First trip to Zion! Angel's Landing, Das Boot and the Subway

[Eric Holden]

First trip to Zion. Angle's Landing, Das Boot, and The Subway

My buddy Frank, and myself took a 7 hour drive from California out to Zion. My very first time here. We arrived about 10:30pm to find all campgrounds full. We spoke with a ranger who checked a couple things out and let us use the private "Law Enforcement Only" campsite for the night. Things were already off to a great start. I am used to sleeping in 1 or 2 man backpacking tents so when Frank suggested he bring the big boy out, I cheered gleefully.

Nothing like camping with a table between you to hold your board games, Scotch and Absinthe


We got up in the morning and moved from the LE campsite to a normal one and then set out for a quick hike up Angel's Landing. Beautiful views, great hike. The exposure wasn't quite as bad as I was lead to believe, nothing like the cables route up Half-Dome.


The next morning we set out nice and early to go try and tackle Das Boot with the Subway/Left Fork trail-head exit. We got to the Wildcat trail head about 7am and dropped off Frank and all of our gear. I drove back down to the Left Fork trail-head and got a ride with some locals driving out to a job site to clear some wood. Very friendly chaps! We hit the trail at about 8am, perfect weather


Finding the split from the standard top-down route over to Das Boot


A lot of route finding was needed, but thanks to Tom's pictures and terrain map we found the correct route down to the start of Das Boot.


Bottom of the Rappel into Das Boot.


Not a lot of pictures were taken from this point out. Lots of Video, but I am having issues editing it right now due to slow.................. computer. Here are a couple of snap shots while in Das Boot

View from the floor up. Absolutely Beautiful!

Lots of swimming through cold water


Up-climbing and Down-climbing over log jams. Some scary looking pot holes that either had to be stemmed over or "Tree" navigation.


About half way through Das Boot, Frank picked up a friend. A very cold lizard that was stranded on a rock. Little dude was alive but would barley move. He hitched a ride on Frank till we got to a large opening with some sun.


After a few hours we finally stemmed over the last pot hole just before the drop into the main Subway path. Lots of beautiful sites to be seen. Can't wait to make the video.

We came to the big boulder that you can down climb to the right of, but figured we have the gear, lets use it.


We found the under cut arch and both swam under it. Refreshing.


Brought along the DSLR with a ND filter and got to have some fun testing this out for the first time.


More beautiful sites.


Me


The Waterfall room. A little eerie knowing what happened here a few weeks ago. All webbing was removed from the logs when we crossed.


Frank in the Iconic picture.


Actually slipped into one of the pools when we first came down here.


Just Beautiful


Finally, after spending about 1 hour taking pictures and just admiring the glory of what a combination of water, earth, and light can do, we set out.

The hike out..... wow..... I did not expect something so death march ish. Cross the river here, jump a log there, duck another log, get tripod stuck on a tree. Up until the point just past the cascades I was having a fun good ol' time, but a few hours later I had hit a wall. I went into one foot in front of the other mode, very untalkative. Frank noticed the change and offered to carry my heavier of the two packs but I declined and just continued to drudge forward.

Its a very strange thing that I occasionally get, a "Why am I here" feeling. Where I can't see a way out of this very uncomfortable place, heavy pack, up and down, left and right, with no end in sight. The sun was beginning to set and we still had a very minimal amount of light when we finally reached the sign with a big boot on it, indicating our start up the 400ft cliff face. I can begin to describe the amount of joy I had knowing the boulder slog was done with.

My spirits were rejuvenated as we began the hike up the side of the cliff. This was 10 times easier then hiking from the exit of the subway to the base of this cliff. We eventually had to put on headlamps and refilled our bladders with treated river water, very tasty! As we climbed up we could hear the sounds of bats over head, pinging us with their sonar, TOO COOL! Finally reaching the top we did the quick 1/2 return to the car. We arrived at the car about 8:45pm.

Drove to the Bit and Spur for dinner and a couple of cold beers. What an adventure! Unfortunately we did not get our permits for the next day, as we had planned to go down Pine Creek/Keyhole. Due to the exhaustion, and also the 7 hour drive back home, we skipped them and vowed to return another day.

A great first trip to Zion NP!

[Deathcricket]

Nice pics dude! Glad your first trip out here was a great one.

Edit: What game ya playing in the first pic?

[KanyonKasey]

Where did you find your information on the trails and were the routes hard to find?

[Iceaxe]

Where did you find your information on the trails and were the routes hard to find?

Subway
http://climb-utah.com/Zion/subway.htm


Das Boot
http://climb-utah.com/Zion/boot.htm

[Iceaxe]

Thanks for the TR.

FYI:



From this rappel there is a walk-down 20-yards to the west behind the bush. The bushes hide the walk down from view. I wish someone would cut this webbing out.




