A week in Zion... Advice needed!

LarryBoy

LarryBoy

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Jan 4, 2015
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Mates,

Hope this isn't asking too much, but I just arrived in Zion NP after completing the Hayduke Trail (yayyy!). My bus for the CDT doesn't leave for another week, which means I have time to kill. Rough life, huh?

Looking for suggestions on what to do as I'm a relative noob to the park. I've only ever done Coalpits Wash, the Trans-Zion trek, and now the Barracks.

I'd prefer overnight trips, as that solves the lodging issue as well, but would consider awesome dayhikes too. Any thoughts?
 
This January was my first time in the park, but boy did South Guardian Angel wow me. One of the coolest dayhikes I've done, and plenty punishing.

If you want to solve the lodging problem for that hike, you could get a backpacking permit for the Wildcat Canyon Camp Area (extra good since it's dispersed camping. No assigned sites) and you can camp near the end of the Northgate Peaks trail. Or if you're extra hard core, you could descend into and climb out of the Left Fork and camp on the other (South) side. It would be a little rough doing all that with a full pack, but you'd have a huge area all to yourself if you did. I want to try that one sometime.
 
LarryBoy said:
Not to cross-post too badly, but since you asked, I did put a little writeup on my blog. Obviously a month long trip is way too big for a full blown TR,but this has some themes and anecdotes.

http://prettyeasytoremember.blogspot.com/2018/04/hayduke-trail-wrap-up.html?m=1
Click to expand...

Cool -- congrats on finishing the Hayduke.

Still in Zion? Sorry for slow reply, but... a good away-from-it-all spot is above Coal Pits Wash on Cougar Mountain. One can drop down into Right Fork and Double Falls or explore up the Terry Wash area. I've always wanted to know if it's possible to get up to Phantom Valley and then connect to Wildcat Canyon. I've been told "probably -- but take ropes for safety".
 
Thanks Jamal! I actually just left this AM but this is a really good idea. I've been in lower Coalpits before but never did any off trail exploration. I think it's actually be pretty sick to connect what you detailed with Jackson's south guardian angel idea and essentially make a big horseshoe. Would need to spend a lot more time staring at a topo to see whether it's doable.
 
LarryBoy said:
Not to cross-post too badly, but since you asked, I did put a little writeup on my blog. Obviously a month long trip is way too big for a full blown TR,but this has some themes and anecdotes.

http://prettyeasytoremember.blogspot.com/2018/04/hayduke-trail-wrap-up.html?m=1
Click to expand...

Nice writeup, needs more photos :)

I had to smile about your tour guide part and tourist questions. I get the weirdest questions at trailheads in the Smokies, I guess the backpack makes me look like an expert.
 
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