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Show i - . : 7 ; . . $52 ' - " ' " ''' 'J- ' v ? V 4?' iv ' f - - J m. . . Courtesy Zion Studio "The Habitate of the Godsd," Cedar Breaks. Cedar Breaks, "The Battlements of the Gods," and Zion Canyon, "Land of Majestic Crags and Temples" MYRTLE DECKER JANSON Former Head of the English Department, Branch Agricultural College "We gaze and turn away, and know not where, Dazzled and drunk with beauty, till the heart Reels with its fullness; there for ever there Chained to the chariot of triumphal Art, We stand as captives,, and would not depart." LORD BYRON. Cedar Breaks and Zion National Park are the outstanding scenic resources re-sources of this section of the country. They furnish places of recreation and inspiration holy places where we come nearer God not only for us, but ' . also for the tourists' of the entire nation. The.re natural wonders togetri-er togetri-er with Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, Kaibab Forest, For-est, and the mountain views between these points, constitute the grandest scenic tour America affords. Cedar Breaks, only twenty-three miles from Cedar City by an excellent turnpike road leading through the majestic ma-jestic gorges of Coal Creek canyon, is the highest of Utah's gorgeously colored amphitheatres. In fact, it is a series of seven great amphitheatres eroded to a depth of 2,000 feet into the Pink Cliff formation of Blowhard mountain. The rim of this highly tinted abyss stands at an elevation of 10,300 feet. At a little distance to the north, the volcanic crest of Brian Head rises to a height of 11,200 feet, affording afford-ing a vast panorama of most of southern south-ern Utah, Nevada, and Northern Arizona. Ari-zona. This blazing chasm is reached through groves of aspens and forests of stately pines and firs, without warning. warn-ing. The contrast between the green mountains and the gigantic fiery furnace apparently in the bowels of the earth, is to many over-whelming. Men us well as women have sobbed like babies at the breath-taking flame of color that flashed into their eyes from the myraids of fantastic shapes ot the colossal pit at their feet. Cedar Breaks displays a wilder, older beauty on a much vaster scale than Eryce canyon, though the two ""il'hithcutres resemble each other in funeral outline, coloring, and a sandstone sand-stone formation. Both are master-Pieces master-Pieces of the marvelous sculptor and architect, erosion. Both are monstrous mon-strous abysmal bisins with serrated mors and millions of grotesque architectural archi-tectural designs. But Cedar Breaks is c'irvl on lnrKC1. proportions; it lacks , 'M fretwork, the intricate maze "'hitecture, the limitless lahvrin-ins lahvrin-ins and grottos of Brvce, but exhibits more terraces, with precipitous allu-''i allu-''i tans at the base, more massive "nine walls and Egyptian Sphvnx-hki' Sphvnx-hki' statues. At present comparatively few view's view-'s of the Breaks follow a guide down K uncertain trails of the scalloped -'"Pes into the midst of the columns, ""dors, painted buttresses, colon-natural colon-natural bridges, stairways, or-?',"S; or-?',"S; alabaster shrines, altars, sculp-- sculp-- red figures of fauns, satvrs, eagles, tl, 1 ,thns'ian martyrs, Gothic ca-"lrals, ca-"lrals, alld Grechm temples. Only with't1'it "1C ktt:om ('!it impress one ho full immensity, variety, and to m l of thc Codil,: Breaks. But , tho mst inspiring views are n from Point Perfection and Point out rtm Jf the rim from which the Pari S bastions- buttresses, towers lost ' ,1 aml craKP' spires are not liclit? 1 s'mPhonv of color the de-nii' de-nii' ' ,l",r,nk "id white of the terraces I ';f'l1 w'th tints of orange, vcllow, ' "ler. purple, ivorv, rubv arid ver-n ver-n a" .their '"tormediato shad-Cn.V shad-Cn.V ne 's reminded of ancient plos ' "'!" Rome h" the glorified tem-rov tem-rov if" 1 ;u'r0Polises moldeiinc in (; . '"avhled ruins. Oram1'' Rro:1,s' wit,i its glorious pan-do'-na strot-"hiK down through Ash- ic-lf,0,'!J0' Cllnl Crook canvon, and th,. '.r (ii'seit to the westward, with as th ,t0Sq."0 wi!oss of its etchings f:gUv';,st:,t"1tr sun warms thc various of ,JS ,lnto living, glowing fantasy chain,'1 ss co,or- is a visi" that cactiv-Us to "triumphal Art; we stand 's and would not depart." On the homeward journey from the Breaks, only two or three miles west of Midway where the mountain dugway decends the Markagnut plateau pla-teau js unfolded the most magnificent panaroma of the entire tour of Cedar mountains. It is the inimitable bird's eye view of the entire Dixie country, extending to he hazy purple peaks beyond be-yond the Colorado river. A precipitous drop of about 2,000 feet down the heavily wooded mountain moun-tain side would bring an adventurous hiker to a wide sweep of terraced plateau covered with aspens, pines, and firs. Beyond is the Kolob plateau from the green forests