Zion National Park
We started our first day with the most extreme of our hikes -- Angels Landing, a trail deemed by some as the “scariest, most dangerous hike in America”. Funnily enough, we took most of the photos only in the “safe” sections where we could afford to occupy our hands with our phones. Other times we were fully rock climbing or clinging on to the metal chains. At certain points, the path was so narrow and you’re next to a 1000 foot drop-off. TBH had I known about how ridiculous and terrifying this was trail was beforehand, I probably would’ve talked myself out of it... But the hike is something the three of us are proud of and grateful for (they allow only a limited number of people on the narrow path and we won the lottery for it the day before!) The 360 view of mountains and canyons at the top was pretty awesome and we reflected on how crazy this was for the rest of the week.
Bryce Canyon
Was not expecting snow on this trip, but boy am I glad I brought my puffer jacket! Bryce is known for it’s hoodoos (red pillars of rock). We started off with a grand view at Sunrise Point, and then hiked into the canyon on the Queens Garden and Navajo Loop trail. It felt like a winter wonderland seeing all the pine trees and sunlight reflecting off the snow. There were fun arches to walk through and we also saw famous hoodoos including Queen Victoria and Thor’s Hammer. This was the first canyon we hiked, and it’s funny how unlike a mountain, you hike the easier downhill part first, and end with the more difficult uphill part. There was a pretty intense set of switchbacks at the end, but there were plenty of kids and older individuals who still managed to do it.
Antelope Canyon
This one was definitely a favorite amongst our group! The canyon was barely visible above ground, but once going inside, we were met with so many distinct and dynamic shapes and curves and colors. Every turn felt like an Apple wallpaper. Such a colorful and interactive journey, even though it was only about a mile. Our tour guide Jayden was awesome and is a fellow fan of the vivid filter on iPhone.
Grand Canyon
Ended our trip at the Grand Canyon! We started out at Mather Point and saw a wide and vast view of the canyon, which is truly the biggest thing I’ve seen. We then did the South Kaibab trail to Ooh Ahh Pont and Cedar Ridge. Came up almost as fast as going down. Saw goat and drank glacier freeze.
