Monday morning started with a take off time of 6:30 am. We got to Zion and picked up the permit and then headed off to the trail head for Birch Hollow. We soon arrived at the first of 11 or so rappels. It was a tricky one with a couple of overhangs, but under the expert tutelage of 3 climbing guides (giving their services for free thank goodness) we all got down just fine on that one and on all the rest. The longest one was just under 100 feet.
Here's Jamie taking one of the water jumps
The combination of lots of really fun (and funny) people - Supe, JJ, Jamie, Leo (our photographer), Raymond, Paul, Bonnie and Wayne - made for a great day and we got out around 4:30 I think.
People went up to bring back the cars while the rest waited at Zion. Then we went to a park, where Moss, Christie and Brenden met up with us, and had dinner and birthday pie - a day early - for Supe. It was such and fun day. We were all kind of sorry that the rappelling didn't last longer. It seemed like we were just getting over having the fantods and getting pretty confident when they ended. I have to say that some of the scrambling, chimneying and diving off rocks to the pools below were more scary to me than the rappelling was. Thanks JJ, Leo, Supe and Jamie for a really fun day with your skills making it possible. Thanks Wayne for being a good sport about being invited and then having to drive, buy a park pass and losing your watch. At least Paul did rescue your glasses (and find another pair besides) thank goodness! Thanks to Moss and Christie for coming up with ice cream to go with the pie!
Here I am going off the first one
Here's part of the really long one
This one had a cool boulder stuck part way down
Here's part of the really long one
This one had a cool boulder stuck part way downWe had several chances to just scramble, chimney or dive down some of the short drops during the hike too.
Here's Jamie taking one of the water jumpsThe combination of lots of really fun (and funny) people - Supe, JJ, Jamie, Leo (our photographer), Raymond, Paul, Bonnie and Wayne - made for a great day and we got out around 4:30 I think.
People went up to bring back the cars while the rest waited at Zion. Then we went to a park, where Moss, Christie and Brenden met up with us, and had dinner and birthday pie - a day early - for Supe. It was such and fun day. We were all kind of sorry that the rappelling didn't last longer. It seemed like we were just getting over having the fantods and getting pretty confident when they ended. I have to say that some of the scrambling, chimneying and diving off rocks to the pools below were more scary to me than the rappelling was. Thanks JJ, Leo, Supe and Jamie for a really fun day with your skills making it possible. Thanks Wayne for being a good sport about being invited and then having to drive, buy a park pass and losing your watch. At least Paul did rescue your glasses (and find another pair besides) thank goodness! Thanks to Moss and Christie for coming up with ice cream to go with the pie!
what a blast! this hike is on our to-do list, happy bday Supe!
ReplyDeleteWhat a daring hike! Looks like your canyon guides were very experienced. Did you have to do any diving to get down to lower elevations? I think at that point, I would have turned around and scurried back to the car.
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