of which blaze forth the white and pink topped temples tem-ples and towers of Zion, the grand West Temple or Steamboat Mountain dominating the scene. Beyond the fiery tops of Little Zion are barely discernible the white, pink and vermilion ver-milion cliffs, the misty arch of Kaibab, and the mazy dome of Navajo mountain moun-tain the other side of the Colorado. People from the east particularly are astounded at the immense range of visibility in this arid, terraced, plateau region; it is one of the strong attractions at-tractions of Western sight-seeing. Though it is a glorious panorama, a bird's-eye view of Zion canyon at the distance of twenty-five miles by air, is only a stimulation to the highway high-way sixty-four miles from Cedar City. No wonder the early settlers of Utah gave the name of Zion to the majestic crags and the temples of the Mukuntuweap. No ,one can step within with-in the portals of Guardian Angel pass without feeling the presence of his Maker. Mukuntuweap, according to one of the translations by Major Powell, means "place of the gods" so that even the Indians reverenced Little Zion canyon as sacred ground, and placed their sacrifices of fruit and flesh at the foot of the sacred crags of the darkly crimson temple of Sin-awana. Sin-awana. No Indians would spend the night in the shadows of its darkening towers. Gigantic soaring scraps with the biblical titles of Court of the Patriarchs, Patri-archs, Angels' Landing, Altar of Sacrifice, Sac-rifice, Great White Thorne, the Great Organ, East Temple, West Temple, to gether with the hallowed peace, religious reli-gious serenity, and superb natural grandeur of "the canyon, impress us more convincingly than any church ritual can, with the power and sublimity su-blimity of God. The enormous towers and temples of Zion canyon have been chiseled by the Mukuntuweap river (the north fork of the Virgin river) from the Kolob Ko-lob plateau through more than 3,000 feet of jurassic standstone of the white and vermilion cliffs and into iTie lower beds of mauve sandstone and purple and maroon shales. Most of the cliffs stand from two to three thousand feet above the river bottom, and many stand alone as individual gigantic buttes of surpassing beauty and majesty. Among these, at the great bend of the river and across the canvon from Angles' Landing, stands the' most massive and imperial of the entire group, the Great White Throne. True to its royal title, it stands crowned with white which catches all the diamonds, pearls, rubies, sapphires, topazes, emeralds, and garnets the sun's brilliance can bedeck it with. Every hour of the day-flashes day-flashes new gems of color, and light and shade, over the ivory surface of this regal dome. The lower portion of his unscalable, colossal butte is a deep red or maroon. Angles' landing across the stream to the north, is the delight of all hikers hik-ers who enter Zion. It is easily accessible ac-cessible by means of an excellent horse trail from camp to within a lew rods of the landing itself. The narrow ncn k of cliff with perpendicular walls de-scendirg de-scendirg to the river bottom on hotn sides of the narrow trail loads to the rfir-v Angels' Landing givir.g thc zest of adventure to those who :ove di:--L-er.'Us heights. From this isolated noint is obtained a glorious panorr.ma of the surrounding cliffs of vermnion. ivorv. pink, and buff, and the beautiful beauti-ful river bottom green with aspens junipers, and cottonwoods. The same trail leading to Angels' Landing turns to the north and extends ex-tends a mile or two farther to the West rim, from which one can look down on Angels' Landing as a comparatively com-paratively small peak. From this altitude the canyon assumes the wierd foreign atmosphere of a strange land of giants living in solemn dragon's blood towers and mosques and worshipping wor-shipping in their white-capped and pink tinted temples. The high pinnacles, pin-nacles, the deep gorges are awe-inspiring, and with the general effort of the glorious panorama with its ever-shifting ever-shifting color and light effects, the spectacle is not only enchanting, but sublime. Those who are sure footed and not inclined to dizziness on perilous heights, may enjoy the hike up Lady mountain more than any other, but I prefer the four-mile tramp to the East rim. The wide horse trail enables en-ables us to climb and drink in the incomparable in-comparable beauty at the same time. The great chasm 3,000 feet below with its tiny serpentine river bordered in green, takes our breath as we wind around the dizzy curves of the highest accessible point along the gorge. The scenery every step of the long climb is marvelous from the narrow rock walled tiny gorge we pass through near the bottom of the trail to the winding, breath-taking dugways at the top of the world. The .ox-blood gorges open tHeir dragon throats and perpendicular rock temples loom into