It's a land lost in time where two great geological
provinces, the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range impacted each
other. Says geologist Ken Puchlik, standing in Snow Canyon State
Park in Utah: "It's one of the few places in the world with
all the pages in the book of geological time."
 
 
The Anasazi lived here till about 1200 AD, then the Paiute Indians
appeared then some of the Mormon pioneers -- their graffiti-like
names and dates from the 1880s still visible, written in axle grease
on the sheer walls of Navajo sandstone.
Now come those seeking rejuvenation, hoping for help in lifestyle
choices and trusting inspiration will come from the 5000 foot-high
red peaks dominating the area.
They want to be moved by mountains.
They are today's worn-out Americans.
"When I started here in 1999, says Deborah Evans, the general
manager of Red Mountain Spa (800-407-3002 www.redmountainspa.com),
"Our clients arrived mentally tired. Now they come burned out.
Time is the big luxury and we never have enough today."
  
  
Red Mountain Spa in the past has been a fitness institute where,
says a frequent guest, obese patients came to stay for months and
lose hundreds of pounds. But since it changed ownership in 1998
and was expanded and upgraded it has completely altered focus. Now,
the second largest destination spa in the United States (after Canyon
Ranch), it has a staff of 211 with 41 professionally trained wilderness
and hiking guides.
 
Although it offers personal health and fitness services, cooking
classes, golf and tennis -- and more than 30 different spa treatments
-- its forte is the outdoors: rock climbing, mountain biking, horseback
riding, star gazing and visiting nearby Zion and Bryce National
Parks. And hiking in small groups on one of the 30 trails on Utah's
famed and adjacent Snow Canyon State Park (www.stateparks.utah.gov
) sometimes accompanied by geologists or archaeologists. "We
call it 'Choose your own adventure'," says Evans.
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