Angels Landing in November: What Permit Day Was Actually Like

We drew an Angels Landing permit for a Tuesday morning in mid-November. The team finally got around to writing this up two weeks later.

The plan

First shuttle from the visitor center, on the trail by 7:15. Mia and Owen drove down from Salt Lake the night before; Rae and Jake came up from Vegas. Permit was for the 7am window.

What actually happened

The first 2.5 miles up to Scout Lookout went fast — switchbacks are exposed but the gradient is mild. Got there in 65 minutes. The chains section was the surprise: in November the bolts had a thin ice glaze on them in the shaded sections. Three groups in front of us turned around. We didn't — Jake had hand-warmer packs in the gloves and we waited 20 minutes for the sun to clear the wall.

The descent

Took as long as the climb. Down-climbing the chains is the dicier direction. Two hikers in Hokas slipped on the gravel above the chains; one of them had Croc-style shoes and we don't know what to say about that.

What we'd do differently

Wait until 9am for permit window — the chain section is usable in shade but moves much faster after the sun hits.

Crampon-spike traction over the boots if there's any chance of ice. Microspikes weigh nothing.

Skip the post-hike Subway in Springdale. Try Cafe Soleil instead.

Bottom line

The chain section in November-with-ice was harder than the same chains in May. If you draw a permit in winter and the forecast is below freezing the night before, take the seasonal flag seriously and consider Observation Point as a Plan B — same big views, none of the exposure.