Subway

Waterfalls cascade down while pools of bubbles below swirl.

And I thought that this was a desert.

I call the one above Fire and Ice.

Just before we arrived at the Subway, a thunderstorm blew dust into our eyes, then rocks started falling from 1000 feet above. The rain came shortly afterward, and I was disappointed because I was worried that the photography would be ruined. The swimming that we had been doing left me shivering and unable to hand hold the camera. As soon as we got down the waterfall area above the Subway, the rain and wind let up, and the cloud offered perfect lighting. The cold that I was feeling seemed to shy away when confronted with such beauty.

Swims were common, and unavoidable. The still blue pools showed you the hazards below, and offered even more to look at.

The Subway has to be one of my favorite hikes. The long and difficult day seems to melt away, and you are done before you know it. The photo's that I was able to take, are only the few spots that are small enough to fit through a lens. Most of the subway you would have to experience in order to grasp the full beauty.

Icebox Canyon

The trees give you a small amount of perspective on the scale of the place.
A 50+ foot waterfall and just below another of similar beauty.
It looked deep enough to jump in, but nobody wanted to risk it and be stranded that far in the bush.

Yes, the water was cold.

Icebox was named due to the fact that even in late spring the canyon is known to have snow and ice.

Chillin' on the ledge between the two 150' rappels.

Icebox is a rarely done canyon in the heart of Zion wilderness. The canyon says that it can be done in 6-8 hours and consists of two consecutive 150 foot rappels that drop into a scenic canyon. After route finding, photographing, and just plain enjoying the trip, our 8 hour day turned into a 14 hour slog. The trail was non-existent causing numerous cuts from branches and bush whacking. We finally arrived back at the car around 1am hungry and tired after hiking by the light of the stars. Numerous stream crossings caused us to lose the trail often, and our only light was that of the lcd of the GPS. I think that the 8 hour time does not apply to photographers.

Pine Creek

A great way to finish your day.

I found an alternate rappel to substitute the last one. I thought it was way better.




Reflections of the sandstone in the pool at the bottom of a triple arch.
This is one of the coldest areas in the canyon.
Tree's suspended seemingly in mid air above us remind of the dangers of flash floods.


A recent trip to Pine Creek in Zion was what I have been waiting for. A photographic trip. In a canyon that can be done in 30 minutes, we took 6 hours. The shots are great, but the canyon is way more scenic than I could possibly photograph.