Thank heaven that prophecy has not come true. I hope it never does. It never could, of course. The very ruggedness and isolation of the area will prevent that, at least for years to come. And this may be its salvation from people pollution.
Industrialization is another matter.
In September of 1993, I took a trip with Ward Roylance into The Needles. As fate would have it, this was to be my last journey into Red Rock Country with Ward who passed away two months after the trip. Our journey into The Needles was a fantastic experience. We spent several days penetrating into the very heart of the Needles. We explored Salt Creek Country, stood beneath Angel Arch, traversed Elephant Hill, gazed upon the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers, watched sunsets and sunrises that ignited the landscape in a blaze of color, and slept beneath a silent night sky that reminded us of the infinite dimensions of time and space.