE NAMED "DICK"
After the sleep of the dead from so much hiking, we piled our stuff back into our overloaded car and headed to Bryce. Smug sidebar: The day we hiked Angels Landing, it was in the 70's and made hotter by the climb. Being from the "why plan when you can overplan" school, I googled for weather before we left and it said it would be cold. Being practical, I brought our cold weather gear only to be taunted and teased throughout the hike by my son and husband with "Geez, honey, it's dipping into the low 70's, I'm feeling a chill. Do you have those long underwear you packed handy?" When we woke up and it was 30 degrees in the sun, they were the first to dive into the jackets and sweaters and give me a begrudging nod of respect.
We left the park and headed East on the Mt. Carmel Highway that would take us to Bryce. Again, the topography changed almost immediately to more rolling stone mountains. It was as if they had been polished on the floor of the ocean a little longer than Zion a million years ago. The first cool thing on the highway, especially for a 13 year old, was the mile long tunnel through a mountain. It's one way and if you're the last car in line, they hand you a baton to hand off to the park ranger on the other side to signal it's safe to send opposing traffic through. Once through the tunnel, it began to snow. It's a windy highway with many turnouts and I advise you to take your time because it's so beautiful. Definitely stop and take a look at Checkerboard Mesa - a beautiful sandstone mountain that, especially in the snow, looks like a, what a surprise, checkboard! Once we left the highway and headed north, the snow really kicked up. It was so peaceful going through the rolling hills and for those of you who know that quiet sound of snow falling, it was a treat. We began to get hungry for lunch and thought there would be plenty of places to stop and eat, but there is a scarcity of restaurants between the two parks so pack snacks or stop when you see a place. We foolishly passed up Thunderbird Diner - Home of the Ho-Made pies. You'd think the sign alone would've taken us in to see the pie-makers but we travelled on.
Okay, another sidebar here: What is it with men and peeing outside? My son and husband can go hours through a day at home or at school or at a concert and never have to use the facilities, But in the middle of nowhere, with no one around and add to the mix, SNOW, and it was as if some ancient siren was calling to them telling them to relieve themselves of their bladder burden. I don't get it....
We finally found a little diner not far from Bryce and had a good hearty lunch surrounded by mounted deer heads on the wall that ironically held hunting caps for sale on their antlers. I love America!
As we drove into the Bryce canyon area, I was really glad I managed to book lodgings in the park. There are really slim pickings outside its entrance - even more so than Zion and a pretty far drive into the park from there. The lodge was quite nice and our adjacent motel building had large rooms with two queen sized beds, a bathtub and a little porch. Pretty cozy. We immediately stuck a couple of bottles of wine into a snowbank outside our door for later and walked out aways to see what Bryce was all about. It just seemed like we were on a pretty flat windy plateau when WHOA! What's that? I used to think the Imagineering people at Disneyland had a little too much peyote when they designed Thunder Mountain but that was before I looked over the ledge into the wildest canyon you will ever see. There were hoodoos or skinny rock formations everywhere and in every shape and size. It was like the stone version of the topiary garden in "The Shining." My son was yelling, "look, there's Bart Simpson! There are barking seals!" And the colors. I can't even describe all of the shades of red I saw. And some of the rocks looked like they were glowing. One of the guides told us that local Indian tribes avoided Bryce Canyon because they thought it was somehow enchanted or cursed - that they thought people and animals were actually turned into stone and frozen for all eternity. It really does look that way. We watched an amazing sunset, put our arms around each other and smiled until darkness and cold set in. We headed back to our room, toasted with one of our chilly bottles of wine and headed to dinner. But a warning here. Don't forget you're at 8,000 feet when you decide to share a bottle of wine. I'm sure the lodge staff took one glance at my veering path to the table and looked sadly at my son thinking I'm sorry your mom's such a lush...
Needless to say , we slept well as thoughts of crazy stone creatures danced through our heads. Well, at least my head - no doubt the wine talking...
NEXT: JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH AND A HORSE NAMED "DICK"
