In Depth

Barren wasteland and scenic wonderland, an adventurer's paradise and picture-perfect unspoiled America -- this is Utah, a land of extremes, where mountain peaks receive more than 500 inches of snow each winter and desert lowlands bake at well over 115°F (46°C) in summer. Utah is an extraordinarily beautiful place. It has a rugged beauty, with stark stone monoliths alternating with deep red canyons, tall forested mountains standing guard over a huge inland salt sea. Its history is equally colorful, from the prehistoric American Indians to the mountain men, miners, and Mormons. In this appendix, we'll introduce you to modern-day Utah, provide a background of the state's history and the influential Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), and recommend some excellent books and films to get you started.