Zion

Who all is going to be in Zion this wknd/next week?
Anyone planning on hiking the Subway from the bottom?
I was suppose to head out tonite to Monument Valley then Page and then Zion. But as you can imagine the weather has put a STOP to those plans. Thinkin about heading out Friday night or Monday night depending on what the weather does.

For a while I had been considering heading to Zion and Escalante starting this Sunday. However, I've heard that when this weather system went through SW Utah a few hours ago it brought a lot of wind. I don't know how much that affected the foliage out there. I know Erik Stensland is in the Page area right now, and I'm guessing some other NPNers are in the vicinity, but if anyone is in Zion and can give a report it would be really appreciated.

I'll be in Zion Friday through Sunday (weather permitting). Will attempt the Subway. Other than that, I'll just wander around and look for things to shoot! If you see a blue FJ with NM tags, stop and say hi!

I am also planning to be in Zion late in the day on Sunday if things go to plan. That could get cancelled if I were to hear that all the leaves have been stripped from the trees, so I'm curious to hear about the post storm conditions as well. If I go, the Subway (from the bottom) is high on my list and I'd probably do it as soon as I can get my hands on a walk-in permit.

I plan to be in the Page area until the middle of next week, and then most likely head to Zion. The Subway, from the bottom, and Virgin Narrows are definitely on my todo list.

I hope the weather clears enough for an early Friday departure from Denver.

I just called the Visitor Center in Zion and asked them what this storm did to the leaves yesterday and today. He said they didn't get a storm! Just cold temps and a bit of wind. He said that the Fall colors in the high country is over but the canyon is still looking good and is at peak right now. A few of the leaves got blown off but overall he said it was still looking nice in the main canyon. Didn't think to ask about the Subway.

Yea I read some weather reports yesterday for Zion area and they we're under a high wind advisory. I have all next week off so after Zion I was planning on hitting Bryce and a few slot canyons in Escalante. O and I'll be in a 95 Green 4Runner and car camping in Mosquito Cove while in the Zion area.

Thanks for the update Phillip that is some great news!

Just checked the weather channel site and they are predicting all sunny days next week and temp's in low to mid 70's for day.

Mosquito Cove??

Mosquito Cove – Free camping area with plenty of level sites, some shaded. No toilets, tables or fire grates, but, again…it’s free!
Please help keep this area clean, by leaving no trace…thanks!
Located off Highway 9 at mile marker 23- ½, aprox. 7.5 miles (10 minutes) outside of Springdale

Found a Web cam for Zion Canyon. Although this view is limited, it appears there is color there, and room for more to turn soon.
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/camera/single/Zion.php

2-hour loop:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/images/slc/camera/loopCams.php?camName=zionnp&numFrames=10

Greetings from Zion. I have about 1 minute of battery power on my computer. Leaves are coming along but at the base it seems like they still have another 7-10 days until they peak. Up high many of the leaves have been ripped off by the wind. Hiking Subway tomorrow. I'll report if I can. Cold, overcast and windy here right now. BTW has anyone heard from CAZ, I was supposed to meet him in Page on Monday night but couldn't find him. Hope all is well back in snowy CO!

Found a few photos on Flickr that were taken in Zion on 10/24-27/09. Should give you an idea of where things stand:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mylightscapes/4044999997/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21607639@N08/4040856855/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66771270@N00/4048001697/

Thanks for the update Erik, and for the photos and webcam post Joshua and Phillip.

I'm in the Zion area now. I arrived on 10/24. Erik's report is accurate. It was cold, windy and cloudy most of the day today, but no snow and only a little rain yesterday. The winds do seem to be diminishing this evening though. I drove out to the east entrance and up the canyon road early this afternoon. There is still some color up in east Zion, but certainly past peak. I agree with Erik (and not with the Visitor Center report) that the color in Zion Canyon is not at its peak yet. This cold snap will no doubt move things along, but I'd estimate that it should be good at least well into next week. I did the Subway hike on Sunday 10/25. It was great! Lots of color, mild temps, light winds that day. I'll be interested in hearing Erik's Subway report tomorrow. I'm thinking about taking another hike up the Left Fork later this week to get some shots I didn't have time for on Sunday, perhaps not all the way to the Subway this time, but mainly to shoot Arch Angel Falls.

I just got home from Zion. We were there tent camping from Sunday through Wednesday. Very cold the last couple nights. I was a bit late for the red maples I was hoping to catch and a bit early for the cottonwoods. The cottonwoods from Hanksville through Capitol Reef were absolutely glowing when we went by on Saturday, but I would guess the storm did a number on them. I did the Subway on Monday. Also found good color in there. The cottonwoods were further along and lots of nice leaves in the crack and the subway pools.

Mel-

Better weather today (10/29). It was mostly sunny in the morning, but still fairly chilly and quite windy, especially in Zion Canyon. In the afternoon the wind diminished, but it gradually became mostly cloudy again. The weather forecast is looking better over the weekend and into next week. I too am finding the maples in Zion Canyon surprisingly far along at this point, compared to the past few years. They are all but done for the season. But there is plenty of good color now in the cottonwood and ash and box elder trees along the Virgin River in Zion Canyon and further downstream and along Pine Creek, and more color to come. Overall though, I'd have to say that it's not a banner year for autumn foliage in Zion.

Well, calling the Visitor Center to ask about Fall Color conditions was about as useful as trying to insert a roll of Velvia into my 5D Mark II!!!