Utah Trip - Part 3 - Zion Hikes Day 2

The classic "gotta do" hike in Zion is Angel's Landing.  The only trouble with this "gotta do" hike is that it ends with a half mile along a razor edged ridge with 1000' shear drop-offs on each side.  You have to share a knee height chain in order to traverse the ridge. This is not my idea of a comfortable hike.  Our host, who stated that he was also altitude challenged, suggested that we climb Observation Point.  This is an 8 mile round trip hike that ascends 2400 feet.  He said that there were some difficult spots on Observ. Pt. but not as bad as Ang Ld.  So off we went to climb Observation Pt.

The trail starts at the shuttle bus stop for the Weeping Rock and climbs steadily on a series of switchbacks.

Once reaching the height of the land you turn away from the valley and enter a slot canyon that takes you up the backside of the mountain.

The trail continues to climb steeply until you reach a point where you have to walk along a rock ledge 3 to 4 feet wide with a 1500 foot at least dropoff on your right hand side.  This proved the fact that I am more altitude challenged than the B & B host as I turned around.(Later our host admitted that this spot was where he sat down and let his wife summit - which is what I did)  I did get some great shots looking back down the valley and of flowers.

Nan finished the hike.  We then went to Weeping Rock and Hidden Canyon Overlook.  Well actually Nan finished the Hidden Canyon hike as this trail too had a section with chains that you had to hold on to in order to cross an open rock face with dropoffs. (On this one you had to side step across the open sandtone face hanging on to the chains with your butt sticking out over the abyss)  Although I didn't complete the hikes, the scenery was tremendous and the weather good.