Nearly everyone who has climbed the South Guardian Angel agrees that
it’s one of the best DPS peaks, and certainly among the most memorable
experiences they ever had on a desert peak.
– From the Sierra Club’s Desert Peak Section Guide. |
Zion’s 7,140-foot South Guardian Angel |
| My quest for Zion’s Guardian Angel
Peaks began in 1978 when I arrived in Zion with only a rough idea of how to
reach these fabled summits. A major late November storm arrived a few hours
later and, wisely, I took my team elsewhere. My queue of things to do is often
quite long, but fabled peaks have a way of bubbling back to the top of my
queue. Jennifer and I checked out the modern trailhead for these peaks on
our return from California in April 2001. We also secured two trip reports
from the backcountry ranger. Armed with this information plus the ever-trusty
DPS description, we felt ready to attempt these summits. What we did not know
was that we were still under prepared for the task. |
| Determined to try, Jennifer and I drove
into Zion in early June 2001 during a period of spectacular, stable weather,
and climbed 7,395-foot North Guardian Angel first.
Our success on North Guardian Angel thrilled us, and we descended carefully.
Back in camp, we prepared for our assault on South Guardian Angel. |
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On top of North Guardian Angel, we spied the incredible South Guardian Angel, our next objective |
| South Guardian Angel is on the south or far side
of the left fork of the Virgin River. Crossing the gorge presents the greatest
challenge, and the route to South is much longer than North’s. There is a
popular hike that goes through this gorge and the famous Subway. In the old
days, climbers packed into the Subway from below, climbed up through the Subway
and on to the peak. Camping is no longer permitted in the Subway, and one
must now cross the gorge. We had spotted the Subway Trail leaving the Northgate
Peaks Trail, and reasoned that this trail would take us easily into the gorge
from where we would climb out the other side of the gorge to join the DPS
route higher up. Fascinated by this amazing place, we resolved to start an
hour earlier and carry more water. True to our plan, the next morning we quickly
hiked down the Subway Trail into the cool gorge. |
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Approaching the gorge on the Subway Trail as South Guardian Angel
watches our moves from far above |
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The cool pool where the Subway Trail meets the Left Fork |
| After a snack, we quickly discovered that we could not climb out the other side of the gorge at this
location. No problem, we reasoned, we’ll just hike down the canyon to the
top of the Subway and join the DPS route there. Two hundred yards down the
canyon, we had our next surprise, a short rappel. We were equipped to rappel,
but if we pulled our rope, we would not be able to return this way. We could
not commit to a through trip down the Subway because we had no permit to do
so, and we did not know if our rope was long enough to get through. Also,
we did not believe that we could count on finding the other escape route below
North Guardian Angel. The description we had made it sound very obtuse and
difficult. So, we hiked back up canyon in hopes of finding an egress upstream.
This program came to a screeching halt when we came to a pour-off a hundred
yards above the point where we had entered the canyon. We considered climbing
back up the Subway Trail a ways and launching on various cross-country routes.
We had seen the terrain across the canyon upstream, and the trip report for
this route made it sound ridiculous. We rejected that route. Heading cross-country
to the west to join the other descent route was not reasonable or even possible
in this canyon country. We were out of options. It was still early in the
day, but we trudged back up the Subway Trail in defeat. For consolation, we
could further enjoy some of the sun-soaked scenery on this trail. |
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Salved by the beauty of the rocks, we hiked up the Subway Trail in defeat |
| For additional consolation, we climbed East Northgate Peak to get more views of this complicated terrain,
and better understand our options for a future attempt on South Guardian Angel.
Back at our vehicle, our brains and bodies were cooked from the heat, so we
retreated to an air-conditioned venue to collect our wits. We pondered what
we had seen and the route options. We tried and failed to get a permit for
the Subway. We made a phone call to Charlie and Dianne Winger back in Colorado
for more information. We made a new plan and vowed to try again the next day,
which was the last day we could devote to the project on this trip. We would
commit to descending the steep route below North Guardian Angel to reach the
canyon. This route reaches the canyon directly across from the tried and true
DPS climbout. Make or break, that is where we would go. We started before
6AM, hiked the Northgate Peaks Trail for the third time and plunged into the
slickrock wilderness. We were immediately rewarded with an incredible view
of our objective. |
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South Guardian Angel as seen from the top of our steep descent route |
| The descent tested us. At first we rolled down easy slickrock slabs, but all too soon the ridge we
were following splintered into 6 ribs. We had to get on the correct rib or
fail. We probed, guessed and, based on a sentence in the trip report, tried
the easternmost rib. It proved to be the correct rib, but it grew steadily
steeper. The final plunge into the canyon was awe inspiring as we climbed
down gullies and swung from branches in the thick brush. After a mere three
hours, we were once again in the canyon floor, this time just above the Subway.
We were rewarded with cool temperatures and intimate canyon portraits. |
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Looking upstream from the top of the Subway |
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Looking downstream toward the Subway |
| After our snack, we started
up the climbout on the other side of the canyon, and immediately found a series
of Class 4 moves just above a small jug-handle arch that marked the beginning
of the ascent. We had not anticipated this antagonism, and fumbled around
for a few minutes getting our rope out of the bottom of my pack. Once in synch,
we dispatched the difficulty. Higher, we cleverly dispatched a Class 3 chockstone. |
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The jug-handle arch at the beginning of the canyon climbout |
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Clever Gerry at the Class 3 chockstone on the canyon climbout |
| Higher still, we traversed left and got above a dreaded black cliff that we had seen from the other side
of the canyon. Above this, we followed a tiny trail to a notch above the inner
gorge. We had crossed the canyon, and our optimism soared. Nevertheless, we
still had a long way to go. An hour later we were closer, and began hiking
up into another slickrock wilderness. |
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Gerry in search of South Guardian Angel |
| When we finally spotted the upper peak, we could not believe our eyes. |
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Oh my God! There it is! |
| We entered that special place climbers know and strive for. We were cut off from that other world,
and committed to penetrating deeper into the unknown. You seek solace, and
find it in every step. Your experience becomes more mysterious as you unravel
the mystery of the route. Just as success seems assured, it seems less important.
Beauty is everywhere as your life is reduced to essentials. With peace in
your belly, joy in your heart and compassion in your mind, you climb toward
the sky. Suddenly, words seem less important. |
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Reduced to essentials, we stand on
the Guardian Angel |
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Views of North Guardian Angel
further inspire us |
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We climb toward the sky |
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Almost there! |
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Guarded by angels, we reach the summit and spin round once more! |
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Reluctantly, we descend through fairyland |
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and reach the sanctity of the canyon one more time |
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The other world would return soon enough |
