The Narrows

August 29-30, 2008

BJ and I met up with Mike and Julie Humphery's in Provo Friday night (8/29) and then carpooled down to Zion's. Another group (Adam Wingate, Mike Nicholls, Megan, and Nicole) was coming from Vegas, and Mallory came with Adam's mom who was going up there anyway. Preston went down from Provo the night before so he could be first in line to get a backwoods pass. See anyone can hike part of the Narrows from the bottom up, but if you want to hike from the top down you have to have a backwoods pass. There is also a limit of 50 people doing this route at a time, so groups are limited to 12 people. We initially planned for a bigger group but a lot of people bailed which turned out to be a good thing because of the group limit.

Anyway, poor Preston kept running into problem after problem. First, he found out that only 6 people were allowed per campsite and we had 10, ugh. So we had to get another campsite. Then he was able to get a backwoods pass but only for 7 people.

So when our car showed up that night we were trying to figure out who would go from top to bottom and which 3 would hike up from the bottom and meet them.

Here's me, BJ, Julie and Mike's campsite. And yep, that's my "bed" on the table :)

It's a long hike so we decided to get up at 5:30 to get a move on. Well, when we woke up it was still dark and we could see lightning. We knew there was a chance for rain and anyone whose done the Narrows knows that you have to worry about flash floods. So we called the Park Ranger to ask if he thought it was safe (dumb, their never gonna tell you to go because they have to cover their butt). He called us back at like 7:30 and said not to go (surprise, surprise). So we waited some more till daylight and there wasn't a cloud in the sky! So we got a late start and all decided to just go together from the bottom up. It just stinks that we didn't get to use the backwoods pass that we bought.

So here's some pictures from the hike, it was soooo fun! Random: On the way up we ran into the Roundy's! I looked up ahead of me and thought I saw Bro. Roundy. Then as my brothers passed him he kept looking back at them so I knew it was him. I just love the Roundy's! What a great family. So I had a little chat with Bro. Roundy and we were on our way.

BJ and Mike

BJ in a cool little crevace

Me
Mike and Julie
BJ and a makeshift bazooka :)
A triumphant Meghan right after she totally fell in, all the way!

Julie: "BJ looks like he's naked."

Meghan: "Ewwww!"

Bathroom buddies :) You can just figure that one out
Preston, Megan, and Mallory
Preston and Megan (no, not Meghan)

Mallory, Megan, Preston, and BJ. Look at Mallory go! Totally in the water!
Mike N. always wanted to take the hard way
This hike was probably 85% in the water and I loved every minute of it! I felt like an explorer or something fun like that
Cleaning the sand out of our shoes
BJ the turtle (on the way down he would use his backpack as a flotation device and float down the river)
Break time. Some of the boys had fun jumping off this rock.

Mallory, Mike, and Meghan
Cute Julie
Preston climbing
This is only about 1/3 of the monter of a bag of trailmix provided by my mom. 3 cheers to mom!!
The group: Mallory, BJ, Mike and Julie Humphery's, Adam and Nicole (in the back), Megan, Preston, Mike Nicholls. Not pictured: Meghan the photographer :))

This hike was so fun! I highly recommend it. And going only about 1/4 of the way from the bottom up only wetted my appetite to want to go again and do the whole thing. Next time Narrows, next time we will conquer you!

My mom met us at Zion's to pick up Mallory and our family plus Mike and Julie had dinner at a sandwich shop in the park.

We split up, Mom and Mallory back to Vegas, Preston and I in my car going to SLC (Preston was staying with BJ while he was homeless), and BJ, Mike and Julie in BJ's car. BJ was going to drop them off in Provo and then they were going to then drive up to Logan. Well considering we didn't get into SLC until 2:00am they decided to just stay the night at BJ's apt. So it was funny, right as I'm getting off the exit to go to my place I get a call from Mike who says, "Hey we're right behind you." What? How did that happen? I mean, we both stopped on the way home at different spots. But we just happened to meet up again. Anyway, we went to my apt. and everyone put their stuff back in their own car. I had been driving Preston's car the last couple of days so I took my stuff out and he put his in, my bags were in BJ's car, Mike and Julie took their stuff from BJ's car to theirs, etc. etc. It was craziness! Anyhoo, to conlude this crazy two day excursion, Preston and I even got up for 9:00am church the next morning! Holla!