Subway Bottom Up July 8, 2019

Yvonne

I lava it!!!
Joined
Jan 19, 2012
Messages
4,098
it's hot down here in the desert. Really hot.
With the summer heat in full swing, it limits my hikes a lot. Unless I hike at night I usually try to find hikes with a lot of water.
The Subway is one of my favorite summer hikes that definitely fulfills the criteria. After an amazing trip with friends last week, I checked the calendar for returned permits and could snag another one.
I still recover from my Achilles tendonitis, so I was a little worried if it would be a good idea to go so soon and also with new shoes. It turned out all worries were for nothing and I had a good time.
I started a bit later than usual, but it was not a photography trip but a fun trip with hanging out in the pools and cascades. That's why I started at about 7:45 am.
There were only cars at the parking lot when I got there and after I had my backpack ready, I began my descent into the canyon to the Left Fork North Creek. The descent is always a bit of a slow move, primarily because of the steepness paired with loose rocks that make it super easy to slip and fall.
I made it down to the bottom pretty fast and started to work my way up.
Along both sides of the creek are social trails you can follow if you wanna avoid getting wet.
Most of the time I hiked in the creek as my goal was to get wet.
There is still a bit of snowmelt runoff going on and some spots are still deeper than normal.

i-HWF5vw6-XL.jpg


The refreshing water felt so good and I enjoyed walking in the creek bed. The sun was still behind the cliffs and the pleasant temperatures made the hike a lot more enjoyable than I thought.
Eventually, I reached the dinosaur tracks and walked to the opposite side to get a better overall view. The slab of Kayenta sandstone is pretty impressive and the view of the tracks close up does not pay justice.

i-rJdzztj-XL.jpg


The next mile was not super exciting but the reflections were pretty.

i-TPr2qqD-XL.jpg


A lot of birds and frogs were out and enjoyed watching them.

i-w2zQcFr-XL.jpg

American Dipper

i-WFX5mfL-XL.jpg

Canyon Treefrog sunbathing on a rock

I reached Archangel Falls and from here the entire hike was pure joy and eye candy. I really love the last mile and all its waterfalls and tall canyon walls.

i-knmsxSG-XL.jpg
i-5pGdWHn-XL.jpg


Almost every step from here leads to some goodies.

i-v8jrZST-XL.jpg


Wildflowers were in full bloom, mainly Columbines, Monkeyflower, and Shooting Stars.
i-xwb3KLP-XL.jpg


i-bJ7sj6n-XL.jpg


The famous crack in the sandstone
i-4t5kFvC-XL.jpg


I walked around the corner to the beginning of the Subway. Adventure and fun were waiting to happen.

i-k3MDtSf-XL.jpg


I dropped my stuff on the side and made my way up to the actual Subway section. The sun was ready to come above the tall cliffs.

i-hpCHwkr-XL.jpg

The Subway Bathtubs

i-8T6xkXk-XL.jpg

the famous view

i-5wVTbV8-XL.jpg

view towards the Waterfall room

I quickly snapped my pictures and then the sun came around and made it pretty hard to take good images. I went into the pools that led to the waterfall room, but the water was still neck deep, so no pictures from behind.
The water was really refreshing, I would say it was about 50 degrees.

It didn't prevent me from not jumping into the big Subway pool. Snowmelt and high flow rates had washed away all the sand and sediment and the pools were finally nice and pretty again.
I set up my camera and then the fun began!!!
i-2mzTG8c-XL.jpg

Cannonball Selfie

i-RDrwg4F-XL.jpg


Shortly after I was done with my images, a large group rappelled down and they screamed like pigs when they went into the water.
The water was just perfect and refreshing!!! All of them chickened out and stayed hesitant on the edge of the big pool. I jumped in a few more times and then they finally went as well, followed by big screams.
The sun finally lit up most of the Subway and I went and sat in my Bathtub pool.

i-wmBgXZ9-XL.jpg


It was perfect. I just missed a glass of wine and some snacks.

After about an hour of jumping in the pools, I hiked out.
I stopped again at the last waterfall and used the natural waterslide to have fun.

i-fjrcM75-XL.jpg


The hike out was interrupted by dozens of stops to jump in some of the pools along the way. It was super fun and refreshing.
With all the play time it took me about 8 hours to complete the hike. But the playtime and all the water was the whole purpose of the trip.
I can't wait to go again. As soon as a permit opens in the calendar on one of my off days, I definitely do the whole thing again.

