First Stop, Zion
Zion National Park is just two hours or so outside of Las Vegas. We drove down the Vegas strip for fun since skp and I hadn't been there in years. It was a shock to go from the agitated streets of hyperreality and simulation to the calm vistas of Zion. We hiked Scout's Point/Angel's Landing one day, then hiked three miles or so into the Narrows another.
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I hear that July is one of the only safe times to hike through the Narrows...and even then you need to check the weather carefully. A rainshower miles away can flood the canyons quickly. There's really nowhere to go if you hear that rumbling water coming. We dutifully checked the posted weather reports and talked with park rangers before going.
Usually when I'm hiking, I see water as a barrier. It was strange to walk through the water to make progress. We started early in the morning, and only saw a few other people once we were miles in. We even took time to explore a side canyon. On the way out, in the afternoon, there were quite a few people coming in and the day was heating up. We were thankful for the early start. Next time, I'd like to backpack the entire length of the canyon.
We took along a cheapo waterproof camera, and the pictures didn't turn out too well.