The last time I did any serious climbing was about seven years ago when I got within 1/2 mile to the summit of Angels Landing (you can see pictures here if you’re interested; just scroll down) in Zion National Park, Utah’s most visited park. At that point, and after hearing about the challenge just ahead which was a ledge just wide enough for one person to pass at a time, I decided to wait for the more adventurous in my group in the relative safety and shading of the rock ledges 1/2 mile below. Sometimes you just have to know your limits, and that was mine!
Then someone sent me this video which makes Angels Landing look like a hike for babies by comparison. Watching the video gives me enough pause; you’d never catch me actually doing it. This one is for crazy people if you ask me, but it’s fascinating as well. There are actually huge portions of the trail missing and people still pass through! You have to see it to believe it.
It’s El Caminito Del Rey in in El Chorro, near Álora in Málaga, Spain, built for King Alfonso XIII [1886-1941]. The name is often shortened to El Camino del Rey. After four people died there in two accidents in 1999 and 2000, the local government closed the entrances; however, as you will see, it doesn’t stop thrill seekers. I hope my hang-gliding son-in-law sees this. He’d probably love a challenge like this.
This version (there are longer ones) was uploaded to YouTube by klaver13belgium
My Wintersong 
If I was in good shape, and thirty years younger I still wouldn’t go on that hike! I would be hugging the wall or the ground, or the railings when the path was gone.
oh no. I would not do that. I did not like that at all. Maybe it’s better when you’re actually in control of what you look at and where you step–the camera shaking and moving might be worse than actually being there. But still. I didn’t like it. It made my tummy feel sick.
happy mothers day!! love you!
HEY! That’s right near where I live. Actually, we had a horrifying moment there where a Los Angeleno friend of mine asked about going along a part of it, full of holes and clearly breaking down. “It’ll be safe,” she said. “They wouldn’t let you go on it, if it weren’t safe.”
At the time, they just had a warning sign up.
*shiver*
We had to explain that this was not Disneyland and no, it most definitely was not considered safe.
Yes, Sylvia, I can certainly understand that comment from your friend, “they wouldn’t let you…if it wasn’t safe….”! We’re pampered and spoiled in the U.S. I realised that for the first time when I visited a “high-rise” condo in India and went outside on the balcony with the kids, any one of whom could have slipped right under the banister and off the rooftop. Until that time I hadn’t even thought much about safety standards being different from country to country. I think our overzealousness has made us lose a bit of our common sense as with your “los angeleno” friend. But it makes a good story to tell forevermore, right?