Altar of Sacrifice

Altar of Sacrifice is a 7,505-foot Navajo sandstone peak in the Towers of the Virgin group, visible from the main canyon about 2.5 miles west-northwest of Zion's park headquarters. It rises roughly 3,500 feet above the Virgin River and canyon floor below.

Name and access

• Methodist minister Frederick Vining Fisher named the peak in 1916, along with the Great White Throne and Angels Landing, during an early visit to the canyon. Dark red hematite staining on the east face — resembling spilled blood — gave the name its lasting appeal.
• There's no maintained trail to the summit. The first recorded ascent, by Dan Stih and Ron Raimonde in March 1997, took four days of technical climbing.
• Most visitors experience Altar of Sacrifice as a landmark viewed from the canyon floor or nearby trails rather than as a hiking destination — it's a serious technical objective for experienced climbers only.