I
am thrilled to secure the very last two permits for The Narrows in Zion National
Park
The
adventure starts early on that Monday morning when a shuttle takes us from
Springdale to Chamberlain’s Ranch, and from there we are on our own to follow
Virgin River downstream all the way back to the park.
It is shortly after 7:30, and it is already a beautiful day. Blue
sky, and sunshine, pleasant temperature of around 70 degrees for that moment
which was later expected to rise above 100 F. Taking advantage of
the cooler morning, we try to cover as much distance as we can in
the beginning of our trip. We are on a dirt road, walking through a
pasture. The scenery is pleasant, but the real beauty lays ahead of
us, and we do not have reason to procrastinate here.
Finally
we meet with Virgin River and step into its water.
It is only ankle deep at first and many large rocks make it possible to make first
few crossings without getting wet. My approach shoes do not handle the wet
rock well, so I soon swap them for the rented 5.10 Canyoneers
and with their sticky soles, they immediately become my best friend.
The
water remains shallow for the first several miles, during which we
enjoy views of the rock walls reaching to the sky above us, and first
Narrows section where the walls come
closer together and we can from up close and personal admire the craftsmanship
of the river carving this canyon.
It is not as easy as one would think to make the 16 miles
downstream. As the water becomes deeper, the crossings become more challenging.
Our pace slows down considerably even at spots where the flow is mild.
We emerge at the other end after 11 hours of constant ooh and aah, knowing that this is a hike we will gladly return to do again if opportunity arises.
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