Western Temple and the Altar of Sacrifice in Zion National Park

This is a very high resolution image of the Altar of Sacrifice in Zion National Park. Part of a multiple panel set of images covering the entire park this one focuses on the formation known as the Altar of Sacrifice. 

Along the jagged ridge line towards the middle left of the image there is a tiered or stacked ridge of that is dark maroon or umber colored. That is the Altar of Sacrifice.  

Zion is an incredibly beautiful and otherworldly place, from the ground but especially more so from the air. This looks like it could be on another planet!  Open it full screen to get the full effect. Bryce Canyon National Park is on the horizon in the background. 

Though there are differing stories on how it came to be named as such I found this today while researching it:  

According to research by the Washington County chapter of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, it is not exactly known what the name Zion referred to. It might have been related to the peaceful security settlers felt in Zion Canyon because the Indians stayed away from there or because the towering walls offered natural protection. 

Another possible derivation may be from the United Order, a Mormon pioneer system of sharing all things in common, that was prevalent in southern Utah at the time. This could have made for a utopia — a Zion — at least for a short time. Joseph S. Black, another Mormon pioneer, followed the Virgin River into Zion and was so impressed by the natural beauty that he provided what seemed to be unbelievable descriptions of the area to other settlers. 

Some of the more skeptical of them dubbed the place "Joseph's Glory" in reference to what they thought were his exaggerated claims. 

Explorer John Wesley Powell visited Zion in 1872 and applied some First Nations Ute Indian names to the gorges there, such as "Mukuntuweap" (meaning "Straight Canyon") to the North Fork of the Virgin River and "Parunuweap" ("Water that Roars") to the East Fork. 

But even Powell saw religion there, since he named the East and West Temples. In 1909, part of Zion was set aside as Mukuntuweap National Monument by President William Howard Taft. 

By 1918, President Woodrow Wilson had enlarged the area and changed the name back to Zion because the Mukuntuweap name was an unpopular title locally.
(Research Source)  

I lensed this image as part of a series of photos I was taking to create a straight line panoramic shot of the entire park. This is from my ongoing project in which I am trying to raise awareness of the 47% of the USA and 90% of Canada that remain unpopulated wilderness.  

Where Eagles Fly - The American Wilderness Expedition is my personal mission to introduce people to these amazing locations that surround us.  

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Yehaw!!