Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion EXPOSURE & OTHER DIFFICULTY COMPARED

I whined about the rough rocky main Whitney trail. Very uncomfortable on the feet. I imagine some parts of that river are rocky and slippery.

You're referring to the Narrows hike, right?

I did a Google Image search for "narrows hike zion" and came up with these.

This one is from that page....


I think about 1/3 of the total distance you are sloshing through the river, most ankle-deep. But one section was chest deep. The rest is rocky river shoreline. I wore old hiking boots and tossed them after the hike. Others on our hike wore trail runners or just running shoes. You can rent water-hiking boots just outside of Zion.

Hiking poles are mandatory -- you are constantly working your feet over river rock. Some nice gravel, sometimes 12-inch round and slippery rock.

I'm a little late to the discussion, but per my experience the MR is in a whole different class than the other 2. Angels (aside from the crowd factor -- I was lucky enough to be there in October) is a piece of (angel) cake. I did HD 25 years ago, and maybe the granite was less slick back then? Anyway, I thought it was easy and the chains were unnecessary, and this was before I had done any class 3.

With the MR, on the other hand -- you definitely need to keep your wits about you. It looks a lot worse than it is and, really, the hardest move is to get over the rock blocking the entrance to the final 400. But there was one ledge that I traversed that was pretty narrow.

The class ratings and the way they are described is sort of subjective. For instance, on Mt. Russell, a slip would be not just fatal, but cataclysmic, and yet the actual climbing is mostly class 2, with a little moderate class 3.

Like all puppies around the world would then attack the nearest baby if you fell?

> not just fatal, but cataclysmic

I think it's the difference between maybe a broken bone and...   picking up parts  

Finding parts.

Oh, you'd find them all right: they'd all be in Splatter Lake.

Much easier Frank. The rocks aren't sharp, but are slippery. As Steve said, a trekking pole is a must. The currents can get strong at time and will want to knock you off your feet. The poles will prevent you from doing many face plants into the water.

I never did understand why the local shops advocated one big walking stick instead of two trekking poles for the Narrows. I took two poles, and my feet were more battered and swollen the next day than they were at the end of the Sierra Challenge in '10.

It also started raining later in the evening after I day-hiked the Narrows. I felt really sorry for the people behind me who had opted to do it as an overnight. The river was blood-red and scary.

Pole vaulting over the bigger rocks brought in fresh by thunderstorms.

Years ago I hiked the narrows with a scout group that got a late start and spent the night in the canyon without planing to. What doesn't kill you makes for better stories.

Dale B. Dalrymple

Yes, the commercial shuttle service we used, got us out there at dawn. It was quite a long day, finishing around 5 PM.

I'll settle this: Just got off MR with my friend Mike, who has done all three now.

The MR is the sketchiest.

Discussion over.

Shouldn't you add: "in the dark"?

This debate seems to be settled. Seems like I'm a lot more familiar with the MR now. Gotta do it.

You are!

So confused, I thought the photoshop moose head avatar was you. But there are two of you now.

Too early for this.

There can be only one.

Thank goodness.

Start of a fan club? I'm trying hard to get her to notice before I change it back. Hope she gets a kick out of it.

I know I did!
Love it! Laughing so hard! Sorry Laura, it IS funny!
Saw this during lunch with a mouth full of food -- bad timing!
OMG!! I can't stop laughing!

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, is it not?

CaT

It's MooseTracks' evil twin!

 

Yes.
"Evil", because the only thing it's missing is Laura's winning smile!!

CaT