Angels Landing dangers

Related: Angels Landing update

The news of a Glendora woman falling to her death Sunday from Angels Landing in Zion National Park got me thinking about my failed attempt to reach the summit of this trail three months ago. It was the first time my hiking partner and I ever had to turn around due to the inherent danger of a hiking trail.

Our experience made us come to one conclusion: Angels Landing Trail should be permit-only and have more extreme warnings.

One of the problems with the Angels Landing Trail is that it isn't a trail at all, but a series of rock steps so narrow and precipitous that chains to hold onto have been bolted into the rock face. This isn't entirely unusual: Think Half Dome, but instead of a continuous cable-assisted climb, picture narrow rocks barely large enough to stand on in spots — and large gaps between chains. And there are people hiking the trail in sandals, flip-flops and with young children in tow.

Angels Landing itself is the summit of a long, narrow rock fin. The photo at right was taken from close to where I chickened out; the white dot is a hiker heading up.

After two miles of a very pleasant, scenic hike on the West Rim Trail— including the famous 21 switchbacks called Walter's Wiggles —  things got very steep very quickly. After a few minutes of chain-assisted scrambling, my partner was so terrified that he stopped for good at Scout Lookout, an area two miles in, and about half a mile from the summit.

I continued for another few minutes until reaching an extremely narrow saddle with 1,000-foot drop-offs on both sides — and NO CHAINS to hold onto. I made the mistake of looking down, and that was that.

We were frustrated and disappointed with ourselves for chickening out, until we got back to our hotel and discovered during an online search that there have been a number of deaths on that trail. Then we got mad. How could the National Park Service not post more severe warnings about this route? Yes, there's a sign about the dangers before the chains begin (shown below).

And warnings in park brochures about the hike not being suitable for those with fear of heights. And a lovely "e-hike" on Zion's website warning of "long drop-offs and steep edges."  Vast understatements.

I don't know exactly what the circumstances of Sunday's death were. I do know, from reading online forums that were posted following a death there in 2007, that the trail to Angels Landing gets very crowded and that there are casual hikers unprepared for such a seriously dangerous trek. There are those who feel that hikers proceed at their own risk, and those who think the chains actually make unsuspecting hikers complacent. I think all hikers should have access to this stunning trail, but the park shouldn't make it easy. Require permits, enforce a daily quota. And for crying out loud, fill in the chain gaps.

-- Julie Sheer

Photos by Julie Sheer / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Ray Anderson]

I agree. This looks dangerous. People need to be warned and prepared to do this.

[KraZ Kat]

While it is laudable that people want to be responsible for themselves, there is a problem when there are too many poeple on a crowded, narrow path. You may be perfectly capable, but what of a case of a man with a 12 year old son who is terrified of heights? A) the 12 year old should not be there, but no one stops the man from trying to "cure" the son of his phobia. B) There is now a terrified young man in the really narrow, really high trail mix (pun slightly intended) C) There is also most likely an angry man, because his son is terrified. These things are not conducive to safety, yet they happen. (Witnessed it first hand, told the idiot father that I didn't feel like dying because he didn't care about his son. This was after the poor kid slipped and nearly knocked off someone else).

The issue is that, while we may be responsible for ourselves, not everyone else is. Limiting the number of people on the trail at a time would be beneficial, and having an age limit, with proper procedures to get permission for those younger kids who can handle the responsibility, might keep children who don't want to be on the trail, off the trail. Just an opinion.

[Jason]

I did this hike a few days ago and I thought it was absolutely amazing so I don't think closing it or having a quota would be a good idea. However a minimum age restriction probably wouldn't be a bad idea, although when I was up there the only people acting stupid and taking risks were adults. I think the best thing to have would be a very graphic sign showing a computer generated image of what a human body would look like after hitting the ground at terminal velocity. Which could be accompanied by a warning stating that if you fall off the trail you will certainly die.

[danielle Vindez]

Angel's Landing like any outdoor acticity takes some level of fitness. Today it is pretty easy to determine a hike on the onset from google. If you don't have a moderate level of both strength and fitness perhaps you should not attempt to hike anything with a moderate to intense demand.

[Michael Joseph]

There are enough signs and warnings at Angel's Landing and everywhere else in the National Parks. The Parks are not, I repeat not, Disneyland, despite the attempts of many to make them that way.

