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John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
Zion National Park, Kolob Terrace Region
North Guardian Angel 7395' Class 4 Northeast Ridge
West Northgate Peak 7267' Class 3 North Ridge
South Guardian Angel 7140' Class 4 Northeast Ridge
East Northgate Peak 7159' Class 2 North Slope
Zion Canyon
Angel's Landing 5790' Class 3 Chains
Refrigerator Peak 6011' Class 1 South Slope
May 1: Drive from Escalante, get permit, goof off in Springdale, hike in the chill 2 mile Northgate Peak Trail to set up a camp on the rim of Russell Gulch. Literally "chill" with rain and wind and 40 degree F. cold temps!
Northgate Trail end viewpoint Evening rainbow
May 2: Allowing the rock to dry with a leisurely start, Kimberly, Robert, and I set off to summit the North Guardian. It is fairly challenging scrambling with consistent Class 4 to start above the NE shoulder (Class 3 to there) and several exposed Class 4 steps here and there to the summit. In general, after the first sustained pitch, go slightly left (south) of the NE Ridge crest. We opted to go faster by avoiding to rope up. On the descent we did 2 rappels, however. Spectacular Climb in an amazing location!
North Guardian Angel flower NE Ridge North Guardian Angel Starting up Summit pitches Zion National Park. UT Class 4 pitch Class 4 first pitch moving up exposure Robert around Cl.4 bulge step S. Guardian Angel; Zion National Park. UT Grand view SE Zion National Park, UT 1st rappel 2nd rappel Happy climbers
Trying to beat incoming T-storms, I quickly went up W. Northgate Peak on its' pleasant and solid Class 3 North Ridge.
N. Ridge W. Northgate Zion Wilderness, UT. Storm on the horizon... Zion National Park, UT
May 3: 6:30 AM start, knowing this would be a potentially long day to South Guardian Angel. It sits in a magnificent and remote location deep in Zion Wilderness. Though the Peak itself is solid and pleasant Class 3, getting to it is another story. There is but one way, that is to descend to the famous Subway of the Left Fork North Creek. It goes like this:
Walk around the west edge of the unnamed point east of N. Guardian Angel.
Descend the prominent South Ridge of this point until it gets too steep.
Cross left through a shallow drainage to a second south trending rib.
Take it until it steepens beyond reasonable progress.
Look down and right into a gritty dirt gully...Take it.
Take the gully to a brushy flat, 200 vertical feet above the Subway.
Traverse the flat 100 yards left to a second gully...Take it to the bottom!
The key Jughandle Arch is right across from you.
Climb 15 feet of Class 3 gully left of the arch to 10 feet of Class 4 mini face.
Ascend the rest of the gully out to a tread on the left switchbacking up.
Find your way to Guardian Angel Pass and locate the Red Sandstone Amphitheater...scramble it to the NE Ridge of South Guardian Angel.
Enjoy the NE Ridge to the top!
Retrace.
Zion National Park, Kolob Terrace region N. Guardian Angel looms Zion National Park, Kolob Terrace region descending to subway Dirty, brushy gully descent Robert at Subway Kimberly found Jughandle arch! Climbing out First view! The "sandstone amphitheater" NE view amphitheater step Zion National Park, Kolob Terrace region Zion Wilderness, UT Class 3 fun Last Cl 4 friction step Robert follows
Summit views are awesome!!!! Then head back...
Zion Wilderness, UT Deep in the Zion Wilderness, UT. Zion National Park Descending Back up that??? Gully ascent Gully steps Almost out
Once back at the Northgate Peaks, I scrambled the easy N Ridge of East Northgate. A tread gets you up, but fun Class 2 rock is more enjoyable.
Zion Wilderness, Zion National Park, UT N. Ridge E. Northgate scramble Happy Camp!
May 4: Then it was time to eat and celebrate in Springdale! A quick hike out and a set up in the South Campground by the Park Visitor Center.
May 5 : Drats, my last day. I opted for Angel's Landing and some Courtney Purcell bump called Refrigerator Peak. I was first out of camp and thought I'd meet everyone on top. But somehow we never crossed paths???? Then it was time to begin the long drive.
My final desert sunrise Angel's Landing crowd gathers Zion National Park, Angel's Landing Over there next Famous chains on Angel's Landing Angel's Landing Mtn of Mystery across Mount Majestic View from Refrigerator Peak flower more flower Willie's Wiggles
May 6: Breaking up the drive with a leg stretcher, I stopped by Bruneau Dunes State Park near Mountain Home, ID. I am really beginning to love sand dunes!
Bruneau Dunes Lake texture Traversin' Bruneau Dunes dunes over lake Over to highpoint The "dune crater" a sleepy state park in Idaho texture; Bruneau Dunes State Park, ID
And then it was done....my Utah trip that is. Thanks so much to all the partners that made it special!
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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meck Member
Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 920 | TRs | Pics
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meck
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Sun May 08, 2016 4:40 pm
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That looks like an awesome experience, and that terrain is wild! I really dig that photo of Angel's Landing. Thank you for sharing your pics (I'm hoping to go visit at least some of those parks someday)
*Just say NO to Rent-Seeking, don't give up the concept of "ownership"*
*Just say NO to Rent-Seeking, don't give up the concept of "ownership"*
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ragman and rodman Member
Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 1219 | TRs | Pics Location: http://rgervin.com/ |
Thanks to you, Abert, Opus, myself and quite a few others, the southwest has been getting quite a bit of publicity on nwhikers...
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Gimpilator infinity/21M
Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
Awesome! I hope to follow in your footsteps on the guardian angels someday.
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Abert Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2010 Posts: 588 | TRs | Pics Location: Sequim |
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Abert
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Mon May 09, 2016 11:31 am
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Collecting sand dune highpoints? There must be a list somewhere.
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John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
Abert wrote: | Collecting sand dune highpoints? There must be a list somewhere. |
easy pickens! Allthough, the knife edge rib traverse was exhausting! Mojave area dunes much more user friendly.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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slabbyd Member
Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 293 | TRs | Pics
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slabbyd
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Tue May 10, 2016 8:52 am
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South Guardian is one of the all time classic peaks in North America (IMO). Nice way to end an excellent vacation.
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