A Full-time Life

FRIDAY FLASHBACK - SALVATION MOUNTAIN

This is a Friday Flashback.  We last visited Slab City and Salvation Mountain near Niland California in 2008.    This post is linked to SCENIC SUNDAY  and  SUNDAY FAVORITES over at Chari's 

  
  
  
Salvation Mountain is one of the quirkiest and most colorful places we've ever visited.  And Leonard Knight, the man whose mission and life's work has been to build this mountain in the middle of the desert, is certainly one of the most interesting characters we've ever met.  If you saw the terrific movie adaptation of Jon Krakauer's book "Into the Wild" you got a brief glimpse of the mountain and of Leonard.  ( Nearby Slab City was one of the first places where Chris McCandless stayed after he ran away from his parents' lifestyle ..before he headed to Alaska.) 

Since we haven't been to the mountain for quite a while now, I  recently E-mailed Bob Simmons, a man who keeps a kind of semi-official Website about it, to ask for an update on Leonard's health (he is 76 or 77 years old now),  Bob said that Leonard is well, but slowing down some. (We can relate to that.)

Here is a reprint of our original post, from 2008.   I used to use a lot of thumbnail pictures, but you can enlarge by clicking them.

SALVATION MOUNTAIN AND SLAB CITY

Niland is the closest town to Fountain of Youth (note:  the RV Resort where we stayed).  It was our mailing address, but it's actually about 20 miles from the resort.   Hitch-hikers and boondockers (RVers who park out in the desert for free) know Niland (which is a tiny, dusty little village) as the "gateway" to Slab City, the former WWII Camp Dunlap.  The camp was used by General Patton for tank and desert warfare practice.  The land has been used by squatters ever since the camp was closed after that war ended.

Seasonal snowbirds (often  in high-end motor homes) and full-time desert dwellers in junk-yard rejects reside next to each other on the crumbling concrete.  There's no running water or electricity.  One article I read described Slab City as "post-apocalyptic."  This kind of snow-birding isn't for us, but some RVers really enjoy it.  The picture on the right is one of the "buildings" It doesn't give the full impact.  This is one of those you really have to see it to believe it places.

Even before you reach Slab City off of the dusty back road from Niland, you can see Salvation Mountain, also on the old Camp Dunlap property (and also "squatting" there for free).  It's a surreal, technicolor mountain, built by one man who has a kind of singular purpose that is incomprehensible to most of us.  Leonard Knight is 74 years old and has been living and working out here for almost 25 years.   The Mountain is the height of a three-story building and is a couple hundred feet wide (so far).  It looks like a 3-D vision from an odd coloring book, standing up there out in the middle of the flat scrub land.

We always like it when we get the opportunity to meet local "characters" and Leonard is certainly one of the most interesting and eccentric ever.  He says that the Mountain is his testimony to God's universal love.  We aren't capable of judging the Christian merits of the project (nor would we want to try).  We just admire it as folk-art. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

And we really enjoyed visiting with Leonard and getting a glimpse into his very different world.  Leonard didn't do any proselytizing or preaching to us (probably recognizing that it wouldn't do much good.)   He and Bill talked about how to make adobe and discussed the finer points of mountain construction.  We talked about travel (he is originally from Vermont).  And just told him that we admired his work. 

He has built the mountain mostly with donated paint and adobe that he makes from the soil of the desert. 

Right now, he is expanding the dome that he calls his museum.  He has piled up tractor tires with poles and limbs that he found out on the desert to make "trees" that help support the hay bales that form the dome.  He coats everything with adobe, forming a smooth coat on the hay and giving texture to the trees and flowers.   We asked if he was a little bit afraid working up so high in the "trees".  He said the they rose up so gradually that, by the time he got up so high, he was used to it.

Leonard sleeps in one or another of the several inoperable vehicles that are parked beside the mountain.  You can see one of them in the picture on the left. 

We've driven the 25 miles to look at the Mountain each time we've stayed at Fountain of Youth.  Leonard said he is getting quite a few more visitors these days because he and Salvation Mountain are briefly featured in the book and movie "Into the Wild."  (He wasn't sure what the movie was about, but he said the film-makers were really nice people.)  Nobody else was there on the weekday morning we went, but as we left, about 10 other people stopped by. 

He has just finished creating a miniature version of the Mountain, which is going to go into the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.   

This is the outside of the dome, with window panes from scrounged glass.  You can see one of his work areas.

Anyone who enjoys seeing things that are out-of-the-ordinary and meeting people who are one-of-a-kind would enjoy a visit to Salvation Mountain and Slab City.

 

 

Niland is the closest town to Fountain of Youth (note:  the RV Resort where we stayed).  It was our mailing address, but it's actually about 20 miles from the resort.   Hitch-hikers and boondockers (RVers who park out in the desert for free) know Niland (which is a tiny, dusty little village) as the "gateway" to Slab City, the former WWII Camp Dunlap.  The camp was used by General Patton for tank and desert warfare practice.  The land has been used by squatters ever since the camp was closed after that war ended.

Seasonal snowbirds (often  in high-end motor homes) and full-time desert dwellers in junk-yard rejects reside next to each other on the crumbling concrete.  There's no running water or electricity.  One article I read described Slab City as "post-apocalyptic."  This kind of snow-birding isn't for us, but some RVers really enjoy it.  The picture on the right is one of the "buildings" It doesn't give the full impact.  This is one of those you really have to see it to believe it places.

Even before you reach Slab City off of the dusty back road from Niland, you can see Salvation Mountain, also on the old Camp Dunlap property (and also "squatting" there for free).  It's a surreal, technicolor mountain, built by one man who has a kind of singular purpose that is incomprehensible to most of us.  Leonard Knight is 74 years old and has been living and working out here for almost 25 years.   The Mountain is the height of a three-story building and is a couple hundred feet wide (so far).  It looks like a 3-D vision from an odd coloring book, standing up there out in the middle of the flat scrub land.

We always like it when we get the opportunity to meet local "characters" and Leonard is certainly one of the most interesting and eccentric ever.  He says that the Mountain is his testimony to God's universal love.  We aren't capable of judging the Christian merits of the project (nor would we want to try).  We just admire it as folk-art. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

And we really enjoyed visiting with Leonard and getting a glimpse into his very different world.  Leonard didn't do any proselytizing or preaching to us (probably recognizing that it wouldn't do much good.)   He and Bill talked about how to make adobe and discussed the finer points of mountain construction.  We talked about travel (he is originally from Vermont).  And just told him that we admired his work. 

He has built the mountain mostly with donated paint and adobe that he makes from the soil of the desert. 

Right now, he is expanding the dome that he calls his museum.  He has piled up tractor tires with poles and limbs that he found out on the desert to make "trees" that help support the hay bales that form the dome.  He coats everything with adobe, forming a smooth coat on the hay and giving texture to the trees and flowers.   We asked if he was a little bit afraid working up so high in the "trees".  He said the they rose up so gradually that, by the time he got up so high, he was used to it.

Leonard sleeps in one or another of the several inoperable vehicles that are parked beside the mountain.  You can see one of them in the picture on the left. 

We've driven the 25 miles to look at the Mountain each time we've stayed at Fountain of Youth.  Leonard said he is getting quite a few more visitors these days because he and Salvation Mountain are briefly featured in the book and movie "Into the Wild."  (He wasn't sure what the movie was about, but he said the film-makers were really nice people.)  Nobody else was there on the weekday morning we went, but as we left, about 10 other people stopped by. 

He has just finished creating a miniature version of the Mountain, which is going to go into the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.   

This is the outside of the dome, with window panes from scrounged glass.  You can see one of his work areas.

Anyone who enjoys seeing things that are out-of-the-ordinary and meeting people who are one-of-a-kind would enjoy a visit to Salvation Mountain and Slab City.

SALVATION MOUNTAIN AND SLAB CITY

Niland is the closest town to Fountain of Youth (note:  the RV Resort where we stayed).  It was our mailing address, but it's actually about 20 miles from the resort.   Hitch-hikers and boondockers (RVers who park out in the desert for free) know Niland (which is a tiny, dusty little village) as the "gateway" to Slab City, the former WWII Camp Dunlap.  The camp was used by General Patton for tank and desert warfare practice.  The land has been used by squatters ever since the camp was closed after that war ended.

Seasonal snowbirds (often  in high-end motor homes) and full-time desert dwellers in junk-yard rejects reside next to each other on the crumbling concrete.  There's no running water or electricity.  One article I read described Slab City as "post-apocalyptic."  This kind of snow-birding isn't for us, but some RVers really enjoy it.  The picture on the right is one of the "buildings" It doesn't give the full impact.  This is one of those you really have to see it to believe it places.

Even before you reach Slab City off of the dusty back road from Niland, you can see Salvation Mountain, also on the old Camp Dunlap property (and also "squatting" there for free).  It's a surreal, technicolor mountain, built by one man who has a kind of singular purpose that is incomprehensible to most of us.  Leonard Knight is 74 years old and has been living and working out here for almost 25 years.   The Mountain is the height of a three-story building and is a couple hundred feet wide (so far).  It looks like a 3-D vision from an odd coloring book, standing up there out in the middle of the flat scrub land.

We always like it when we get the opportunity to meet local "characters" and Leonard is certainly one of the most interesting and eccentric ever.  He says that the Mountain is his testimony to God's universal love.  We aren't capable of judging the Christian merits of the project (nor would we want to try).  We just admire it as folk-art. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

And we really enjoyed visiting with Leonard and getting a glimpse into his very different world.  Leonard didn't do any proselytizing or preaching to us (probably recognizing that it wouldn't do much good.)   He and Bill talked about how to make adobe and discussed the finer points of mountain construction.  We talked about travel (he is originally from Vermont).  And just told him that we admired his work. 

He has built the mountain mostly with donated paint and adobe that he makes from the soil of the desert. 

Right now, he is expanding the dome that he calls his museum.  He has piled up tractor tires with poles and limbs that he found out on the desert to make "trees" that help support the hay bales that form the dome.  He coats everything with adobe, forming a smooth coat on the hay and giving texture to the trees and flowers.   We asked if he was a little bit afraid working up so high in the "trees".  He said the they rose up so gradually that, by the time he got up so high, he was used to it.

Leonard sleeps in one or another of the several inoperable vehicles that are parked beside the mountain.  You can see one of them in the picture on the left. 

We've driven the 25 miles to look at the Mountain each time we've stayed at Fountain of Youth.  Leonard said he is getting quite a few more visitors these days because he and Salvation Mountain are briefly featured in the book and movie "Into the Wild."  (He wasn't sure what the movie was about, but he said the film-makers were really nice people.)  Nobody else was there on the weekday morning we went, but as we left, about 10 other people stopped by. 

He has just finished creating a miniature version of the Mountain, which is going to go into the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.   

This is the outside of the dome, with window panes from scrounged glass.  You can see one of his work areas.

Anyone who enjoys seeing things that are out-of-the-ordinary and meeting people who are one-of-a-kind would enjoy a visit to Salvation Mountain and Slab City.

Comments

[pat]

I had to come back after our visit to these places! I think we'll be going back out there in a few weeks! Nice photos...

[pat]

I think we'll be there this week sometime. We're going to go down the mountain into Anza-Borrego for some jeeping and I'm hoping we have time to go to slab city.

[pat]

In my comment to your current post I mentioned where we are camped right now. From where I'm sitting at this moment, I can clearly see Salton Sea! It's about 40 miles away. If the weather is just right, we can even see the ocean from here. Who would of thought you could ever see both at the same time!

[Ebie]

OMG! What a coincidence! I happen to read this article and video on DesertUSA.com last night. Your photos are just like what the video has shown! Very interesting!

[Jenn Jilks]

That is just a hoot! Oh my.

[Lori E]

I remember that movie. What a quirky place and interesting people.

[Lady Fi]

What an amazing place! Interesting - and quirky.

[Charmie]

Curious this place, never heard it before.. Very colorful:)

[Gemma@Greyscale]

This guy is a great example of how to build a dream literally! What an amazing, inspiring achievement!

[EG Wow]

Oh my goodness! I have never heard of this before! This is an amazing way to "make your mark" on the world.

[Quasi Serendipita]

What a curious place! I would love to see this place in person one day.

[Margot]

We saw a nice TV piece on Leonard on, I think, 60 Minutes. It's been quite some time ago so I'm sure the mountain is even bigger now. So glad you re-posted this one. It proves that there are just so many interesting things going on in this world.

[carolyn Ford]

I haven't heard of this...certainly a place I want to visit now! How colorful and certainly something not seen everyday! And, thank you for all the information.

[bettyl]

That is really awesome! It's amazing what you find when you travel. We have a 'Jesus rock' here in NZ that I have posted before, but it doesn't compare to your post!

[Krystal]

I loved reading this. You did such a great job of describing it and sharing the history. It's been almost a year since we visited and it still stands out in our minds as one of our favorite things. We did not get to meet Leonard, so I'm jealous of that!

[Carletta]

What a fascinating post Sallie.
Being the eccentric he appears to be and living in the middle of the desert for so many years I'd say that perhaps building this mountain just might be his salvation.

[Pam]

It takes a lot of heart and sole to build and maintain a colorful mountain creation like this one. He may be a bite quirky but he is amazing.

[Arti]

The name itself is so interesting!
Never heard of such a place before...It looks so serene and beautiful..so colourful too!
I love your travels :)

[Judy Friend]

What an interesting place. I've never heard of it or even traveled near it. Leonard seems like a very artistic person. Makes you wonder what he would have accomplished had he stayed in Vermont. Thanks for sharing. Jude