Angles Landing

So, After we finished hiking the Narrows, we rode the shuttle bus down to "the Grotto." That is where the trail starts to hike Angels Landing. We decided to ditch our bags and walking sticks in some bushes off the trail and run up it. It was a great idea for the first mile or so. Then the going got really steep. It was still a good idea, but Ryan is in much better shape than I am. After about a mile or so there are several switch backs that eventually lead right up the side of a cliff, literally. The cliff was carved away for the trail. It was getting pretty hot and I didn't have my running clothes on. I just had my normal shorts and a cotton t-shirt. Not the best running gear, especially when it is so warm out. Anyway, after about two miles we got up to the pass, then the trail comes back and up this really steep, narrow point.

This is where the cliff is carved away for the trail to go up.

Here is a video clip of how narrow and crazy it was up there.

They have these safety chains up there for people to grab onto because it is kinda dangerous and really, really dangerous if these chains were not there.

This is the top part of Angels Landing. See how crazy narrow and steep it is. I'm actually a bit surprised that they let people go up there. I'm surprised there are not more accidents or incidents.

And here is a photo of Ryan and I at the top. This is looking down the canyon back towards the visitor's center.

And this last one is Ryan having way too much energy. On the way back down he found this little crack in the side of the cliff, so he went and climbed up it. I managed to climb up to get the photo, but I didn't climb up like he did.

And that was the end of our Angles Landing run. It was really rewarding. We stayed up top for ten to fifteen minutes to rest and get some photos. Total mileage was five. It was 2.5 up and took us 42:43. Coming back down was also 2.5 miles and took us 33:17. Overall was 1:16:00 for five miles. Not the best time, but when you consider that we were basically climbing up a cliff for the last half mile and it was really steep with lots of switchbacks before that, yeah it was pretty quick. We passed a lot of people that thought we were crazy, what do you think? Are we crazy? I think we are.