Some places should not necessarily be accessible to everyone. People need to know their limits and respect them. But let others who can do more risky things do them without hindrance.

[Clayton Jenkins]

I am disappointed in this article. I was lucky to grow up in an active family. We lived in Utah and visited the National parks often. I remember one of my earlier visits, my father would not permit us to continue pass the scouts outlook. Its called personal responsibility.

I agree with many things in this article but I disagree with the thesis "Our experience made us come to one conclusion: Angels Landing Trail should be permit-only and have more extreme warnings."

Maybe, like anything else, you should accept the risk of any activity. In Utah, skiing is popular and many areas near the tops of the mountains are roped off for safety reasons. But they have gates, because it is silly to disallow people to venture somewhere, especially if that person knows what they are doing.

I think the national parks have it right. Warn hikers what they are getting into and assist them in doing so [with a trail/chains] while not intervening too much.

[BAustin]

I recently hiked the trail this past weekend and found it very enjoyable. Sure, there are 1000 foot cliffs on either side, but with a sure footing and careful step there is no reason why someone should fear (or even fall off the cliffs) along the entire route to the summit. There were even places of slick ice and snow along steeper, shaded sections of the trail but with some care one could easily make it up. It isn't necessary to be mad at the park service for allowing anyone to hike the Angel's Landing trail - know before you go and pay attention to what you're doing. It's an easy hike, don't blame others because you don't like a little excitement in your adventures.

[God]

Show some respect for the dead and for the author for a timely and important and well written article. For those bozos who want to prove they are "doers" and "action" people that think a juvenile testing of "skills" in the wild sets them apart and special, fair enough climb up there and eventually die. Just don't criticise sane and mature comments and make stupid nationalistic generalisations that are just offensive and cement cliche pictures of americans as stubborn boneheads who think they're macho and one with nature by taking such risks (and they are ready to have a mindless brawl if you disagree) . And the very idea that mature adults think their value as individuals means more when they prove they are not just "office" types but "risk takers" taking risks for the sake of it I just find amazing! Grow up - a woman has died and so have many others because they pursued a risky act and taking measures to minimise that risk is called intelligence - it is not being "uncool" nor un-American. You can have your opinion but respect that of others (mainly the majority) who don't agree with such foolhary, and largely empty, approaches to life - ones that can for no good sense kill unnecessarily.

[Todd]

I saw video and pictures of the Angel's Landing hike a few months before I went on it. Frankly, it was not nearly as scary or dangerous as the pictures made it look. I HAVE chickened out on hikes before (Bridge Canyon in Red Rock Canyon, NV), but I never considered turning around on Angel's Landing. I never felt like falling was a real danger. As long as you're paying attention to what you're doing and wearing sensible shoes, it's something anyone of reasonable coordination should be able to complete safely.

[Jane]

I have hiked Angels Landing many times. I have hiked it in the winter when several of the carved foot steps were filled with ice. I have hiked it with someone who discovered she was afraid of heights; I stood between her and the precarious sections. Just to see if I could, I hiked it once without touching any of the chain holds. I have never fallen off a sidewalk into the street. The most precarious parts of this trail are as narrow as a public sidewalk, only with chains to hold onto.

It amazes me that those who cannot trust their own sense of balance can jeopardize my freedom to take advantage of such an incredible experience. Don't want to go? No problem...we will regale you with tales and fill you with regret that evening over Zion Canyon Lager at Oscar's Cafe.

This trail is a testament to the founders of Zion National Park. That it was build and made possible to hike, (hike...not climb) is fantastic. This is a phenomenal trail and it amazes me to think of Superintendent Walters saying..."Yeah, let's get this built and let people walk to where it was said only 'Angels could land there."

[Sergei]

Please,no more sign in wilderness. We are adults and our safety is in our own hands.

