I remember watching my Mother learn to drive the car. I must not have been very old but it was a big deal. Aunt Wanda was the only woman on the street that could drive. I think after so many of the kids had cuts that needed to be taken to the doctor for stiches that Mother deceided she needed to be more independent. But it was a celebration when she got her license and summer became moble.
Now we could pack a lunch and head to Zion National Park for the day. First stop was usually the visitors center maybe for the bathroom. But they also had this really cool relief map of the park. I loved to find the different trails we hiked and follow the little green line with my finger. Then it would be off to the picnic tables across from the swinging bridge that took us to the Emerald Pool trail. We would catch lizards and horny toads along the way and laugh when they got away. After Emerald Pool it would be Weeping Rock, then the Narrows Trail. Each trail and stop offered opportunities to play in the water. Look for tadpolls and frogs. We thought Zion belonged to us. It was our park and we just let everyone else visit. I looked forward to the day when I could hike the more difficult trails. Finaly Doug and I hiked up to Angles Landing. What a thrill. Being so high above the canyon floor. One part of the trail was called refrigerator canyon because it was almost always in the shade and a breeze would hit you just as you turned a corner. It felt so good. Soon you came out on top. Then you realized you were not quite there. In order to get to the point of Angles Landing the hiker had to go over a narrow piece of the trail. A shear drop on both sides, no hand rails, maybe a chain to hold onto but it was not for the faint hearted. I don’t think eather of my sisters ever made it that far. I loved it. It was wonderful.
The other trail was up Lady Mountain. Dad, Doug and Richard hiked it even when Doug had a broken arm. They came home with tails of how hard it was and it was on shear rock most of the way. I wanted to go, but no, “I was a girl and too little”. Richard got to go and he was younger than me. It was just because I was a “girl”. Finally I went to work in Zion after I graduated from High School. I was a cabin girl. In other words I cleaned cabins for guests. But as soon as we were done with our units we were done for the day. That left time to go hiking. One of the first things I did was hike up Lady Mountain. Doug was just home from his Mission and he was working at Zion also. One day we went together. It was so great. It was difficult and often times there was nothing to hang onto. The park service had placed chains to help you climb. The trail was marked by paint on the rocks and foot holds chipped in the side of the mountian. That trail is now closed and no one is allowed to climb up there anymore. I don’t know why. Maybe the park service deceided it was too dangerous. But I was there and it was great.
Another Zion story. One year for my birthday we went to Zion and decided to go on a trail called Hidden Canyon. It was in the same place as Weeping Rock. It was a trail that went up into the cliffs and wound around into a canyon that could not be seen from the canyon floor. Even though it was the end of March it was hot and dusty. We had packed a lunch and planned to eat it when we reached the canyon. The trail was steep and winding. As we climbed Doug started falling behind. He said he was not feeling very good. At times he would double up on the trail and cry. I am ashamed to admit I was very upset with him for ruining my birthday. We finally made it to the Canyon and rested and ate our snacks. Doug by this time was not well and throwing up. We finally got home and Mom and Dad took Doug to the Doctor and he was soon in the hospital having his appendix out. You can believe I asked God to forgive me for all my bad thoughts that day.