At this point you can go over the front of the boulder.... or.... There is a really bad downclimb on the right.... or... there is a simple walk down on the left. It's had to see the walk down because you must crawl through the rabbit hole. And those bolts are new within the last month. I still haven't figured out why folks place bolts when there is a simple walk down 10-yards to the left.

[Spacecamel]

Nice pics dude! Glad your first trip out here was a great one.

Edit: What game ya playing in the first pic?

That was Smallworld. I clobbered Eric on the first game we played on Thursday night then he cleaned my clock for the rest of the trip (due in no small part, I will argue, to loaded dice.)

--Frank

[Deathcricket]

That was Smallworld. I clobbered Eric on the first game we played on Thursday night then he cleaned my clock for the rest of the trip (due in no small part, I will argue, to loaded dice.)

--Frank

You guys brew your own beer, canyoneer, and play cool board games? I'm inviting myself on your next trip!

[Eric Holden]

From this rappel there is a walk-down 20-yards to the west behind the bush. The bushes hide the walk down from view. I wish someone would cut this webbing out.

I had read about the walk down and hear it was class 4? We had debated finding it, but the ease of the rappel caused us to just go with it. I do see why the walk down would be preferred as there are some gnarly rope groves forming over the lip.

At this point you can go over the front of the boulder.... or.... There is a really bad downclimb on the right.... or... there is a simple walk down on the left. It's had to see the walk down because you must crawl through the rabbit hole. And those bolts are new within the last month. I still haven't figured out why folks place bolts when there is a simple walk down 10-yards to the left.

We saw the bad downclimb and thought about trying it but with an anchor staring us in the face... eh... there is also a rabbit hole on the right side as well that looked "easier". Didn't even see the walk down/hole on the left.

[Iceaxe]

I had read about the walk down and hear it was class 4?

When I say "walk-down" I literally mean you just walk down. it's only 10-yards from the tree you rappeled from.

We saw the bad downclimb and thought about trying it but with an anchor staring us in the face... eh... there is also a rabbit hole on the right side as well that looked "easier". Didn't even see the walk down/hole on the left.

The right (north) side sucks and has resulted in several injuries.... the left (south) side you crawl through an opening about 3'x2' into a kinda small cavern, which drops you through a second rabbit hole about 3'x2' to the edge of the pool. IMHO it's the fun way to defeat the boulder obstacale, my kids though it was a riot dropping through the rabbit holes. Fat guys will have no problem fitting through. A month ago someone had built a huge cairn next to the first rabbit hole, and the bolts you used were not there.

Anyhoo.... it's all fun... glad you had a good trip.

[oldno7]

When I say "walk-down" I literally mean you just walk down. it's only 10-yards from the tree you rappeled from.

I much prefer this rap than the walkdown

[ratagonia]

I much prefer this rap than the walkdown

Ahhhhhhh. All is right with the universe.

I, of course, can't understand why ANYONE would prefer the rap to the easy walkdown.

Tom

[Felicia]

Great trip report - congrats on your first trip to Zion! On e you time the traffic from SoCal, you will be going every weekend. LOL

Felicia

[2065toyota]

Nice TR

[Kuya]

Welcome to Zion! It is truly an amazing place! I still haven't found another place like it in the world! Glad to see that you had fun.

I too had a good experience with some ranges on my last trip. I am glad to hear that they helped you guys out too!

[Eric Holden]

Where did you find your information on the trails and were the routes hard to find?

We mostly used Tom's guide book
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/...zion-top-down/
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/...ical/das-boot/

This map proved to be super valuable and brought us down right on top of Das Boot.
http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/image...elldasboot.jpg


The route were not hard to find, but you had to be looking. If you are not going over your surroundings and making sure you are where you think you are, you could easily get lost and drop down into the wrong area.

[oldno7]

Ahhhhhhh. All is right with the universe.

I, of course, can't understand why ANYONE would prefer the rap to the easy walkdown.

Tom

Whew---glad we disagree!!!
There is a great open place for putting on wetsuits at the anchored tree.
As compared to the river rock at your location.
Plus--you get an extra rap--pretty keen idea for those who are there for canyoneering.
Great spot to evaluate abilities prior to commitment in the canyon as well.

[Iceaxe]

There is a great open place for putting on wetsuits at the anchored tree.
As compared to the river rock at your location.

FWIW: There is a big flat dry area at the base of the walk down, which is also perfect for putting on wetsuits. There are also a couple big flat rocks you can sit on so you are not changing clothes while sitting in the dirt.

But if you guys like the rappel than go for it. I avoid nuisance rappels whenever possible.

[Eric Holden]

I avoid nuisance rappels whenever possible.

+1 to that!

[The Good Cop]

From a guy who brews beer for a living & uses White Labs, gotta like that avatar photo Frank! Oh, on topic? Right, great photos & TR, thanks!

Wayne

[KanyonKasey]

Thanks for the links you guys very useful. What kind of beer do you make? I make mead myself its pretty fun.