Leonard Knight's Salvation Mountain In Niland, California

One of the more amazing places we have been over the years is Salvation Mountain, 

built by Leonard Knight not far from the south eastern shore of the Salton Sea

just outside the town of Niland, California.

Allison had been wanting to go there for quite a while 

and this winter we had the opportunity to see this part of the world,

and she provided the photos for this post.

Leonard is truly a visionary,

and Salvation Mountain is the embodiment of his vision

as it conveys his message to the world.

Note the yellow painted steps starting on the far right of the above photo...

...as they are the beginning of the yellow brick road 

that you can see winding up the mountain.

And once on the top you can gaze back at the yellow path you have taken to the top.

I am certainly not religious, 

but using the metaphor of the yellow brick road 

as a way to achieve a Christian enlightenment is profound.

Also from the top as one gazes out on the Mojave Desert,

it is possible to see the immensity of the journey.

The message is everywhere.

To the right of the mountain is an enclosed area of clay, straw, and wood.

The bright colors and fantastic shapes beckon one to enter...

...and looking up one sees a maze of painted tree trunks and branches.

Are these the loving arms of god holding up the world?

Once inside the message resumes...

...everywhere you look.

The paint is all donated...

...and as the photo above shows in an area worn by the elements, 

  straw and clay comprise most of which is covered by the paint.

Sadly, Leonard is no longer there to greet the visitors or to add to his mountain.

Advancing age dictated his being placed in a nursing home not long ago,
making his mountain lonely even as his message radiates out.

To see another blog post on Salvation Mountain with more photos go to:
Up On Haliburton Hill - A visit to Salvation Mountain.