Here is a little video I did of the trip


I was pretty impressed with the performance of my new La Sportiva water shoes and had no issues.
My Achilles tendon definitely needs some time to rest at one point, but so far it works and I still hike and do stuff.
I can't wait to go back and do the whole hike again
 
Last edited:
it's hot down here in the desert. Really hot.
With the summer heat in full swing, it limits my hikes a lot. Unless I hike at night I usually try to find hikes with a lot of water.
The Subway is one of my favorite summer hikes that definitely fulfills the criteria. After an amazing trip with friends last week, I checked the calendar for returned permits and could snag another one.
I still recover from my Achilles tendonitis, so I was a little worried if it would be a good idea to go so soon and also with new shoes. It turned out all worries were for nothing and I had a good time.
I started a bit later than usual, but it was not a photography trip but a fun trip with hanging out in the pools and cascades. That's why I started at about 7:45 am.
There were only cars at the parking lot when I got there and after I had my backpack ready, I began my descent into the canyon to the Left Fork North Creek. The descent is always a bit of a slow move, primarily because of the steepness paired with loose rocks that make it super easy to slip and fall.
I made it down to the bottom pretty fast and started to work my way up.
Along both sides of the creek are social trails you can follow if you wanna avoid getting wet.
Most of the time I hiked in the creek as my goal was to get wet.
There is still a bit of snowmelt runoff going on and some spots are still deeper than normal.

i-HWF5vw6-XL.jpg


The refreshing water felt so good and I enjoyed walking in the creek bed. The sun was still behind the cliffs and the pleasant temperatures made the hike a lot more enjoyable than I thought.
Eventually, I reached the dinosaur tracks and walked to the opposite side to get a better overall view. The slab of Kayenta sandstone is pretty impressive and the view of the tracks close up does not pay justice.

i-rJdzztj-XL.jpg


The next mile was not super exciting but the reflections were pretty.

i-TPr2qqD-XL.jpg


A lot of birds and frogs were out and enjoyed watching them.

i-w2zQcFr-XL.jpg

American Dipper

i-WFX5mfL-XL.jpg

Canyon Treefrog sunbathing on a rock

I reached Archangel Falls and from here the entire hike was pure joy and eye candy. I really love the last mile and all its waterfalls and tall canyon walls.

i-knmsxSG-XL.jpg
i-5pGdWHn-XL.jpg


Almost every step from here leads to some goodies.

i-v8jrZST-XL.jpg


Wildflowers were in full bloom, mainly Columbines, Monkeyflower, and Shooting Stars.
i-xwb3KLP-XL.jpg


i-bJ7sj6n-XL.jpg


The famous crack in the sandstone
i-4t5kFvC-XL.jpg


I walked around the corner to the beginning of the Subway. Adventure and fun were waiting to happen.

i-k3MDtSf-XL.jpg


I dropped my stuff on the side and made my way up to the actual Subway section. The sun was ready to come above the tall cliffs.

i-hpCHwkr-XL.jpg

The Subway Bathtubs

i-8T6xkXk-XL.jpg

the famous view

i-5wVTbV8-XL.jpg

view towards the Waterfall room

I quickly snapped my pictures and then the sun came around and made it pretty hard to take good images. I went into the pools that led to the waterfall room, but the water was still neck deep, so no pictures from behind.
The water was really refreshing, I would say it was about 50 degrees.

It didn't prevent me from not jumping into the big Subway pool. Snowmelt and high flow rates had washed away all the sand and sediment and the pools were finally nice and pretty again.
I set up my camera and then the fun began!!!
i-2mzTG8c-XL.jpg

Cannonball Selfie

i-RDrwg4F-XL.jpg


Shortly after I was done with my images, a large group rappelled down and they screamed like pigs when they went into the water.
The water was just perfect and refreshing!!! All of them chickened out and stayed hesitant on the edge of the big pool. I jumped in a few more times and then they finally went as well, followed by big screams.
The sun finally lit up most of the Subway and I went and sat in my Bathtub pool.

i-wmBgXZ9-XL.jpg


It was perfect. I just missed a glass of wine and some snacks.

After about an hour of jumping in the pools, I hiked out.
I stopped again at the last waterfall and used the natural waterslide to have fun.

i-fjrcM75-XL.jpg


The hike out was interrupted by dozens of stops to jump in some of the pools along the way. It was super fun and refreshing.
With all the play time it took me about 8 hours to complete the hike. But the playtime and all the water was the whole purpose of the trip.
I can't wait to go again. As soon as a permit opens in the calendar on one of my off days, I definitely do the whole thing again.

Here is a little video I did of the trip


I was pretty impressed with the performance of my new La Sportiva water shoes and had no issues.
My Achilles tendon definitely needs some time to rest at one point, but so far it works and I still hike and do stuff.
I can't wait to go back and do the whole hike again
Notice any trout in the stream?
 
lot's of trout
If you have a Utah fishing license, you can fish any non-native fish in the park.
And trout is one species you definitely can fish
yea, I fished it last year on my trip up to the Subway. Little GI Joe rod/reel. Got some nice 14 inchers out of it. Zion says keep the limit, please. Been looking to fish again there but didnt know how this years runoff would affect them.
 
Glad your ankle is fine!

