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Show For more photos of Zio c National Parks Canyo H Overlook, visit re 'll in m DixieSimNews.com S: sc ti a a y lc $ Cl ok Zions 3 r reward h b a a n t v it J i fi IS ' , o $ i v, . ?. " i ...v Y - - ' t K t. ja ?V x 1 ... ,5 Cl I I v i - , t A 1 S'" I I L BILLY EUSTERMAN that the round trip time for this hike is BY KESHARA BJORKMAN Staff Writer The backyard of southern Utah is colossal and beautiful. Even if you've been to Zion National Park in the past, the number of smaller canyons and spots to to the hours vast is compared explore in a day you may spend on a more popular trail. The views almost anywhere in Zion are great, but to experience a view from a higher point without too much strain on your body, take the Canyon Overlook trail. To get to the Canyon Overlook's trailhead, drive up Mount Carmel Highway and veer to the right when the road forks between the highway and Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. It leads to switchbacks up the mountainside and a beautiful view as you reach the first of two tunnels. At the first tunnel's exit, there are several spots for paiking, and the trailhead to Canyon Overlook is on the left. The hiking guide and map that is available from the rangers at Zion National Park's front gate suggests Fifty an hour, but its more like 45 minutes. However, that depends on how long you stay at the top taking in the incredible view of several peaks that can be seen from that spot: Altar of Sacrifice and the West Temple ridge, just to name two. There is an information board at the edge of the cliff (fenced off so you can look off the edge with ease) that names all the points visible. No matter how many times I see the view, it never gets old, said Breanna Opdahl, a junior communication major from Santa Clara. Its a great escape from school stresses. Its something that everybody can use as their therapy. It is not a hard hike to the overlook. Ive climbed it several times with cousins who are as little as 5 years old. There are a few spots where you have to watch your step and stay near the wall more, but, for the most part, its pretty simple. Its greener in the warmer seasons than it is now, but all of the patches of snow give it a different sort of calm beauty. Its just a bit chilly out with snow patches here and there, but its nothing a good jacket cant remedy. The hikes were nice, said Spencer DIME SUN NE Bowler, a sophomore engineering jor from St. George. Ive never been to Zion with snow, and it just made everything look so pretty. I love to hike, and I never encourage anyone to leave the trails for safety reasons, but if given the opportunity to explore a bit more, I will ma- do so. Also, if you continue to drive down the highway from the Canyon Overlook, there are several spots along the road to park and get out of the car for some stunning photo opportunities and exploration. Plus, there are historical spots along that canyon you can stumble upon, and the drive through and around the red mountains is breathtaking in and of itself. While the drive from St. George to Zion is roughly 45 minutes, the view of the national parks peaks is worth the trip. Such a short drive and a few dollars per person is a small price to pay to have a memorable experience with a group of friends. Its easy to have a beautiful day outdoors and enjoy time to relax. Not that six hours of switchbacks doesnt sound excellent for a different day, but if youd like to keep it simple and still fun, you can by hiking up the Canyon Overlook. Students take in the view as they make their way up Zion National Parks Canyon Overlook trail Feb. 4. The Canyon Overlook trail offers a spectacular view 0 several peaks including Alter of Sacrifice and the Wes Temple ridge. Shades of Grey insult to literature, sexuality BY MARA BRADDY Opinion Editoi True love means caring more about someone than you care about yourself, being with that person through thick and thin, making that person sign a contract that binds his or her sexual activity to exclusively cater to your fetish with cable ties and spanking. Wait, what? If you were alive last summer, which I hope most of you were, you may have felt a shift in the world of romantic literature. This shift went from g sex monsters to, well, just sex monsters. Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James has openly admitted her bestselling novel is roughly based on the plot of Twilight, written by Stephenie Meyer. One may not easily catch how James erotic romance featuring a wispy, blood-suckin- ambitious college graduate who meets the haughty, CEO lines up with Meyer's own vampire trilogy. Well, let me set the stage for the doubters. The similarities between the main characters of both novels are unmistakable. Anastasia Steele grew up with separated parents, just as Bella Swan did. It irks me that this character really has nothing for the reader to sympathize with. Shes beautiful, smart and has her whole life lined up after college with job offers multi-millionai- re and a gorgeous apartment, which she shares with her rich, beautiful friend. Christian Grey, like Edward Cullen, has a bottomless bank account and the physique of a Greek god. Women melt at his feet, and he claims to be able to read people, similar to how Cullen can read people's minds. Coincidence? Im embarrassed to say, no. All of this is true to the book. When I finished Fifty Shades of Grey, I had no idea what kind of book I'd just read. Was it bondage and discipline erotica? Or the tale of a man's childhood abuse and how this impacted his sex life later on? Were Grey's sexual tastes supposed to be erotic or wrong? It isn't clear. The lack of structure was amateurish and painful, and it made me wonder if the book had been edited at all. It read like a trashy script in an episode of One Tree Hill. It read like, I did this, and then this happened, and I walked here, and I made my bed. Beyond the offensive ele ments I found in this book, nothing is more offensive than poor writing. The greatest offense was the portrayal of the characters. Steele is genuinely afraid of Grey and is never entirely comfortable with the punishment aspect of their relationship. But Gre) manipulates her with sex to continue the relationship. I have a hard time believing a virgin would somehow become a sex goddess overnight because that is exactly what hap- see GREY pagef |
