Zion Adventures

Well all, Cooper and I are back in one piece from our camping adventure in Zion National Park with our extended-ish family: the Lanting/Vaughan/Young/Fitt clan. All in all, it was a successful, fun, and (mostly) relaxing trip. I had a lot of fun, though I am very glad to be home, showered, and looking forward to a soft, comfy bed tonight before reality commences again tomorrow. Here are some highlights of the trip:

As soon as we got into the park (for FREE, I might add, since Cooper works for the park service), we happened upon this big horn sheep...

...and its baby!

Cooper and I at the trailhead for Angel's Landing. We are hiking to the top of the rock that is sticking up behind us. GULP.

The views were great the whole way up. It was very hot though; we started the hike too late. Here is one of my many breaks in the shade.

Cooper has a tendency to go off-trail and explore.

Walter's Wiggles, the name for the crazy-steep switch-backs right before you get to the saddle, are notorious for how strenuous they are. I had the idea of wiggling at the end of each switchback as a motivational tool.

They frequently warn people not to do this hike if you are afraid of heights. There are good reasons for this.

A lot of people stop here. The sign reads: Strenous climb. Narrow route with cliff exposures. Hazardous during thunderstorms, and ice/snow conditions.

And in case you weren't deterred by the previous sign, this one a few yards ahead says that since 2004, 6 people have died from falls on this hike. The number six was changeable. GULP again. We were not deterred.

Cooper got this shot of me contemplating my insanity.

One of the drop-offs. I'm feeling a little vertigo just looking at the picture.

Praise God, someone had the brilliant idea of anchoring chains on the trail to the summit in the worst spots. I held onto those blessed chains for dear life. Seriously, if you don't know where you're going after you die, don't hike this trail!!

Cooper, of course, my hiking hero, cool as a cucumber for both of us.

The summit! We made it!

Picture proof that we survived.

Back on the lower ground the next day, taking a short trail with my adorable 7-month old niecey-poo, a cheerful camper.

It's gorgeous there.

We spent lots of time in the river near our campsite. This is Aimee pushing around one of the two-year-old twins in a floaty toy.

4-year-old Elijah on the crocodile.

Anne, my favorite 6-year-old.

The rope swing that both adults and kids tried.

Daring Peter!

I eventually tried it too. I was worried I wouldn't have time to plug my nose before the plunge. I'm not good at that breathing out of my nose thing under water. Fortunately, I did.

Crazy husband.

Anne splashing Cooper

Caleb, my brother-in-law, and wonderful Kale'a!

Grace and 2-year-old Ransom.

Aaaack! She's so squee-worthy!

Julie, Laura's (my sister-in-law) mom, and 2-year-old Berea, one of the twins.

Aimee with her nephew and youngest camper, Judah.

Anne is a good big sister.

We ran out of coffee and had only whole beans, so Andy and Aimee (Laura's brother and sister), grind them up. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Evening at our campsite was just lovely...it finally cooled off!

A last hike the night before we left. Me, Caleb, Laura, and Mike (Cooper took the picture).

Zion sunset.

The only thing we did that I don't have pictures of is tubing down the Virgin River outside of the park. I went on this trek thinking it would be a gentle float, but the minor rapids caused me once to lose my tube, and the second time to get dunked under for a few seconds, coming up coughing and sputtering and very bruised. According to those who went with me, I fell off backwards and head first, so apparently God was keeping me safe as my head was just fine. In fact, both my hat AND sunglasses stayed on through the whole ordeal! I really ought not to worry that He is watching out for me, and yet I do so often. Ed Young, awesome guy, suggested I end the trip there, walk with him up to the road, and wait for the rest of the party to finish up. I agreed, and despite some epic leg and knee bruises, I had fun tubing, and hope to try it again with more realistic expectations.

PS: To those readers of this blog who were on the trip and would like pictures, you are free to steal them from here, but I have many more that I have not added for the sake of space that I will send to you all in an email.