The Subway in Zion National Park

 My favorite rappel.

WOW!  What an experience!  The Subway hike in Zion National Park has been on my bucket list for many years and now it's completed - CHECK!! Double check!!  This hike was challenging, taking us novices 10 1/2 hours to complete.  It was thrilling, first time rappelling. (I rocked those rappels)  It involved swimming short distances in very cold water.  It was spectacular! scenery beyond amazing.  It was exhausting, about 11 miles of hiking including getting a little lost and backtracking.  Would I do it again?  Yes, if the right opportunity presents itself - yes!  There are basically two ways to hike the Subway, round trip from the Left Fork Trailhead (easier) or top down from the Wildcat Trailhead which involves rappelling and swimming.  Our group of five hiked top down from Wildcat Canyon leaving a shuttle car at the Left Fork parking area.  Both trails require a wilderness permit. Visit www.zionpermits.nps.gov  for more information.  We were lucky enough to draw out a last minute permit which we picked up at the Zion Park visitor center the day before we hiked.  Our hiking day October 25 was absolutely perfect!  Here are some pictures (wish I could have taken more) and a few tips for hiking the Subway.

One of only 2 or 3 trail signs, must rely on cairns to find trail.

Looking for trail

Canyon bottom

First rappel

Loved this slot canyon

Playing peek a boo!

Walking out of the Subway.

My super heroes!

Beautiful water

More beautiful water

Even more beautiful water!

The long trek out.

Dinosaur tracks 2.4 miles from Left Fork Trailhead.

Here are my tips for hiking the Subway in October.

#1. Be prepared!  Do a lot of research before hiking!  Know your ability and that of your hiking companions.
#2. Hit the trail early!  By 7 am.  We started hiking at 9:00 and we were rushed and didn't make it out before dark.  Carry headlamps!
#3.  Carry maps, GPS and reference material.  Zion Adventure Company sell a $5 Subway for dummies reference guide.
#4.  Wetsuits are a MUST!  Maybe not so much in summer months, but definitely during fall.
#5.  Neoprene water socks are also a MUST.  They help prevent blisters and keep feet comfortable.
#6.  Also take dry bags.  Not only do they keep your stuff dry, they were very helpful and buoyant on the deeper swims.
#7.  I didn't think the trail was very well marked so you will have to rely heavily on cairns.

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******Miles hiked tally

beginning March 22, 2013
Beginning of this Blog
386.5

White Pine Lake - Logan Canyon

NEW TRAIL!  I love hiking all over this great state  . . . . from North to South, East to West UTAH has the very BEST hiking trails!  White Pine Lake in Logan Canyon is one of the most scenic trails I have hiked this year (need to come back during wildflower season).  White Pine Lake is a small, shallow but very picturesque lake sitting between two towering mounts - Mount Magog and Mount Gog (where do these names come from?? Weird!)  The trail is a mild, gradual climb through meadows, aspen and pine with a total distance to the lake of 3.8 miles.  After about 2.5 miles the trail starts heading down a fairly steep decline into White Pine Basin, but the steepness only lasts for about 3/4 of a mile and before you know it there is the lake.  But first here are some trail shots and the fall colors were spectacular!

  We walked through a grove of deformed aspen, evidence of a harsh winter.

This aspen was lying completely horizontal and still growing.

 After about 1/4 of a mile from the trailhead you will come to a junction with While Pine Lake to the right and Naomi Peak to the left.  I'll have to come back for Naomi Peak another day!

Naomi Peak in the background.

Beautiful White Pine Lake

To find the trailhead for White Pine Lake follow US-89 through Logan Canyon for almost 20 miles to the turnoff for Tony Grove Lake (another gem in and of itself).  Another 7 miles or so you will arrive at the Tony Grove Lake parking area and the trailhead for both White Pine Lake and Naomi Peak.

