Angels Landing is one of the most popular hikes in Zion National Park, so I wanted an early start. I got up at the crack of dawn and caught the first bus heading into the park. The weather seemed willing to cooperate but in the end, I probably could’ve slept a lot longer.

While setting up my tripod, I realized the shot would actually look better with more hikers going up and down the trail, so I waited a good while for more people to arrive. After getting the shot, I packed away my camera and tripod and continued toward the exciting part of the hike. While making your way up, you have to hold onto a steel chain to avoid falling 1,500 feet to the canyon floor.

Hiking with a heavy backpack and a tripod tends to shift your balance, especially on uneven terrain. Right on cue, I grabbed the chain, but my right foot slipped on a loose rock, in a tight corner no less. My heart jumped straight into my throat and started pounding like crazy. My hands instantly got sweaty, which, as you can imagine, is of great help when you’re trying to hold onto a steel chain.

Jokingly, the hiker right behind me said, “Don’t do it, man. It’s not worth it.”

Honestly though, this is an absolute bucket list type-trail for me. It’s a 5.4-mile round trip that somehow felt much shorter and it has just the right amount of scary to make you happy to be alive.