2023-08 Angels Landing

This weekend we are exploring Zion National Park which is 1 of the 5 National Parks located in Utah. For the past 4 years we have made it a tradition to visit Zion. This year was the first that we experienced the park with snow and frigid temperatures.  Naturally our major hiking day, Friday, was the coldest day of the trip.  But we were not about to let that ruin the day.  Day one we hiked 10 miles which included an attempt to reach the top of Angels Landing.

Now, let's be very clear about the Angels Landing hike.  This hike has never been on my bucket list as I have no desire at all to dangle my body over a 1,500 foot drop off while holding onto some chains. With that in mind, we started to ascend the Angels Landing trail.

A little history about Angels Landing: A century ago a Methodist minister named Frederick Vining Fisher was so in awe of this massive sandstone cliff that he made the comment that only angels might land on it.  So the name stuck and what used to be known as the Temple of Aeolus was renamed Angels Landing.  The trail was built in the 1920’s and is 5 miles round trip. As you get closer to the top, you reach a section of the trail that is called Walter’s Wiggles. The wiggles are named after Walter Ruesch who was the park’s first acting superintendent. This section is made up of 21 extremely tight switchbacks that eventually put you at Scout Lookout. Angels Landing is one of the most dangerous hikes in the United States as there have been 17 confirmed deaths from individuals falling. 12 of those deaths happened between 1908 to 2016. With all this information to scare me to death alone… we kept on hiking.

As we reached Walter’s Wiggles we ran into an obstacle we had not planned for.  Ice and snow on the trail. We were in need of traction devices to continue on the trail safely.  So, half of the group turned around and started back down the trail as the other half of the group continued on using extra caution on the switchbacks.  Guess who was in the group to continue up… that’s right… me.  The switchbacks were a challenge with the slick conditions but manageable going up. Then the thought popped into my head… this is going to be a whole lot harder coming back down. Which it was. A couple of times we had to slide down the mountain on our backsides.

Finally we reached the end of Walter’s Wiggles and there is a section right before you start on the chain section of Angels Landing that is called Scout Lookout.  At this point, you have an amazing view of the valley as you stand at 5,790’ of elevation with the remaining .5 mile hike up to the end of Angels Landing ahead of you.  As we did not have traction devices for our shoes, the decision was made to have this be our stopping point and we took it all in.

Standing at Scout Lookout, your breath is not only taken away by the 1,500’ elevation gain that you just hiked, but also by the view of the canyon all around you with the Virgin River down below. As I was standing there taking it all in, reflections of my own personal growth and accomplishments came to mind. Reflections also of family members who have come and also left this Earth and all of their accomplishments. Along the trail there are multiple waypoints starting with the Trailhead and then Refrigerator Canyon, Walter’s Wiggles, Scout Lookout, The Spine, and eventually the Summit of Angels Landing.  The same can be compared with our trails within Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA as we work from Bobcat to Lion, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and eventually Arrow of light. From Scout to Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and finishing with Eagle.  

Each one of us are at different stages along the trail.  Some of us have to be pushed along the trail sometimes. Some of us reach a stopping point before we reach the summit. This is the case with my Father.  As a youth, my father reached the rank of Star. During those years as a youth he was a staff member at Camp Mitigwa in Iowa and loved every minute of being a scout. He was an amazing scout and later Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, District Leader, and many other hats that he wore. It’s with this example that I would argue that the rank does not make the scout, rather the experiences and growth in character along the trail. The rank is only a reflection of what we personally have accomplished through our physical, mental, and moral challenges along the hike.

Let us all continue practicing the Cub Scout Motto, To Do Our Best, no matter where we are on the trail of scouting.

2021-07 Enjoy The Hike

The other day we visited Zion National Park located just outside of Springdale, Utah. As you enter the park, the sheer awe of the towering cliffs on each side is just breathtaking. The contrast of the green trees up against the red rock along with the blue skies farther up… it’s perfect.  It’s truly how I personally imagine heaven to be.  

My family is one that loves the outdoors. We jump at any opportunity to hit the trails. Within Zion National Park there are many trails that you can explore.  There are trails that are on the beaten path, and are so well traveled that the National Park Service has paved the way for anyone to enjoy if they require strollers, wheel chairs, or any other assistance.  There are also those trails that are hidden in plain sight from those who are passing by not even knowing what they are missing… almost like muggles in the Harry Potter world.

This last trip, we took things a little slow. The prior month each one of us was sick with that virus that has been going around… so our lungs are not 100% back to full function.  But, in reality that was a blessing in disguise as we were walking along the trails.  It forced us to take a break every so often.  It caused me to reflect on how often we tend to hike for enjoyment, rather than for the destination.  

Anyone who has hiked with me can attest that I usually get lost at the back of the pack.  Naturally I tend to be the caboose of the train when we go as a scout group. The same when I am hiking with my family.  Part of the reason is because I want to make sure that none of the members of the group are left behind and are safe. But, a larger part of the reason is I’m taking it all in. The smell of the trees. The sound of the dirt or sand or crunchy leaves under each step. The wind blowing around me. I’m the guy that is sitting with his tripod and camera recording Caterpillars hatching in the spring.  Or getting the close up picture of the brown bear munching on his lunch… it’s the little things I guess.

Back to this last trip in Zion, as we were taking one of our many breaks, I found myself observing a different creature than I usually do… humans.  I could tell which people were taking it all in, those that had had one objective to get to the destination and then head back out, and those who truly did not want to be there and were only there because mom and dad had the keys to the car. We even witnessed a gentleman watching a movie on his phone as he was hiking along a trail that had 1500 foot drop offs! Each case is totally fine, well… except for watching the movie. Safety first, keep your eyes on the trail. There is not only one cookie cutter way to complete the hike. Everyone is different. That’s what makes this world so unique and beautiful. 

Life is very comparable to hiking on these trails.  Sometimes the path is easy. And sometimes it's a little sketchy and scary. Especially when the only thing that is keeping you safe from falling a couple of thousand feet is a chain that has been bolted into the rock. There will be periods of time when a project at school or work will take all of your time. And you just want to focus and complete it as soon as possible.  There will also be those times when life is good and school is out for the summer.  No matter the difficulty level of the trail that you are currently on. Take some time and reflect on the little things around you that are making the big picture. Take a breath of fresh air, and enjoy your hike.