Subway - changes to the approach route for 2012

[ratagonia]

The Park has been working on re-routing the Subway approach hike for fewer impact on the environment. Here is the email Peter Drake sent me. Please look for and follow the new route, when you get out and do the Subway this summer.

On the exit portion of the route, they have worked hard to focus use on specific trail segments that will resist erosion best. Please find and use the specific now official trail, rather than (perhaps) where you have gone in the past.

Tom

Tom

I was hoping I can pass on some information to you so that you can include it in your website. The wilderness permits staff did a lot of work in the entrance and exit to the Subway. One of the major changes is right as you enter, we want people to continue on the slickrock to the right of the forest rather than entering the forested area. We've cairned off a route that keeps people on the slickrock for a longer portion of their hike while blocking off the forested area. We have been trying to get the message out to top down hikers not to build or destroy cairns to keep them useful as something to follow.

In the upper portion, I think we have replaced at least a half mile of use trail hiking with a cairned route on durable slickrock surface. In the section below the Subway, we have spent a lot of time eliminating the unneccessary web of trails for less trails that have a longer use life. Though we are still in the process of doing this, if you can mention something about sticking to the established trails or hiking in the creek, thereby not creating new trails, we would appreciate that.

Also, I personally am going through getting a list of online route descriptions for our staff to use when going out on patrol. I offered this to Bo and Tanya, so I thought I would offer it to you too, that if I notice any inaccurate information from either a resource protection standpoint or even route details to let you know.

Example: Keyhole First Rappel: Tie a sling around the big ponderosa pine across the wash, and rap from there. I am sure we both know the bolts have been there for years now.

(TOM: noted, changing on the new website, and in the 2nd edition of the book).

Let me know if you are interested. It would probably be rather sporadic. Also let me know if I can answer any questions for you on the last minute drawing that is new this year or anything else we are doing here. Thanks

Peter Drake
Wilderness Permits
Zion National Park
435-772-7614

[Scott Card]

Wait, what? I am not understanding the entrance part/ stay on the slick rock longer....part. Seems you are in and out of the trees quite a bit till you get to the bottom of the canyon. Which part are they changing? And Cairned routes? I have been misled a few times by those things so I am kinda skeptical with Cairned Routes particularly in high traffic areas. Seems every kid wants to stack rocks or kick them over.

As for the lower part of the trail, after the Subway, more power to them. I hate all the side trails. I am not sure I have ever done the same path twice through there. That is going to be hard to close off some of those.

[ratagonia]

Wait, what? I am not understanding the entrance part/ stay on the slick rock longer....part. Seems you are in and out of the trees quite a bit till you get to the bottom of the canyon. Which part are they changing? And Cairned routes? I have been misled a few times by those things so I am kinda skeptical with Cairned Routes particularly in high traffic areas. Seems every kid wants to stack rocks or kick them over.

As for the lower part of the trail, after the Subway, more power to them. I hate all the side trails. I am not sure I have ever done the same path twice through there. That is going to be hard to close off some of those.

The first descent down the slickrock drops down to the forest, when it could go further to the right and stay on the slickrock for quite a bit further. I think this is the section that has been re-routed.

Cairns: yes, it might not work too well. Zion uses small signs with boot prints in some places, they might need to do that here.

Tom

[Scott Card]

Ahh. I know where you are referring to. Thanks.

As an aside, I remember looking up at one ridge line on the top-down Subway hike that had no fewer than 5 cairns at different points on the ridge.