Don’t ask me why I declined the hike to Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. It involves walking along a narrow ridge holding onto a chain with open spaces on either side.
But I jumped at the chance to rappel down several hundred feet in a slot canyon. I guess if I’m going to fall to my death, I want to be wearing a rope!
We started out early in the morning. The red rocks of Zion were all around us, otherworldly in their majesty. The 30 minute drive passed by quickly as we chattered and pointed out the window, showing each other one great vista after another. The air was crisp and there was a thin layer of frost over everything.
The sun started to come up as we began to hike through the canyon. The trails were well traveled and pretty obvious at first. However, some of the time, we were walking across huge rocks. A few of them required some climbing and there were a few tricky footholds. I literally had to be dragged over one huge boulder because I couldn’t get my foot to stay in place. Some of the rock formations were very narrow and we had to squeeze through them. It was a little nerve-wracking to lose sight of each other at times.
The first rappel was easy – maybe only 50 feet. Our guide explained the equipment and we all got into our harnesses. We helped each other, making sure they fit snugly and universally agreed that, YES, that harness DOES make your butt look fat! You’re basically in a sitting position with your feet up against the rock. Since you have control over how fast you go, each one of us got to stay in our comfort zone. I went slowly at first, but pretty much “let it rip” after that.
We hiked to different spots and did a few more rappels. We stopped for lunch on a large rock formation with a spectacular scenic view. There’s something about all that outdoor activity and clean air that makes even the simplest foods taste great. We lit into our sandwiches and fruit with gusto.
The next-to-last rappel was a big one.
My friend looked over the edge and squealed, “Ooh, that looks scary. You go first!”
I agreed.
Once I was in position, our guide started to give me advice.
OK, OK, I was ready to go.
I looked back at him on top of the ridge and said, “I wanna go fast.”
“No, don’t do that. Don’t go fast,“ he said.
I loosened my rope and let go.
Article written by Rhoda Hahn.