The danger of this hike is exaggerated. I've done it three times and am sure that something bad can only happen in two circumstances:
- you do something really stupid and play the russian roulette with your own life. On each of my hikes I'v seen such people. It is the best to start early before idiots and crowd took over.
- something goes terribly wrong like with this poor woman ( considering the number of people who successfully climbed Angel's Landings, probability of this is even lower than getting in car accident driving to work. You can choke to death even eating cherries,but that doesn't mean that cheries have to be banned)
I love Zion! Hats off to US NPS and Americans for letting the world enjoy their treasures

[Lisa]

A lot of people are saying how restricting access and/or posting warning signs wouldn't do any good, which I can't say is true or untrue. Yes, some people are going to do whatever they want regardless of how much warning you give them. However, I think there are many people who assume it can't be 'that dangerous' if the park officials are still allowing anyone to hike on it. Either way, it's just sad all around that people die doing something that (in a perfect world) should be life-changing, not life-ending :/

[Mohammad]

I refuse to hike it. Looks very dangerous, especially if a storm arrived.

[Rosemary]

A hiker should rely on their own balance, not the chains which aren't there to hang on to with a death grip. The park administration should work on the trail area where two women have fallen in 2009, to make that part of the journey safer, if possible.

[Jason]

I just returned from a weekend in Zion and attempted the trail.
There is no need for extra warnings, permits, etc. It all comes down to common sense. The warnings that are posted all over and announced on the shuttle bus are enough. If that doesn't do the trick, when you get up to Scout Lookout, you see for yourself. If a person decides to attempt the trail, they are fully aware of the risks. If you climb a steep, narrow ledge with 800-1,000 ft drops on either side and fall, that's how it goes. Instead of fool-proofing everything, people just need to be semi-intelligent and take responsibility for their actions. I
t's similar to how they tell park patrons time and time again not to feed the wildlife because it is bad for their health and encourages aggressive behavior. Then, when an animal gets aggressive (because of us not obeying the rules), it is killed by park rangers.
Be smart.

[kristina Wierzbinski]

I too just hiked a portion of the angels landing. At one point I was unable to continue. It was a beautiful day and too many people were on it for my comfort. I will go back in spring when it is not so crowded. The point I stopped and waited for the rest of my party was so beautiful and I was glad I made it that far up the ridge.
The only thing I will say is they should not allow children on here. Lets all remember "children have no fear" . They just should not be allowed to do it. For their safety and the other hikers.

[Jen B]

I've reached the summit of Angel's Landing twice now, and it is stunning. I have noticed that quite a few people did not seem prepared for the trip, and most of those people only made it to Scout's Landing.

Requiring a permit wouldn't help, as others pointed out, the mess you have to go through for a permit (we did the Subway, got the permit the day before) isn't worth it for the short hike of Angel's Landing.

As far as the chains, I've never used them, so the gaps in having them never bothered me. I honestly wouldn't change the way it is at all.

[jay]

I actually made the climb several times.

The other poster is correct, wilderness should not have handrails! Personal Responsibility is the key for any hike. Regardless of what the rangers say, or what is posted...there is plenty of space to turn around up there. A person who is wary of the incline, or the terrain should stop. Other hikers do stop and ask people who look like they are in trouble, and hikers do watch out for eachothers. Families, and individuals hike anywhere in a US national park at thier own risk.

[dawn]

HELLOOOOO! If you can't do it, turn around. There IS a warning sign. It IS that simple. Hikers (people in general) need to take more responsibility for their persons, not everybody else. I'm tired of hearing Americans needing more hand holding. I'm sadden that woman died, that is a tragedy but please look at your abilities. Mother Nature is not Disneyland and it needs respect, not crying because you can climb her. Know your limits and back off with dignity.

This article is lacking in many ways and has nothing to do with that woman. It is all about the author. Sad.

[Hugh Larratt-Smith]

I agree 100%.

We took one look at Angels Landing, and decided it was way too risky.

Likewise, we were in Yosemite this past summer, and saw many cliff-side drop-offs which could turn a summer vacation into a catastrophe in seconds. Some parents allowed their 10 year olds to play on rocks bordering Vernal Falls, which is a fast-moving, extremely cold river - one slip, and they would have been swept downstream. I wanted to warn the parents, but didn't want to seem over-bearing.

Many people seem to think the National Parks are a controlled environment, where wild animals are friendly, and you get a second chance if you fall over a cliff. In Lake Tahoe last month, we saw European tourists chasing after a brown bear to take pictures with their children. We jumped in our car, and drove off.