Tony Grove Lake

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******Miles hiked tally

beginning March 22, 2013
Beginning of this Blog
375.5

Sunset Peak

If you would like to climb a mountain peak that gives you a lot of Bang for the Buck or a Terrific Trek for your Time, I would suggest trying Sunset Peak at elevation 10,648.  The views are spectacular!  The distance is very doable.  The sense of accomplishment - GREAT! The shortest route to Sunset Peak is from Albion Basin via Catherine Pass in Little Cottonwood Canyon.  The total hike is 4.2 miles round trip and elevation gained is 1248 feet.

Begin hiking at the Catherine Pass trailhead where you will find a good sized parking area with restrooms.  During summer months on weekends the city of Alta provide shuttle buses to drop hikers at the trailhead.  This is a very popular hike.

After about 1 mile into the hike you will come to a lovely meadow, one of my very favorite spots.  It is beautiful year round.  Another half mile and you reach Catherine Pass and to the right is Sunset Peak.  Take the time to enjoy the view of Lake Catherine before moving on.

Lake Catherine with Pioneer Peak in background.

Next you will arrive at Sunset Pass.  The trail becomes extremely sandy.  It felt like walking through beach sand, but where is the ocean??  From Sunset Pass it is just another quarter of a mile to the top.

At Sunset Pass

On to the Peak!

You can see hikers at the tippy top.



Martha climbing up along cliff face.

Limber pine growing right out of the cliff.

Just a couple of crazy hiker chicks.

Climbing back down. 

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 Wildflower of the Week 

  

We saw one lingering Hummingbird Flower or Zauschneria on the trail to Catherine Pass this week growing out of a small crack in the rock.  The red flowers look a lot like chili peppers.  I was surprised to see it this late in the year. 

 For myself I hold no preferences among flowers

so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous!"

Ed Abbey

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******Miles hiked tally

beginning March 22, 2013
Beginning of this Blog
368

White Pine Lake

White Pine Lake in Little Cottonwood Canyon was a bit of a surprise and the trail information very deceiving.  The small trail sign near the restrooms at the beginning of the trail leads you to believe that the hike to White Pine Lake is 4 miles one way.  Wrong!  Also researching the internet and my hiking book said that the total distance roundtrip to White Pine Lake was 9 miles.  Wrong again!  Or at least I beg to differ.  More like nearly 11 miles roundtrip to actually make it down to the shores of the lake - unless there was a short cut trail that we didn't see or know about.  We met a young couple heading back down the trail who gave up finding the lake after hiking over 4 miles.  They didn't think White Pine Lake really existed.  But we eventually found it!

First glimpse of White Pine Lake from the trail's highest elevation point.  You must drop down 120 feet to reach the lake's shore.  I hiked down a little bit further to get better pictures, but I didn't make it all the way to the shoreline.  I needed to reserve my energy for the hike back.

White Baldy Mountain sets just south of White Pine Lake.

The trail to White Pine Lake is an old road the entire way that was built in the early 1900s to service mines in the canyon.  Today the Forest Service does NOT allow motor vehicles of any type in the area - it is all up to your own two legs to get you to the lake.  It is a very long winding trail following what remains of the road.  However, in spite of the long distance there was a lot to enjoy about this trail.  Hopefully, my pictures captured the highlights of the journey to White Pine Lake.

Lovely section of the trail.

Enchanted mossy area.

Beautiful large fern.

Unusual looking mountain peak.

Me at one of the meadows we crossed.

Stunning views across the canyon.

Many friendly marmots.

 

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 Wildflower of the Week  

 

This wildflower is called Ross' Avens.  It is a high elevation plant with a mass of dark green leaves and bright yellow flowers that look a lot like Cinquefoil flowers.  Ross' Aven is a member of the rose family and was named for John Ross, the first person to reach the magnetic North Pole.  This wildflower was still blooming strong in the rocky slopes near White Pine Lake.

For myself I hold no preferences among flowers

so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous!"

Ed Abbey

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******Miles hiked tally

beginning March 22, 2013
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363.8