Stardate 2017.060

Sandstone Dreaming
What can I say? I grew up amongst the stuff. I miss it.

I can feel the rough grit of sandstone on my bare skin. I can feel the gritty, suspended sediment load in the runoff. I can smell the heady scent of wet sand, silt and clay. I can smell the earthy scent of rain and snow wetting the stone. The ultra-fragrant wet sage teases my senses. I can smell the hard-to-penetrate river-lining tamarisk. Fragrant cacti blooms catch my nose. I can feel the cool, wet wind retaining a hint of winter. The high desert spring taunts my soul...

Catching a bit of weather, four major towers from the Fisher Towers group are shown in the following pic. Left to right rise Kingfisher, Echo Tower, Cottontail and the Titan. In short, big leagues climbing on dangerous and difficult mudstones with a colorful climbing history. Look them up.


I've previously posted the following pics along the way in one form or another. Since the Moab mountain bike and hiking season begins a little over a month from now, I thought it all right to have a little tease post of one of my favorite regions. Let's start with the Onion Creek area of Professor Valley. I hope you enjoy the pics.




Amasa Back, Moab, Utah




Behind the Rocks, Moab, Utah




Princess Plume




Horsethief Bench, Loma, Colorado




Big drop onto Horsethief Bench from Mary's Loop, Loma, Colorado




Horsethief Bench, Colorado




Moab, Utah




Behind the Rocks, Utah




Dead Horse Point, Utah area and a sand-trap




Climbers on Ancient Art, Fisher Towers, Utah.




Sunrise on Castleton Tower (far left tower), Utah




Success on Ancient Art's summit




Arches National Park




I hope you enjoyed the show.

Adios

Stardate 2014.860

Ancient Art

Our fourth day is a travel day. While driving through the Professor Valley, we turn onto the Fisher Towers Road for a short side trip up to the Towers.


Four prominent towers rise here. They are King Fisher, Echo, Cottontail and the Titan – the tallest. Yet, there exists myriad of climbs on non-distinct formations and connecting ridge lines. In the above photo, Ancient Art and King Fisher collect morning light.


We heard the Cobra formation had lost its head and was no more. Hiking in, we were saddened to see that rumors where true; the Cobra was dead. On the other hand, it's our lucky morning. Directly above us, a pair of climbers was ascending Ancient Art. The climbers were making their final moves onto the exotic corkscrew summit.


Success! Many climbers try to stand on the tiny summit. However, listening to the above climbers' conversation, it was too windy to safely stand.


We were hiking in and out of drainages, being showered in niceties such as sun-hit on Castleton Tower, and company (see upper left photo). Left to right: Castleton Tower, The Rectory (large butte), The Nuns and The Priest. The upper right towers in the photo are known as the Sister Superior Group (a.k.a. The Professor and Students).


King Fisher Tower


King Fisher and Ancient Art pose from another angle.


Dock Rock is one of the last to greet the day's sun. Our hike over, we ate a snack, pointed the 4-Runner toward Colorado and with a fair amount of sadness, drove home... sniffle, sniffle.

The Fisher Towers area is unique. I have numerous photos of the area, and I think I may save them for a winter post. The area can be haunting, it can be magical, it can be mystical and it can be miserably cold and wet. Up next, Argentine Pass, Colorado. Thanks for reading!

Adios