What Significance Does Ship Rock Have To The Navajo Indians?

The Navajo name for Ship Rock, a volcanic monolith in north western New Mexico, is "Tse' Bit' a'i," or "The Rock With Wings."
According to legend, the rock flew, or sailed, from the north, bearing the First People. The Navajos, relative newcomers to the area, did migrate from the north so the story is not too far off the mark.
For this reason, Ship Rock is considered sacred, and it is a sacrilege to climb it. But Anglo climbers consider it one of the supreme challenges in North America so it is still scaled.
No actual tribal ordinance prohibits climbing Ship Rock, but the tribe has stopped issuing back country permits to do so. But if non-Navajos approach landholders in the area who hold grazing permits, permission to trespass may be granted. If you are persistent, you can still climb Ship Rock, but do not expect ready cooperation to gain access.