Mount of the Holy Cross

For years, legends had spread of a mountain in the West emblazoned with a large cross. As part of the 1873 Survey expedition, Jackson and a small group ventured to the Rocky Mountains to prove the existence of this fabled peak. After having spent a cold August night bivouacking on Notch Mountain, Jackson and his team awoke to find their quarry within sight. This photograph, the first ever taken of the Mount of the Holy Cross, would become the most famous image of Jackson’s long and storied career.