So a similar post was made not too long ago but the requirements were different.
We have 3 days in Zion and are looking for routes from 4th-5.6ish. Up to 5.8ish if it is a short pitch.
We're in good shape and decently fast, so we'd like to fill the days sunrise to sunset, Apr 24-26.
My buddy is not a canyoneer and we are not bringing wetsuits... unless a canyon trumps the peaks.

What are your must dos?

I have done W Temple, Spry, Little Jenny, and Twin Brothers.

Our tentative plan, barring suggestions:
Fri - The Watchman and Angel's Landing.
Sat - Bridge Mtn and perhaps E Temple. Depending on time, squeeze in Lady Mountain?
Sunday - North and South Guardian Angel. Catch our Vegas flight at 9PM. Anything else worth tacking on?

Thanks!

Monster5 wrote:So a similar post was made not too long ago but the requirements were different.
We have 3 days in Zion and are looking for routes from 4th-5.6ish. Up to 5.8ish if it is a short pitch.
We're in good shape and decently fast, so we'd like to fill the days sunrise to sunset, Apr 24-26.
My buddy is not a canyoneer and we are not bringing wetsuits... unless a canyon trumps the peaks.

What are your must dos?

I have done W Temple, Spry, Little Jenny, and Twin Brothers.

Our tentative plan, barring suggestions:
Fri - The Watchman and Angel's Landing.
Sat - Bridge Mtn and perhaps E Temple. Depending on time, squeeze in Lady Mountain?
Sunday - North and South Guardian Angel. Catch our Vegas flight at 9PM. Anything else worth tacking on?

Thanks!

I'll take your word for it that you're in good shape and are fast, but I think you're taking on way too much.

The Watchman is Class 4 but is supposed to have complicated route finding. From sources I trust, my understanding is that unless you already know the route, you have to expect most of a day getting up and back down. That might leave little time for Angels Landing, where you will also be further slowed by the shuttle system.

Bridge Mountain is also reputed to be something that can take up much of a day via the Class 4 route. East Temple is technical with the easiest routes going at 5.9; the SP page mentions a Mountaineer Route, but I cannot find anything about it and don't know if it's a scramble or technical. As far as I know, the easiest way up Lady Mountain is 5.7. I really don't see how any but the elite of the elite, if even they, could do all three peaks in a day.

NGA and SGA are definitely doable in a day, especially if you know the fastest routes, but that's still pushing it for a 9 P.M. Vegas flight depending on what time you start. You have to give yourself 3 hours from Wildcat TH to LAS, and if you are returning a rental car and checking baggage, you have to figure on returning the car by 7, which means leaving Wildcat TH by 5 P.M. at the latest. It took me just over 7 hours to do SGA RT by the most direct route, and I was in very good shape (my first time on the route, though, so you might go a little faster if you know the way already); you probably need to add 2 hours RT to tack on NGA, which makes it possible to make your flight but easily open to complications.

If I were you, I would do NGA and SGA on a non-flight day. Do Bridge or Watchman on the other non-flight day. On those days, if you have the extra time and energy, go out on the east side and ramble around; there's so much awesomeness out there. Last day, do Angels Landing and then have all kinds of time to play with.

Forgot to mention-- As of April, road construction on Kolob Terrace Road meant complete closure from 9 A.M.-12 and from 1 P.M.-4. I don't know how long into the year that will go, but you had better find out and factor it in.

Thanks Bob! Very helpful to have a few comparisons And information on logistics.

I will take the timing into consideration. We are thinking a modular approach - find a few quality peak options in the 1-3 hr range, 3-5 hr, 5-7, etc. Draw the card as time dictates.

I was told E Temple is 5.6 - wrap around the S face to a couple recent bolt additions up slab?

I would 2nd Bob's advice, it not be a bit more forcefully.

For a 4th class rating, Bridge Zion is really very creepy. To me the worst part is a oft-sand-coated traverse up pretty high, which is very hard to protect. If you make no route-finding errors, it is an 8-hour RT for reasonably strong people. (I can supply a gps track if that would help.) There was a discussion on SP ~5 years ago when a very strong person got stymied by the route-finding on Bridge, and ended up bailing, still putting in a 12-hour day. Some people are inclined to try to protect everything, and if you do that, you will run out of time. In zion, good anchors are often stout bushes reinforced by prayer. The cracks are often beveled, flare out, and won't hold protection.


If you are set on doing Watchman, and you really do get back below the crux early, consider doing S Johnson Mt. It's crappy rock, but has a cl 4 route, and uses the same trailhead.

The Yahoo group for Zion hiking (in that previous thread) has some folks who know the "fast" crux alternatives on Watchman and SGA.

Frankly SGA, NGA and Lady (on a separate day) are better rock, and less aggravating. You can go to Lady and then if you have time, do something else in the valley (like Observation Point or Angel's Landing).

Mountain of the Sun is another popular cl 3+/4 peak. The route on Tanya and Bo's page is pretty good. Also check Sarah Thompson's pages on Zion (http://www.13ergirl.com/)

Many of the cl 4 Zion summits, if shaped the same but made from the type of sandstone in Red Rock NV, would probably be rated cl 3. But one has to be a lot more cautious about the moves, and avoid some obvious holds, because they are inclined to break.

Do cowboy ridge on Mount kinesava!!!

Matt Lemke wrote:Do cowboy ridge on Mount kinesava!!!

Would love to, Matt, but it's with Abe. Very solid, as long as minimal ropes are involved.

Moapa - thanks. Johnson sounds like a good add to Watchman.

Monster5 wrote:

Matt Lemke wrote:Do cowboy ridge on Mount kinesava!!!

Would love to, Matt, but it's with Abe. Very solid, as long as minimal ropes are involved.

Moapa - thanks. Johnson sounds like a good add to Watchman.

The east side of kinesava is a scramble, often used as the walk-off for cowboy ridge.

How long (ft) is the 5.7 splitter pitch on Cowboy Ridge? It would be awesome if we can ditch the pig and bring a 30.

I've done the Kinesava E route up to the mesa - a whole lot of bush and scree for a few scramble moves.

I will third Bob's and Moapa's advice. The issue with these peaks is not the distance or elevation gain, which are modest, but the route finding.

Amongst the peaks you mentioned, NGA/SGA are a reasonable combo, but I concur with not doing this the same day you need to get back to the airport. If you find the right route, it's a short day, but you can easily burn hours if you don't. (Perhaps the route is better ducked these days than when I did it.)

Lady is short and sweet (simple route finding), and can be paired up with another objective (Angels Landing and Observation easily, or perhaps Watchman or Johnson).

Watchman and Johnson are both quality objectives, and could be paired up.