On a recent trip to Zion National Park, I had the pleasure to climb the infamous Angels Landing and backpack the longest section of the Trans-Zion Trekking Route, The West Rim Trail. The WRT makes up 15 miles of the 47 mile route from the Lee Pass Trailhead in Kolob Canyons to the Park’s southeast entrance at the East Rim Trailhead. Most people start out in Kolob Canyon, a mostly downhill distance hike. Due to permit availability and a misadventure with a hiker, I did the West Rim Trail both ways, trekking over 30 miles and ascending and descending 6,200 feet in a span of 24 hours. I learned several valuable lessons on this trip including the importance of reviewing basic hiking protocols with travel mates and how differently people can react in a potentially dangerous situation.
Look for my unexpected Zion wilderness survival story in an exclusive upcoming article with Self Reliance Illustrated.
