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Originally Posted by PaulChristenson
You haven't taken this hike to the final sign-in book have you?... 
Angels Landing Hike | Utah.com
Been here done this...My summer park ranger year... 
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I've started up Angels landing, but I chickened out *way* before I got anywhere the top - basically at the point where you cross over the spine and instead of having a 400 foot drop into Refrigerator Canyon to the right, you then had an 1100 foot drop directly into the Virgin River gorge to the left. A friend who did make it all the way told me in one place you had to use your hands to scramble up a spot about 3 feet wide with 1200 foot drops off both sides. No chains, no handrails, no guts, no glory. The only way I'd ever make it to the top would be with a carbide light at night on a new moon. Then the drop would only be 30'
This bit about not being able to take chances on public land in the US is only true in the East. Out West, it's a whole different mindset. They'll let you bust your butt out there. I was raised in the east, didn't start hiking and backpacking out west until I was over 40, and I can tell you it was interesting the first time I saw NPS signs that said "Safety is YOUR responsibility, rescue is NOT guaranteed" at a place where back east you'd have seen the trail chained off....... I like the freedom, but you'd best know what your doing some places out there. Which is as it should be.