Scott Chandler
Wildness is a necessity- John Muir
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2014
- Messages
- 1,099
12/14/2014
The first winter storm of the season blew through southern Utah over the weekend. I had a hunch after a whole day of rain on Saturday that Sunday could be a special day over in Zion NP. My alarm was set and the camera battery was charged. When I woke up, I wished I'd set my alarm for earlier.
Fog is a rare occurrence in sunny Dixie and Sunday morning dawned on some pretty thick stuff. I woofed down a bowl of cereal and grabbed some lunch for a hopefully good day. While everyone else in St G was driving in an even more cautious Sunday slow, I was racing the sun and the fog's burn off.
As I neared Zion, this backlit view of low clouds, water vapor and the Eagle Crags was the only thing able to pause me on my run to Zion.
I got to Zion and all the action was happening at the mouth of the canyon. Low clouds and fog created scenes new to this person that considers Zion a second home.
Cloud veils saw the peaks to the west of the museum barely peeking out.
Bridge Mountain had a never before seen toupe
Lack of the hordes that typically populate Zion every time I visit, I actually stopped at The Court of the Patriarchs and witnessed their ghostly haunts towering high.
Northward the low clouds and fog relented. I decided that further seeking that Zion I've never experienced before would be a better experience than continuing along the floor and I headed for the Observation Point, which appeared to be covered in snow!!
Down canyon from the Weeping Rock TH
Looking up high to my destination
Normally I spend the hike up the wall looking at all the minute details: flowers, rock lines, etc, but this being winter and me racing the sun again, I didn't take too much time to look. Once I turned around and saw a nice shadow.
For another first, I hit Echo Canyon to the echos of running water. I've never seen so much water in this awesome portion of the hike.
The rim's snow was beckoning me!!
The hike to Observation Pt from the bottom is my favorite official trail in Zion behind the Narrows for it's variety of the best views in the park. A bit after the Echo narrows you get views both west like the one above and then east to very wild country.
More awesomeness of this trail is that epic elevation differential. Right near the top I finally hit the snow.
Looking at the West Rim
I played with snow photography a bit. Some succeeded and some were meh. This was my favorite.
Then that icing on the cake, Observation Pt.
I had toyed with the idea of hanging out for a while at the point and watching the like and clouds change. That ended up going away when I found I was cold after eating lunch. So down I went, checking out views north along the way.
And playing with snow
One of the great features of this trail is the aftertaste. Usually I huff and puff up the trail so much, keeping my head down and seeing those small details, that the views down are not old news. Half the time I notice views I missed.
I even missed this small detail.
It's refreshing when you can see something new in something old. Zion, while I've hiked almost every trail and spent so much time there, continues to show me new stuff. It was an epic and awesome day. At the end I even got a view of Angel's Landing that I loved.
Featured image for home page:
The first winter storm of the season blew through southern Utah over the weekend. I had a hunch after a whole day of rain on Saturday that Sunday could be a special day over in Zion NP. My alarm was set and the camera battery was charged. When I woke up, I wished I'd set my alarm for earlier.
Fog is a rare occurrence in sunny Dixie and Sunday morning dawned on some pretty thick stuff. I woofed down a bowl of cereal and grabbed some lunch for a hopefully good day. While everyone else in St G was driving in an even more cautious Sunday slow, I was racing the sun and the fog's burn off.
As I neared Zion, this backlit view of low clouds, water vapor and the Eagle Crags was the only thing able to pause me on my run to Zion.
I got to Zion and all the action was happening at the mouth of the canyon. Low clouds and fog created scenes new to this person that considers Zion a second home.
Cloud veils saw the peaks to the west of the museum barely peeking out.
Bridge Mountain had a never before seen toupe
Lack of the hordes that typically populate Zion every time I visit, I actually stopped at The Court of the Patriarchs and witnessed their ghostly haunts towering high.
Northward the low clouds and fog relented. I decided that further seeking that Zion I've never experienced before would be a better experience than continuing along the floor and I headed for the Observation Point, which appeared to be covered in snow!!
Down canyon from the Weeping Rock TH
Looking up high to my destination
Normally I spend the hike up the wall looking at all the minute details: flowers, rock lines, etc, but this being winter and me racing the sun again, I didn't take too much time to look. Once I turned around and saw a nice shadow.
For another first, I hit Echo Canyon to the echos of running water. I've never seen so much water in this awesome portion of the hike.
The rim's snow was beckoning me!!
The hike to Observation Pt from the bottom is my favorite official trail in Zion behind the Narrows for it's variety of the best views in the park. A bit after the Echo narrows you get views both west like the one above and then east to very wild country.
More awesomeness of this trail is that epic elevation differential. Right near the top I finally hit the snow.
Looking at the West Rim
I played with snow photography a bit. Some succeeded and some were meh. This was my favorite.
Then that icing on the cake, Observation Pt.
I had toyed with the idea of hanging out for a while at the point and watching the like and clouds change. That ended up going away when I found I was cold after eating lunch. So down I went, checking out views north along the way.
And playing with snow
One of the great features of this trail is the aftertaste. Usually I huff and puff up the trail so much, keeping my head down and seeing those small details, that the views down are not old news. Half the time I notice views I missed.
I even missed this small detail.
It's refreshing when you can see something new in something old. Zion, while I've hiked almost every trail and spent so much time there, continues to show me new stuff. It was an epic and awesome day. At the end I even got a view of Angel's Landing that I loved.
Featured image for home page:
