That scene is impossible. Holy Cross isn't visible in a valley or canyon like that. The view Jackson phohographed is visible only from the summit of Notch Mountain, which obscures view of the cross from all but a few rather distant viewpoints where the upper part of the cross is visible. Moran's painting is a lot of artistic license, and a bird might have added something. I'd paint a camp robber.

For a while the mountain was a National Monument. It lost that status as America became more secular in the 1950's. An old National Monument viewing hut sits atop Notch Mountain for pilgrims willing to scale the 13,200' summit for the view.

This summer the cross entirely melted out for the first time since it was discovered.


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