I can't tell, I do not feel any pain in both my legs since I had two herniated discs. I only know it when stability is gone or something super swollen.
I can break my ankle and will only know because the ankle looks awkward.

yea, I fished it last year on my trip up to the Subway. Little GI Joe rod/reel. Got some nice 14 inchers out of it. Zion says keep the limit, please. Been looking to fish again there but didnt know how this years runoff would affect them.

there were good sized trout in the creek yesterday, too fast to catch with my hands.
I did it a few times and released them right away :)
 
That looks amazing- what a fun day, glad you got some time off! Anytime, I will carry your wine and snacks. Love the photos. Good your injury didn't hurt too much, the 50F cold or "refreshing" water probably helped a lot. Seriously... you can jump in 50F water and not scream? I bet the group screams really echoed like crazy in there :rolleyes:.
 
Not a photography trip???? Your pics are amazing! I'm still trying to imagine the waterfall room at neck deep. I've never been above knee deep the few times I've been in it
 
That looks amazing- what a fun day, glad you got some time off! Anytime, I will carry your wine and snacks. Love the photos. Good your injury didn't hurt too much, the 50F cold or "refreshing" water probably helped a lot. Seriously... you can jump in 50F water and not scream? I bet the group screams really echoed like crazy in there :rolleyes:.
I did not scream, just jumped in. I watched my video clip with sound to confirm it, lol.
The creek itself was much warmer and the pools on the hike out as well.
I was happy my foot didn't hurt, that would have been pretty miserable. It definitely is some sort of sore, I simply do not feel it

Not a photography trip???? Your pics are amazing! I'm still trying to imagine the waterfall room at neck deep. I've never been above knee deep the few times I've been in it

I've never seen it that deep before. It looks inviting and clear, but after the first steps in and fully submerged all the way to my chest, I turned around to leave my camera on a safe and dry spot and continued without it. Next time I'll bring my waterproof camera just for this particular spot.

I'm up for that hike!
Great TR.

I'm always up for this hike. I go again on Thursday, it's a birthday present for one of my best friends.
Living nearby helps a lot to snag a returned permit. And working for the park helps as well as I can always check with Wilderness desk
 
I love this hike but did it in mid September...much cooler then, although still quite hot. Such an amazing local...didn't get to the waterfall as I was pressed for time but really glad I did it.
 
@Yvonne Can you call the wilderness desk to inquire about returned permits or is it walk up only?

you can check the calendar and see if permits are returned after the lotteries have run.
That's what I do all the time.
Plus there are sometimes walk-up permits. Not often during the summer time.

Here is an old screenshot of what it looks like:

i-87ZmQX4.jpg


When you see a day with returned permits, you click on the date and secure that permit.
I never entered the lottery.
Every time I go is because I pick a returned permit by checking the calendar.
Sometimes 3-6 permits are returned for a certain day.
Best chance to get a returned permit is on the 5th of each month after the lottery notifications are sent out. Many people return their permits then.
 
Fantastic share as always! Looks like you had so much fun!
I love the photo of the American Dipper. What a cutie.
I love all the different colors of the water, real special.
 
When I did this trip for the 1st time I felt like I was walking into a dream. "I'm going to The Subway!" I didn't even know Archangel Falls was a thing. Took forever getting past it. Why is that blooming crack so fascinating? I got to the Waterfall room less than a week after the gentleman died there. Added some mood to the experience. I had chest dip water getting there. What gave me the trust that I wouldn't drown all my gear.....stupid dumb luck. I have been wondering how you got your permits, so thanks for the information!
 
Fantastic share as always! Looks like you had so much fun!
I love the photo of the American Dipper. What a cutie.
I love all the different colors of the water, real special.

this is the only way down here to survive the heat and still have fun.
And you would love to be there, I know that.
The pools are so unreal, especially right now because all the sand and sediment is washed out again. They often fill up and look way different then.
Since my first time in 2012 it has changed so much and I always take a picture at the same spot. I need to have them all together next to each other so the changes are visible.
I might do that at one point.

When I did this trip for the 1st time I felt like I was walking into a dream. "I'm going to The Subway!" I didn't even know Archangel Falls was a thing. Took forever getting past it. Why is that blooming crack so fascinating? I got to the Waterfall room less than a week after the gentleman died there. Added some mood to the experience. I had chest dip water getting there. What gave me the trust that I wouldn't drown all my gear.....stupid dumb luck. I have been wondering how you got your permits, so thanks for the information!

That's how I felt on my first trip. I heard so much about it and then it was me who was finally going. So unreal. Until then, I've been many many times. It started with an annual trip every year first weekend in November and then I added trips during the summer months. All these summer trips are just for play time. When it's so hot I can't go anywhere without water.
I check the calendar often and if someone returned a permit, I snag it. I guess that in about 25 trips I only applied twice in the advance lottery.
It helps living so close to the park and also that I work for the park.
 
Both times I've been the pools were all filled with sand so all my photos lack any vivid colors. That's why I really enjoyed seeing yours. It's definitely a special place. Last time I got an early start and had the lower part all to myself. I look forward to going back there.
 
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