Lynn Sessions

David and I traveled to Zions National Park to try to hike to a large arch in Hepworth Wash, south of the tunnel. We hiked several miles up Gifford Canyon and then climbed up about 900 feet to a pass into Hepworth Wash. Along the way there were a lot of cliffs that required some overhand rock climbing. The pass is one of the highest points in Zions National Park and from there you can appreciate the part of the park that most people never see.

While we can see down into Hepworth Wash, we can not see the arch and there is no way to descend. It was growing late and we were exhausted. This turned out to be much bigger country than we were used to.

On the way back, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye, about a half mile away. After a while we catch the sight of someone trying to climb down the cliffs at the very end of Gifford Canyon. From where we are it doesn’t look possible. I believe that they will probably be stranded up there for the night. However, some time later, a lone hiker catches up with us as we descend one of several dryfalls in Gifford Canyon. We stop to swap hiking stories with Karen T. from Salt Lake City, who did get up and then down the cliffs at the end of the canyon. She indicates that she enjoys hiking the canyons of southern Utah as often as possible.

Cool! — A canyon hiking girl!