[nate]

Seriously? Come on, it's not that bad. It's unfortunate that 5 people EVER have died on this trail, but that is an extremely, actually negligible, small percentage of the climbers on this trail considering there are hundreds of people a day that make this climb. As long as you are careful and watch where you are going, there are no issues with this trail. There are plenty of warnings, including two very large signs with a stick figure falling off a cliff (one at the base entrance to trail, and one right after Scout Lookout) and stating that this is dangerous. By the way, nice journalism - you seem to have only shown a picture of the tiny sign saying that the trail is not to be taken if there is bad weather (I can see the big sign in the background of that pic!). That is why I hate watching the news, because people like you spin the truth to make something worse than it is. Alarmist! If you are able to make the 2 mile hike up to Scout's Lookout, you dang sure can climb all the way up. Permit only is a joke. There were two older women, both in their sixties and definitely tourists who seemed to not be avid hikers or climbers, who made it up just fine last time I went up. It is dangerous, but so are many areas. If you aren't careful in many parks across this country, you can have a fatal accident. Angel's landing is an amazing climb that can be defeated by anybody who is capable of making the hike up to Scout's Lookout, and I implore you to continue all the way up if you have made it up to the Lookout. Making it that far and not going the final half mile to the beautiful summit is a tragedy in itself.

[Tim Will]

My wife and I have climbed this wonderful trail 3 times, Oct 2008 being the most recent. We're in our late 50's and in pretty decent shape. It's only about a 3 to 3-1/2 hour out and back trip, and the final stretches are quite exhilarating. The warnings regarding the trail are quite sufficient. Only the illiterate could miss this. The chain handholds are also very well designed and constructed, with heavy proof coil chain giving all climbers the means to have one hand for themselves and one for the mountain. It's not for the timid. Ms. Sheer and her partner obviously became fearful, and once fear sets in, reason tends to go. Too bad. If she'd had a climber friend who was more confident in himself, they'd have both made it up - without incident and without such unwarranted comments.

[Greg]

This is exactly the sort of hysterical fear mongering that results in unreasonable restrictions being placed on outdoor enthusiasts. I hike the Angel's Landing trail to the end every year, and did so this past July. The trail is very safe if you stay on it and the cliff edges are actually quite far off from the trail itself (despite the deceptive pictures used above). Anyone who is remotely careful will not have any problems on the trail. I usually see numerous kids hiking up the last section without incident. The author also either intentionally ignored or (remarkably) did not see the GIGANTIC warning sign -- much bigger than the one above -- with explicit warnings regarding the risks, such as they are. The trail is certainly not without danger, but the park goes out of its way to disclose any risks. I am sick and tired of people who expect personal responsibility to be legislated or regulated. There is no need for any permit system to be implemented.

[AJ]

I've done the hike many times, without using the chains at all. I don't want to see more rules and regulations added at the park; that detracts from the wilderness experience, which I feel is why many folks go to the parks in the first place. (I know that's the reason I go.) People need to know thier limits, and stay within them.

It's sad to hear of any death. However, there is always the option of turning around or not going if you don't feel comfortable (as the author did.) There is a sign advising of the dangers (as well as just looking at the upcoming trail should be obvious enough to folks.)

We can't protect everyone from themselves. I like the saying, "As soon as we make something idiot-proof, someone will make a better idiot."

[Zion Lover]

Wait...this article written by a "real" journalist? I thought it was just someone's blog. It is one of the stupidest articles I've ever read whatever the case may be. And why is someone who can't do a simple, yes I said simple, hike like Angel's landing doing articles on subjects she knows nothing about? I am just more than a little annoyed at all the attention given to the "dangers" of this hike. There are more than enough signs and warnings. My father made me wait until I was 18 to do this hike, even though I had been to Zion a million times and had been hiking for as long as my memory serves. So when I did finally do it, I was actually disappointed because it was not a challenge at all! It was beautiful, breathtaking even, but where was the "thrill"? The "danger"? It's just a hike. Come on people. It is NOT that bad. By the way, I have actually been in Zion hiking Emerald Pools when someone fell from Emerald Pools. It was a very somber experience and since then a few others have fallen and what did it force the park service to do? Add more stupid signs and chains. I HATE that the Zion I grew up loving and calling my home away from home IS becoming Disneyland. Watch your step, and watch your kids!!! All the additional signs and chains just take away from the natural beauty that is Zion.