October 22, 2022

 Our annual Friend Zion retreat concluded today. I love this time every year where we see some beautiful stuff and strengthen our friendships. This year we added a rappelling adventure so I could be completely out of my comfort zone. 

We left for Deb’s cabin early Thursday morning. We stopped at kannaraville falls and enjoyed that hike. That water is always make your feet hurt cold but it was so beautiful. There were some fall leaves plus beautiful canyon walls plus gorgeous water falls. Fabulous chill hike. And I didn’t hate the new metal ladder like I thought I would. I also bribed a kid to go under the water fall for $2. 

We picked up some extra snacks and a game of Yahtzee at Terry’s food and drug (and hardware) in Orderville. Enjoyed our evening at the cabin. 

Friday we got the four wheeler and side by side running to help with our point to point hike. We dropped Lorien’s jeep off at the East Mesa Trailhead and then rode the four wheelers to Stave Springs Trailhead. We hiked 8 miles of down into the canyon and back up. Echo Canyon via East Rim Trail and then up to Observation Point. Echo Canyon really did have awesome echoes. Cool If you geek out at stuff like that like I do. It was awesome to see a side of Zion I hadn’t seen before. We saw 6 people until we got to where the Observation Point trail heads off. Plenty of people at OP. But a guy pointed out the California condor soaring by Angel’s Landing so that was cool. More geeking out by me. :)

Came back to the cabin for chips and salsa and then picked up the four wheelers with a side trip to look out over Jolley Gulch. Evening at the cabin was getting ready for our Birch Hollow rappelling adventure. Aaaaahhhh!

We started our day early and with my anxiety sky high. I was so nervous to rappel. Something about only a rope and waking off the edge and me being at level 1 with rappelling experience. Birch Hollow had 10 or 11 (we lost count) rappels and the first two are probably the hardest. I told everyone I wanted to go second so I could watch someone and then go down so I wouldn’t stress more. :). I tackled the first rappel and after that I was good to go. I was still totally nervous but I knew I could do it. The cool rappels came at the end as you’re in more of a slot canyon setting. One rappel was over 100 feet. It was pretty cool though and just straight down with no obstacles - just long. 11 rappels was a lot and I’m still processing as even though it was cool and parts were fun, the anxiety was high and I’m not sure I actually enjoy it. :). Then we hiked out Orderville canyon to the truck, drove a horrible road back to where we started, ran back to the cabin and hurriedly packed up to head home and beat the storm. Well we didn’t beat the storm and the drive from beaver to Nephi was so scary and wintery and slow. But thankfully we made it home and have another fabulous Zion weekend in the books.