2015-06-17

Walter’s Wiggles on Angels Landing Trail, Utah

Walter’s Wiggles on Angels Landing Trail viewed from above in Zion National Park, Utah, USA. Walter’s Wiggles is a series of 21 short switchbacks carved into the face of the cliff, the serpentine switchbacks steeply ascend the north face, each wiggle no more than 20-25 feet in length. The trail was cut from a sheer drop of solid rock in 1926 and remains one of the park’s most spectacular construction wonders. The top offers wonderful views of Zion Canyon. This area was protected as Mukuntuweap National Monument by President William Howard Taft in 1909 and was later renamed, Zion National Park. Zion is located on the Colorado Plateau but borders the Basin and Range Province. 


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21 sharp zigzags to a scenic plateau. Photo credit Cattle dog guy

Walter's Wiggles, The Wiggle road


Elevations in the park vary from 3,600 to 8,700 feet, allowing for a wide range of animal and plant life, all of which are adapted to the area’s arid conditions. Elevation differences and geologic processes such as tectonic uplift, erosion, and sedimentation have created environments ranging from high plateaus and riparian environments to deserts and deep sandstone canyons. The park is located in Washington, Iron, and Kane Counties in southwestern Utah.

Walters Wiggles Angels Landing

The top of the switchbacks at The Notch us enter the remarkable Refrigerator Canyon. This slot between the sandstone walls is stunningly beautiful and contains many pine trees and scrub foliage. Judging by the amount of sand that covers the paved walkway, there is no doubt about the occasional flash flood and heavy wind gusts that rush through. It climbs gradually northward about a quarter-mile until reaching one of the highlights of this trek, Walters Wiggles. The wiggles take their name from Walter Rüsch, Zion’s first superintendent, who in 1926 began constructing this trail to Angels Landing. The concrete for the job was hauled in by helicopter, taking a total of 258 flights. Once we reach the top of Walters Wiggles, The first close-up view of Angels Landing. 

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 Photo credit Stevo

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West Rim Trail - Walters Wiggles. Photo credit Mark Bayes

Walter’s Wiggles on Angels Landing Trail, Utah
Photo credit Russell Evans

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Walters Wiggles, Angels Landing, Utah. Photo credit Stephanie Quillen

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Photo credit Julie

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Photo credit Jeff

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Photo credit John Jamison

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Photo credit Jonathan

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Walter's Wiggles, Angel's Landing Trail. Photo credit Liz Blair

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Walter's Wiggles leading down through Refrigerator Canyon into the Main Canyon. Photo credit Glenn

The Angels Landing Trail-West Rim Trail was built in 1926 following the completion of the EastRim Trail. The Angels Landing trail climbs a sandstone ridge providing handrails and chain handrails to climb 300 feet (91 m) in 0.5 miles (0.80 km). It connects to the West Rim Trail, built-in 1925-1926 and expanded in 1935. Both trails were designed by Thomas Chalmers Wint of NPS Planning and Design and Walter Rüsch, Master of Zion Park Construction. Roisch gave his name to Walter's Wiggles, a series of 21 return trips. The routes were entered on the National Register of Historic Places on February 14, 1987, registration number 86003707.

Source — Learnnc | Internetbrothers

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