space with awe-inspiring awe-inspiring dignity. The main gorge yawns deeper than from the West rim and a larger panorama is visible. The river itself sparkles for twelve miles, winding its delicate course like a blue ribbon joining dazzling gems of ruby, amethyst, garnet, topaz, and bloodstone, blood-stone, as one after another of Zion's temples assume these various colors in their myriads of tints and Mendings. Mend-ings. Like a great emerald brooch, the trees of Springdale decorate the thi-oat of Little Zion. Words are futile in expressing the magic of this most impressive, most inspiring view I ever beheld. People who ride into Zion and straight out again as many do, are likely to be disappointed, for the beauty beau-ty of Zion canyon is like the beauty of great art or great literature. It must be lived; it must be seen again and again for the mind to grasp its full glory and harmony; it must have time to sink deep into one's soul. The person who sits and gazes long as at a gallery of famous paintings, is going to be benefited far more by the beauty of Zion than one who rushes madly from one scene to another. To see Zion properly one should have at least a week at his disposal to wander at will and revel in the delights of sumptuous beauty. Still those who have only a half day to spend in the canyon can be well paid for their trip. Almost any hike can be made in four or five hours by rushing, but if less strenuous sight-seeing is desired, an automo bile can be taken to within a mile or so of the Narrows. From here a foot trail leads as far up the constantly narrowing gulch as the water 'hermits. 'her-mits. On the way a refreshing little nook is encountered called "Zion Stadium." and the performers make the high walls echo with their music. They are a company of silver frogs that live in the emerald pool of this stadium when they are not skipping over the silver gray boulders at its edge. As the journey continues up the canyon, the precipitous dark rod and mahogany walls grow closer, higher, and more imposing. Then the path has to give way to the river, and only those who wish to ride horses can go 1 farther. For adventurous spirits there I are eight miles more of the canyon I much of it so narrow that the ont- spread arms can touch the wide walls, and the over-hanging cliffs shut out the iicht of day and occasionally even the light of the stars. But most of us are not e.nccr to venture into ' r'jsh'ng torrents in the rip.rk. On the : return trip we have to stop and gaze I in woT'rler at the "air.t n ' r f ! Little Zion The Groat White Throne : !-. n :V.-.;;ch a vista !. wtvn the-; the-; 'r.-at Orrsn and AtcfV Lar.dirg. It ; is n vir.-rh rirre of art. NVir tb gr; .V briH in the rivr wr- o-r"". t' Weeping Ttnck which pn-sfn'? ; ore cf le mst far'ntic vhvs of the pfjr"N. Krntn the cor.s'ar drirnirg a . recess has been farmed. In this btt'e cavern spectators mar :t perf tiv i dry ar.d watch the failing waters from the cliffs above. From the brink j of the mountain comes a waterfall which spreads in a veil of spray splashing and refreshing the ferns, mosses, and flowers about the spot. The distant rosy buttes and cliffs seen through that mist lend to the scene the air of enchantment. We ask ourselves our-selves if we have accidently fallen into Alice's Wonder Land. Then there is the Grotto, another fairy-like nook only a fifteen minutes' walk south of camn. Here we should enjoy gazing indefinitely. The shimmering shim-mering waterfall from the top of another vertical cliff sends a shower into the sparkling stream on the rocks below. A charming little amphitheatre amphithe-atre with the stage set and decorated for a grand oratorio stands waiting Tor the festival. J About a mile west of camp in the direction of Lady mountain are the Emerald pools, limpid as crystal but with a greenish tinge from the reflection reflec-tion of light effects in the water. Here, ; too. delightful and fantastic veils of snr;.y shimmer bewitchingly from the high peak into the pools beneath, caus- , ing the most phantom-like plays of I chancing color. A vertiablc paradise for fairies and elves as well as for d'-er ' that hide their young behind blankets, of spray! At last when all the enchanting' noeks of the river bottom have been enjoyed, when Idy mountain, Cable I mountain, and Angels' Iandine have ! been sealed and the glories of Little i Zien have bon viewed from the Fast and West. rim. and you are sti'.l eait'-r ' for rcw visions, perhaps you can f.nd a wnv t S' ale the west temple of the Gr-ai Whit? Throno whose r.igh ; hnve rv.; r k.own hman fr-t step, i Or r-Th,-.rs yon ran sar.e the myf-r? I My ft- rv mwntain tr.d 1 xrn on '.v':vch si ie rf its delica.- pink atd I v h:'e c-r. flow ;h" M-skuntuwfap ':'-ft. It. i a b.'ty pe.-.k r.'ar thei ' Narrows, of surh ''s:;rr; :rg symme- , try. riehrate and ethereal t:r.s" that 1 . he behr id'-r exclairr.s in admiration. |