Winding down

So the shoulder season has begun. Meaning.... everyone is gone... we're not doing programs anymore and our work schedule mostly consists of us roving around and working in the visitor center. The last week of programs was fun. Spent my last day out at the Walhalla and hiked Cape Final instead of giving a program. Been wanting to do that all season and thought the time had come (considering it was pretty much my last chance to do it on work time)


Cape final pictures above and left.

I had kind of forgotten how spectacular that view is. Probably one of my favorites up here.

Had to book it back to dodge the storm that was rolling in. Got sprinkled on a bit.






Been rather wintery on the NRim... Rainy, cold, foggy... Many disgruntled visitors that traveled so and so many miles to the Grand Canyon and now can't even see it.



Did manage to get out to Point Imperial on rove time before the fog settled in Thursday morning.. there were still clouds doing some pretty cool stuff in the canyon (picture on right)

If only they had the patience to stick it out a little longer to see clouds in the Canyon...

The crappy weather has foiled our plans somewhat as well. A tree was down on the swamp point road so that if we were to go do the North Bass trail (which we were consiering) we would have to walk six extra miles just to get to the trailhead). So instead we might go into the forest and tackle snake gulch tomorrow..

Back to Zion

Storming on the North Rim! Nice cold autumn rains here in Arizona, and in the area this whole weekend. So much that we had a power outtage at the lodge last night.. and still no power at the moment as far as I know... couldn't even do my evening program without electricity so roamed around the lodge in the dark and chatted with some mildly disgruntled visitors. Was actually kind of fun.



Headed to Zion for the weekend. Managed to score a permit for the subway for Sunday... so did the Emerald Pool loop to kill time on Saturday. Poured on us on the way back.



Started hiking at left fork Sunday Morning. First part of the hike is a really steep downhill climb to the creek which you hike along for about a mile or two before you start seeing the neat subway-ish erosional features. Picture on left is the start of the subway and where we posted up for some lunch. Quite nice.




Theres a waterfall a little further up but you had to go for a little swim to see it so we passed... it was cold in there! Plus we entered the boring way. Hoping to get the right gear and come back to do it from the top down with some rapelling and canyoneering (and probably wetsuits)

The standard subway shot on left. Beautiful but almost a bit anticlimactic after hiking the narrows... still cool though!

Went to a BANFF showing of "Radical Reels" on Saturday night where they show some of the extreme sport videos submitted to the film festival. They did a raffle thing half way through and I won a tshirt and waterbottle from Zion Adventure Company! Exciting since I never win anything. The movies were pretty gnarly as well.

Sunday morning hiked up to Observation Point which I must say was a bit brutal. About 3.5 miles uphill to the top of one of the sandstone cliffs wehre you get a pretty nice view of almost the entire park. Started raining on the way up and then rained the whole way back down. Got some nice rainbow action up at the top though (right)

View of Zion from Observation Point. Rainstorms quickly approaching in the distance and the thunder was incredible. Each one went on for about 15 seconds with all the echos off the cliffs. Very impressive but a bit scary as well.