Life is Still Beautiful

Life is still beautiful! All the things the good Lord created are around us. It is up to us to grab hold of them. I encourage all to get out into nature safely during these trying times. No, all hope is not lost. Life will change and people will change but God remains the same and his gifts are all around us. Don’t get distracted with all the noise constantly blaring our direction whether it is in our own thoughts or from others. Focus on the important and meaningful things. Good memories are still important to curate.

This past weekend I visited Utah for the first time! I was looking for something different to engage my five senses! When I saw Chrystee Pharris hiked the Narrows at Zion National Park, I knew right away I wanted to share that same experience. She was very helpful and gave me excellent pointers that helped me be fully prepared for this hike. I am in debt to her and truly appreciate all her feedback. I recommend for anyone hiking the Narrows to go to Zion Outfitters and getting their package for ankle high water boots, walking stick and waterproof backpack.

I hiked 7.2 miles round-trip up the Virgin River and back with my partner in crime, John Shutt. We woke up at 4:30AM to prepare, hydrate and eat before driving to the shuttle that took us to the beginning of the Narrows. The sun wasn’t fully up at 6:45AM when we arrived with a group of other souls on the shuttle.

This hike was strenuous and amazing, something that jolted the life inside me. The course was full of rocky riverbeds and in some areas full of refreshing chilly water that ranged from ankle to chest deep. In the river’s deep areas, we had to strategically plan the best way to get past obstacles safely. With the algae blooming at unsafe levels it wasn’t an option to fully submerge due to health risks the algae could cause. The weather was due to hit 109 degrees, but the Narrows was about 20 degrees cooler. It is hard to describe or capture in photographs how immense and beautiful the cliff faces are. We eventually wound up turning around at a point along the way where a few other souls were trying to figure out how to get past the deepest point in the river. The time was 11:30AM and we’d hiked 4 1/2 hours with some rest breaks, and had to go back the same way we came. Also, it was the same day we had to drive back to Vegas for another exciting life event!

The Narrows is definitely a hike John and I plan to do many more times. Next time we will complete the bottom-to-top 12-mile roundtrip hike. We also plan to do the most difficult trail, the top-to-bottom hike of the Narrows, which requires a permit and essentials for backpacking overnight. This hike was worth the soreness and stiffness I experienced for two days afterwards. Wow! I am back now and have enough strength to make this post! Pure excitement