Zion's National Park.....June 11-13, 2010

Our family decided on a whim to go to Zions. Dave, Meagan, and my dad came with us. We had SO much fun. When we got to the camp grounds they had one left. We took our tag to go save it and some sucker peeled out in front of us and stole our spot. Luckily they had another spot open for Friday night in the reserved camp ground. We stayed there and then Saturday morning we had to move back to the other camp ground for Saturday nights stay. We loaded our tent on the back of my dads truck and moved sites. It blew off on the main road and got a hole in it, dang it! I guess that's what we got for being lazy and not taking it down before we moved camp sites.

Here's our trip...

After we set up camp we rode all rode our bikes on the Pa'rus Trail. We saw lizards and an orange and black snake...Meagan and Hadlie getting ready to bike....

Tage was cracking us all up because he wouldn't ride in the bike trailer to the trail. He wanted to run all the way there and he did. He stayed right next to me running to the trail.
After our bike ride Daxton wanted to go to the river. He fell of the big rock and slid right into the river. I apparently thought it was hilarious! :)
Daxton soaked after Dave pulled him out of the river.
Paizlie, Daxton (still mad from falling into the river), Tage and Hadlie.
We rode the tram to the top of the canyon and took the river walk to the Narrows. The kids played in the river for a bit. They loved throwing rocks into the river. We saw two deer grazing along the way.
Daxton, Hadlie, Tage, Paizlie, Sam, Grandpa, Dave, and Meagan.
I thought this was cute, Daxton had to find a stick along the river walk because Grandpa had one. He loves to be like his grandpa.
Paizlie was apparently wiped from all the walking.... :)
Saturday morning Meagan, Grandpa, and Paizlie stayed back at camp. Meagan had to finish burial clothes she was making for our niece and nephew and she had to get them mailed to Jamie and Mike. However, all the post offices were closed so she and my dad had to drive to the St. George airport to mail the clothes. They were gone all afternoon.

Meanwhile, the rest of us hiked Angels Landing. The kids did great. I don't know if any of you know but this is a very difficult hike. Sam and I had to help Tage a bit but he made it. Dave did some extra climbing into some rock cavities in Refrigerator Canyon. We also saw two owls. A mother and baby.... This is Walters Wiggles, it's 21 short switch backs before you get to Scout over look on the Angels hike.
Tage and I stopped at Scout overlook. We couldn't take Tage any further because the hike is very dangerous. It requires trails that drop off on both sides and you have to hold onto chains to climb up to Angels Landing. So I stayed with Tage and we ate our snacks. A squirrel tried to eat our food. Tage was freaking out, he thought the squirrel was going to bite him. Then I ended up carrying him 3/4 of the way down the trail. He was wiped out. My knees were shot from carrying him down the steep trails.
Sam and Dave took Hadlie and Daxton to the top of Angels Landing. They are "first stars" this year. (we have a tradition in my family, every time you climb angels landing you get a star) Hadlie got a little scared at times, which everyone does no matter your age, but she enjoyed it and Sam said Daxton LOVED the every minute of the hike. Good Job Hadlie and Daxton. You are the youngest first stars in the family to climb Angels.
These next two pictures are part of the trail up to Angels Landing....

After we got back from Angels Landing we got rained on for four hours so the rest of our activities were cancelled. However, when Meagan and Dad got back from St. George we headed into Springdale and enjoyed hot pizza while it rained and soaked everything back at camp. When we got back from eating we built a fire and sat by it for the rest of the night.

Sunday morning the kids wanted to roast marshmallows one last time....
It was a fun trip....