Hmm... I did not know that? Zion's Trail - some history

[tanya]

Q. How many people have fallen off Angels Landing?
A. We don't have exact numbers, possibly about 5. More people have died at Emerald Pools (7) than Angels Landing.

How can the park not know exactly how many?

Q. How many fatalities from "falling" have occurred in Zion National Park?
A. Below is a list of fatalities from "falling" in Zion National Park, dating back to the parks establishment. The info below is incomplete. The below list includes only incidents where suspicious activity was not involved.

So if someone pushes you off on purpose you are not a park statistic?

ps... I fixed the spelling of occurred so if anyone talks to the "park" they need to fix their typo.

Angels Landing 5
Cathedral Mountain 1
Emerald Pools 7
Lady Mountain 2+
Mt. Kinesava 1
Mt. of the Sun 1
Observation Point 2
Watchman 2
East Rim Trail 1
Checkerboard Mesa 1
Crazy Quilt Mesa 1
Deer Trap Mountain 1
Hidden Canyon 2
Canyon Overlook 2

Q. Why are the trails paved?
A. To prevent erosion.

Then why are they taking all the pavement off the West Rim Trail?


Q. Who built the trails in the park? Was it the CCC?
A. The Watchman Trail and Canyon Overlook Trail were the only trails constructed by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). The Watchman was completed in 1934, and Canyon Overlook in the early 1930s. Most other trails in the park were started by early settlers of the area and improved by the NPS or were built by the NPS in the 1920s.

Dang! It thought the CCC was busy beavers in Zion. I need to update things and I need to know who built Lady Mountain, although from what is wrote above.. I am assuming the "park" built it, but want to know for sure for our article for the Today in Dixie Magazine this month and I almost put CCC!

Q. How did they get the concrete on the trails?
A. The East and West Rim Trails were constructed by the NPS in the early 1920s. The trails were paved with gallons of oil (East Rim = 760 gal., West Rim = 1240 gal.) mixed with natural sand and rock chips available along the trail. The oil, tools, other materials and equipment were hauled onto the various sites by packhorse.

Labor Board anyone!!!

In 1985 extensive repair was done on the West Rim Trail from 4900 ft. through Refrigerator Canyon to the top of Angel's Landing. The concrete for this job was hauled in by maintenance and mules from the Grotto. Walters Wiggles was resurfaced with 88 cubic yards of concrete, and the concrete for this job was hauled onto the site by helicopter. This took 258 flights. WHEW!

And now they are taking it out. And you wonder why the parks have no money.



Any other odd history out there that needs a comment.

[cp0915]

Interesting stuff.

Regarding the fatalities on the park's peaks and trails, I'd love to hear some particulars. Do you have any? Or summaries?

[tanya]

I don't, but I bet Tom or Shane or Bo do!

[tanya]

Funny. I just posted the same things and found this searching for info. I guess no one thought it was all that interesting but CP and me.

[denaliguide]

i responded to your other zion post, didn't see this one til later. i just wonder how many were pushed.

[tanya]

Well this one I wrote in 2008. I found it when looking for something totally unrelated via google and posted to this. This one should die.

[ratagonia]

i responded to your other zion post, didn't see this one til later. i just wonder how many were pushed.

Only one we know of, "highly suspected". East Mesa trail.

Tom

[ratagonia]

You can troll through the Morning Reports here: http://canyoneeringusa.com/history/index.htm

There are some SAR stuff linked here, in the middle of the page: http://canyoneeringusa.com/zcc/research.htm

1925 for the Lady Mountain Trail. I was just looking today on the Utah Historical Archive library at Zion photos, including a lot of photos of the huge CCC camp in Zion. So they certainly did something!!! They may have done a lot of work on the trails that were already built. Not many pictures available of the work.

Tom

[ratagonia]

In 1985 extensive repair was done on the West Rim Trail from 4900 ft. through Refrigerator Canyon to the top of Angel's Landing. The concrete for this job was hauled in by maintenance and mules from the Grotto. Walters Wiggles was resurfaced with 88 cubic yards of concrete, and the concrete for this job was hauled onto the site by helicopter. This took 258 flights. WHEW!

And now they are taking it out. And you wonder why the parks have no money.

Zion is not big enough to have a separate Trails and Roads department, so they have until recently had a Roads guy in charge of the trails. Erosion - obvious solution is concrete!

Five years ago, they hired an actual trail guy. So as opportunity presents, they are removing sections of concrete rather than repair those sections. Don't worry, there is plenty of concrete left. My understanding is that it will not in general be removed until it deteriorates and the choice is repair or remove.

Yes, it is kind of silly.

Tom

[Cirrus2000]

I've always been a little chagrined at the "sidewalks" all over zion. That's no trail!

[tanya]

It helps to prevent erosion and that is the tourist part of the park.