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Show "We were up," wrote Ayres. "We quickly walked over a gentle swell in the shelf, down into a shallow valley and up again to our objective. "The bridge is big. Only from the shelf behind it can one get the full impression of its massive sweep. From all directions the effect is diminished by the adjacent cliff. Perhaps some observors would object to calling it a bridge at all, since it does not stand boldly free in the manner of Rainbow, Owachome, or Sipapu bridges, for example. Creswell and I accepted it as it is-a big arch with a lot of air around it." That big arch with a lot of air around it is still waiting, after 30 years, for other climbers to conquer it, to feel its massive sweep. And the urge to do so wells up strong, says Blake, when one stands directly under the arch and full-grown pines on the wall above appear as bushes and birds flutter free about the arch. He is speaking in hushed tones. Those hushed tones reflect a reverance that those who witness Zion seem to feel. Note the names we have given to this part of our world: the Great White Throne, Angels' Landing, Three Patriarchs, Court of the Patriarchs, The Sentinel, Towers of the Virgin, the West Temple, the Watchman, Mountain of the Sun, Temple of Sinawava, and, of course, the name Zion itself, or Little Zion, as the first settlers called this region. So, too, for Kolob. The name means the star next to God. Because of the activities surrounding the park's 75th birthday, there are additional reasons for backpacking Zion this year. If you time your expedition to be there on July 31, you can join with dignitaries and others in ceremonies |