Sam and I just got back from two days in Zion National Park, accompanied by Dan and Scott Eldredge and Lee, Jonathan and Michael Jarman. We did Birch Hollow/Orderville Canyon one day, and Subway the next. Both are long days, and somewhat challenging, but richly rewarding.
For most of the group, it was the first time they had ever been canyoneering, and Birch Hollow was an exciting experience. And Orderville is, in my opinion, one of the best-kept secrets in Utah outdoors. It is a stunning canyon and makes for an interesting hike, with jumps into pools and challenging downclimbs (for novices like me).
Subway was beautiful, but the water above "The Subway" was chilling, numbing, paralyzingly cold. After Keystone Falls, it took most of us over an hour to stop shivering. On the last semi-technical downclimb, Scott slipped at the bottom and twisted his knee. It could have been disastrous. But we made him a crutch and helped him walk a mile or two and by the end he was doing pretty well.
I enjoy taking people to some of these outdoor wonders. But all the while I am hoping that they enjoy it as much as I do. I am embarassed that I keep repeating such inane questions as "Isn't this beautiful?" I should learn never to ask teenagers about aesthetics. Their standard response is "Yeah."
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