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The next morning, bright and early, we began our journey to
Zion National Park, in Utah. Though it was only a two hour drive from Lake
Powell to Zion, we had to leave early so that we could be at the Zion Visitor
Center around nine o'clock to get our backcountry permits to hike the Narrows.
We could only get these permits the day before our hike, and due to the
limited number of campsites available in the Narrows, we had to be there early
to ensure that we would have a spot.
To get to Zion National Park, we took US 89 into Utah, through Kanab - where we
stopped to get groceries - and up to Mt. Carmel. From there, we went west on
Utah Highway 9, which goes through the Zion tunnel and into the park. Along
this scenic route, we passed by the trailheads for the
Paria Canyon Trail --
which John wants to do one day -- as well as Grand Staircase/Escalante
National Park. It also began to rain on us, which wasn't a good sign,
considering we were about to embark on a hike that could be dangerous during
the rainy season!
Entering Zion National Park required not only the standard $10 fee, but also
another $10 to go through the tunnel. This was because of our size; keep in
mind that we were in the Verleys' new motor home -- the 1999 Flair, which is
thirty-five feet long -- and we were towing Erika's car in addition to that.
The tunnel, which was finished in the 1930's, was made for the vehicles of the
time: basically, small cars, not gigantic motor homes! In order to allow
vehicles of that girth to pass through the tunnel, the park rangers have to
stop oncoming traffic until the oversized vehicles have passed.
The tunnel is one mile long, and it is very dark, except for windows at
various intervals. As the motor home zoomed through the tunnel, headlights
blazing through the darkness, John and I stole the opportunity to grope each
other. Then, as we emerged into daylight, we stopped groping and began
sightseeing, awed by the beauty of Zion National Park.
The park is truly an amazing place, filled with monoliths of red and white,
towering high above the canyon floor. The canyon was carved over millions of
years by the Virgin River, which flows rapidly through the park, providing
drink for the animals and foliage of the region, as well as a cool and
refreshing way for park visitors to escape the summer heat. The Virgin River
also cuts through the Narrows, which would be our destination. We planned to
hike the entire sixteen-mile length of the Narrows, from Chamberlain Ranch to
the Temple of Sinawava...if we could get the permits.
Once we were inside the park, our first stop was the Zion Visitor Center to
obtain the necessary backcountry permits for our overnight trip through the
Narrows. Since there are a limited number of campsites in the Narrows -- a
total of twelve -- only so many groups are allowed to stay in the area
overnight. Also, visitors are only allowed to spend one night in the
backcountry, and backpackers may only hike from the top of the river to the
bottom -- from Chamberlain Ranch to the Temple of Sinawava. Shuttle services
are available for hikers for a fee for those without the option of doing a
two-car shuttle. In our case, we didn't have the option because the motor home
would have never made it to Chamberlain Ranch, nor could we park it overnight
at the Temple of Sinawava.
When we arrived, there were still a lot of permits available. In fact, we had
our choice of campsites. John told the ranger to pick one for us -- preferably
the prettiest site -- so he gave us campsite number six, which we would later
find out was at the halfway point along the Narrows. He also answered all of
our questions regarding the hike (i.e. what sort of necessary precautions we
should take, what type of boots to wear, how to arrange for a shuttle, etc.).
Then, when all was said and done and we had paid our $20 fee, we sat down in
the auditorium to watch an orientation video about Zion National Park. On our
way out of the visitor center, we stopped to pick up informational brochures
about the park, so that we could find a day hike to do that afternoon.
Next, we had to find a place to park the motor home. We got a site at the
Watchman Campground, where there were RV hook-ups. As we were checking in at
the booth, a deer walked by and stopped to drink from a puddle. John snapped
pictures of it, and the deer stood there, posing for us as if he wasn't afraid
of us.
Once we were settled, we decided to do a day hike -- something short and easy
that I could do, even with my cold. At first, we were going to do Angel's
Landing, which is supposed to be one of the best day hikes in the area. This
hike climbs 1,500 feet over 2.5 miles and ends up at Angel's Landing, on a
narrow ledge overlooking the side of a cliff, with nothing to keep you from
falling over but a safety chain. Though it sounded like fun, I didn't think
that I could do it, so we opted for something easier: the
Hidden Canyon Trail,
which leaves from the Weeping Rock Trailhead, near the Temple of Sinawava and
Zion Lodge. This trail was only two miles round trip and climbed only about
800 feet; like Angel's Landing, there were sheer drop-offs and narrow ledges
and safety chains. It sounded like a trail I could do.
 I was so wrong. About halfway up this paved trail, I was having trouble
breathing, so John made me turn back while he and his parents finished the
trail without me. While waiting for them, I did the Weeping Rock Trail, an
easy, quarter-mile long trail leading to a natural spring, which pours out of
the canyon wall. Along the way, I admired the green foliage and read the
educational signs about the spring and its surroundings. Then, when I reached
Weeping Rock, a few drops of spring water refreshed me as they fell from the
rocks.
When the others returned, I was faced with the choice of whether or not we
should backpack the Narrows, even though we had already paid for the permits
and for the shuttle service (through Zion Transportation, an independently run
shuttle service to Chamberlain Ranch). John left it entirely up to me;
considering that I had to turn back during our hike, they wanted to make sure
that I was up to the challenge, because once we began hiking, there would be
no turning back. I told them that I would think about it and let them know
later.
After we were finished hiking, we drove Erika's car into Springdale, a small
town outside of Zion. We pulled into a gas station to put air in the tire.
Across the street from the station, we saw a white bull with incredibly long
horns sitting in someone's front yard. While we were ooh-ing and aah-ing over
the bull, the "Charge" light came on, indicating that we had either battery or
alternator problems. When we got back to the campground, the car died. (Keep
in mind, this was going to be our method of transportation to the Temple of
Sinawava the next morning. Let the adventure begin!)
I finally made my decision shortly thereafter: we were going to make the
journey through the Narrows, despite my cold and the car problems. So we spent
the rest of the afternoon preparing our backpacks for the trip. John and I had
already packed our backpacks prior to leaving for Lake Powell, but we had to
unpack them in order to line them with trash bags. That would help to keep our
gear dry while wading through deep pools of water. Then we helped Bill and
Erika pack their backpacks. The two of them had bought new packs for the trip:
a pair of nice Kelty packs, purchased at Popular Outfitters. This would be
their first backpacking trip in over ten years, so they were a little out of
practice. However, with our help, they successfully packed and adjusted their
backpacks.
Once our packs were done, John and I stole away to take a walk so that we
could spend some time alone. Traveling with family in a crowded national park
made it very difficult for us to play naked in the woods, but somehow we
managed to find a little privacy, about a hundred yards off of the Watchman
Trail, along a deer trail. (Our first national park, for those who are keeping
track of our statistics.)
The four of us retired early that night, because we had to be awake at 3:00
a.m. Arizona time (4:00 a.m. in Utah) in order to catch the shuttle at the
Temple of Sinawava at 6:00 a.m. (Utah time). Doped up on Nyquil, I fell asleep
immediately, hoping that I would feel better before beginning the biggest
challenge of my life - hiking the Narrows.
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