The mountains of the West have always captured my heart. Their obvious beauty, their dangerous weather, their steep challenging canyons, their ancient history exposed for all who care to look, and their sheer magnitude; all these things hold an intoxicating allure for me. Today I will share some mountains that I love. The two from Zion National Park, my favorite park because of the magical light there, are ruddy and massive. The only effort required was a drive in the car, although a long drive. The vast and remote valley of Ruby Jewel was a different story. It was the hardest hike I've ever done. After 10 grueling miles up some of the roughest terrain I've ever hiked to an elevation over 11,000 feet we were rewarded with the most beautiful mountain vistas I have ever seen. And because of the remote nature it was still pristine and wild with rushing creeks percolating right up out of the ground over beds of wild flowers.
