Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape Photography Locations => Topic started by: mseawell on October 20, 2020, 01:50:49 pm

Title: Hiking the Narrows (Zion)
Post by: mseawell on October 20, 2020, 01:50:49 pm
I will be making my first hike in the narrows in two days with my trusty Fuji X-T4. If you have experienced this already and have any tips I would greatly appreciate it!

Mark
Title: Re: Hiking the Narrows (Zion)
Post by: MattBurt on October 20, 2020, 05:25:15 pm
I will be making my first hike in the narrows in two days with my trusty Fuji X-T4. If you have experienced this already and have any tips I would greatly appreciate it!

Mark

That is on my short list. So nothing to tell you but chiming in to express a little jealousy and to follow this thread. Looking forward to seeing what you get!
Title: Re: Hiking the Narrows (Zion)
Post by: Alan Klein on October 20, 2020, 11:42:02 pm
I will be making my first hike in the narrows in two days with my trusty Fuji X-T4. If you have experienced this already and have any tips I would greatly appreciate it!

Mark
Although I didn't hike the narrows, I noticed there was a concession in the park right before it that rented out various equipment to make the hike easier and safer.  I'd call the park to make sure the concession is operating and what you have to be prepared for before you get there especially with Covid shutting down many facilities and services.
Title: Re: Hiking the Narrows (Zion)
Post by: John Hollenberg on October 21, 2020, 10:28:29 pm
Just remember that people have died in flash floods there.  If the park rangers say there is any chance of rain I would wait to go another day.  Rain can be falling many miles away and cause a fatal flash flood.

https://graphics.latimes.com/zion-flash-flood/

https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/hiker-dies-in-zion-narrows
Title: Re: Hiking the Narrows (Zion)
Post by: praja343 on October 28, 2020, 09:07:02 am
Mark:
My friend and I hiked the Narrows last October. It is certainly an adventure. Does require a reasonable sense of balance and some physical stamina. We started early - 10 AM and were done by the end of the day. We noticed several groups of photographers with tripods etc. Though we were avid photographers, I decided that whatever I could get with my Sony RX10Mark lV would be good enough for me (left my Fuji XT1 behind). The current was pretty strong and there are slippery rocks - hence the need for good balance). You need good waterproof waders and a sturdy staff (there were young whippersnappers who were doing everything without these accoutrements but we were dignified senior citizens - don't know how old you are but a good sturdy walking stick helped me at least). The water varies from ankle deep to waist deep and is quite cold in October and the waterproof equipment certainly helped. We rented it from the shops at the entrance to the park. Then of course there is the decision on how far you want to go. We went about a couple of miles or more and returned in time to return the rented equipment about 4 PM I think.
We were glad we did it and it was a great experience. Regarding great images, they were fine but most of them at or near the mouth and cloning skills are necessary since there will be a lot of other people in the picture.
So by all means go, rent the waterproof equipment, don't burden yourself with a lot of camera equipment and check for flash floods - be safe and enjoy yourself but great images, some maybe but there are other places in Zion which have great potential.
Hope this helps.
Title: Re: Hiking the Narrows (Zion)
Post by: KDINDC on November 20, 2020, 09:10:27 pm
Enjoy! A friend and I made the journey in February 2011.  Hardly anybody else there.  Get the right protective equipment for your body and your equipment.  There was an local outfitter that did a training and rented the equipment. For me, a wide angle lens is necessary.  Also there were places that I wanted to shoot where the amount of light was low, so a fast lens is a plus. The narrows are an adventure like no other.