Scout Lookout

<< Previous Next >>
Scout Lookout
Photo Information
Copyright: fulvio ferraris (fulvio52) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 582 W: 69 N: 885] (3308)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-08-09
Categories: Nature
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2008-01-19 6:52
Viewed: 434
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Scout Lookout, also known as Chicken Out Point... This is where you'll have to make up your mind whether hitting the infamous ridge to Angels Landing or get the hell back down...
I've been hiking all sort of trails on the Italian Alps, the High Sierras and the Colorado Rockies, but this is by far the scariest trail I've ever been on. I'd rate it 10 on a scale from 1 to 5.

Full distance : 5 miles
Average hiking time : 5 hours
Elevation gain : long steady climb, 1488 ft.
Peak : 5785 ft.
Trail conditions: the first 2 miles are paved and well maintained. Most of the path is sunny, but Refrigerator Canyon offers shade and often a cool breeze. This is a strenuos early morning hike. Make sure to allow time to be off the trail by dark if starting late in the day. The last half mile is across a VERY narrow sandstone ridge. Anchored support chains are attached along SOME sections of the sheer fin.
Trailhead: Grotto picnic area in Zion Canyon.

Keep in mind you'll have to hike the last half mile along a narrow sandstone isthmus with vertical drop-offs on both sides. 1200 ft. on one side, and 800 ft. on the other... In some points the ridge is only 3 ft. wide...
Anyways, after "Squiggle the Wiggles", a series of 21 razor-sharp switchbacks named after the first superintendent of Zion who helped, in 1924, to engineer this steep zig-zagging section (the park was in its planning stages at this time and this trail section was created to enable horses to access Cabin Spring), you'll get to Scout Lookout.
This is the saddle at the junction of the Angels Landing Trail and the West Rim Trail. The views down into Zion Canyon are AWESOME. Several climbing routes can be viewed from this vantage point. West Rim Trail continues, past Cabin Spring to Lava Point in the Kolob Terrace section of Zion, whereas the Angels Landing Trail turns southeast.
We only hiked half the way to Angels Landing. I'm not afraid of heights (due to my job I often work on scaffolds and roofs, no problem) but standing on a 3 ft. wide sandstone ledge with 1200 ft. and 800 ft. drop-offs on both sides and nothing to hold on, DOES get on your nerves... Let stay the amount of reckless morons hiking this fin... I saw this guy "backpacking" a little baby strapped to his back...
People die every year out here. Last casualties I know of are a lady from Las Vegas in August 2006, and another gentleman in June 2007. They both fell to death from this very ridge.
I might be posting a shot or two from the ridge later on, but I tell you right upfront : I won't be accepting technical remarks of any kind. Like, I should have done this or that... I had other things to worry about at the time, that's to say : MY BUTT! No room for technicals... LOL!

With thanks to: http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-angels-landing-trail.htm
Floydian, scobert, wautersw, zmey, Silvio1953, Wandering_Dan, Valerka, azleader has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekEarth members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekEarth members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To azleader: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-25 06:30
To g__clemens: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-20 16:06
To Wandering_Dan: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-20 14:32
To Silvio1953: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-20 08:57
To zmey: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-19 11:03
To mehmetemin: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-19 09:56
To httn: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-19 09:50
To gracious: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-19 09:40
To gneufeld: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-19 09:14
To marjan: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-19 08:53
To wautersw: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-19 08:39
To scobert: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 1 01-19 08:32
To Floydian: Scout Lookoutfulvio52 3 01-19 08:21
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

hi Fulvio, very nice composition and excelent colour. Good and so big , very useful information,
Marjan

Hi Ferraris!
I liked the smooth color of sky and mountain.Sharpness is perfectly balanced for me.Trees have also played their role in enhancing picture.Overall a perfect shot.(Best wishes for future)
Basit

Hallo Fulvio,
Ik wil niet al teveel veranderen aan je foto's, maar somiggen vind ik zo zeer de moeite waard dat ik het niet kan laten. Deze dus net zo. Een ozo mooie compositie in een strak kader. Geen stukje overbodige ruimte, heel erg goed. Kij kan alleen wat meer hebben aan tint en knallende kleuren, maar ik denk nu eenmaal altijd in zware kleuren...
Hopelijk vind je het wat.
Fijn weekend, Henk

Hi Fulvio,

Excellent colours and a great POV. A wonderful view of this beautiful place. TFS

Wolf

Hello Fulvio,
I am very impressed with your knowledge of this area. You travel hard and really do your homework! You have a great adventurous spirit and by reading your notes you have common sense also. I am not surprised that a man was carrying his baby up this extremely trecherous trail. I just talked to a travel/nature photographer buddy of mine and he told me that he saw two ladies walk down to the Colorado River and back from the south rim of the Grand Canyon in their high heels. I have seen hikers hike up Colorado's 14,000 foot Long's Peak with only shorts on and a light windbreaker. I would never get away with being this foolish. Good shot and great notes!
Stan

Hi fulvio,
Another great shot here - wonderful perspective, great colors, and usual perfect clarity. Did a workshop thought thinking that a square format might be another approach to this fine image. TFS. Gerald

Hi fulvio
I like the light and the composition here. Also very nice contrasting colors.
Mehmet Emin

Ciao buddy,
You had a very nice dedication from our friend Shelly!
for this shot, is one of your best collection of the mighty place!
perfect pov with total sharpness, warm colour and details to view and enjoy again!
very well done on this one
TFS
ciao
Tony

  • Great 
  • httn Silver Note Writer [C: 5 W: 0 N: 17] (191)
  • [2008-01-19 9:48]
  • [+]

Hallo, Fulvio.

Mooi plaatje van de rode stenen in het prachtige Zion. Blauwe lucht er achter, perfect.

Groeten, Peter.

  • Great 
  • zmey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 914 W: 71 N: 894] (3551)
  • [2008-01-19 10:49]
  • [+]

hey, fulvio

love this introduction to what is going to follow (your non-critiqueable ridge captures). you should gather all your photos and notes in a huge book and make a hiking photographer's guide to utah and colorado.

well done, my friend

cheers,
k.

Hi, Fulvio -

Great composition, even without making butt allowances! I don't think the workshops improved it any.

Regards,
Dan

Eh Fulvio, io sguazzo nella nebbia come fossi in val Padana e tu mi fai vedere queste meraviglie piene di sole:)
Un'altra meravigliosa foto, grande inquadratura e splendidi colori, ciao Silvio

Ciao Fulvio ,
bellissima , alcune volte gli alberi cercano i posti piu' strani per crescere come in questo caso .
ottima esecuzione come sempre
Giorgio

Ciao, Fulvio,
A pretty challenging place for hikers.
I like the composition you've managed to show here. You've also implied through this shot the time you must have had while surmounting this distance.
Oh, I'm sweating with tension just looking at these heights.
TFS
Valerka:)
A nice and rewarding week!

I like this capture. Well composed with nice color. The tall plant in the near foreground is some kind of yucca that grows a giant stem like this one when it blooms. Wish I could remember what it is.

Once upon a time while hiking off-trail alone in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson I almost walked straight off the edge of a 600 or so foot sheer drop off.

I wasn't paying very close attention to where I was going and just out of the corner of my eye spotted the TOP of a giant saguaro cactus and stopped dead in my tracks. If I had taken one more step I would have been a goner and never finished my Sophomore year in college. I immediately fell to the ground and crawled quickly away from a ledge. :)

I'm definitely NOT the risk taker type but sometimes things happen.

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF