Moab Utah biking

[Buddy Thomason]

I just have a couple of additional photos from this trip. The first one is a panorama - click the thumbnail image to enlarge. You may need to click on it again to open it up fully.



The last one feature some of the Castle Valley towers. These are very climable but with few easy routes. In the far center you can see the Rectory and the Priest. Just left and hidden from view is Castleton Tower. This is the one you usually see in ads etc. It is quite unique - a lone tower of about 500 vertical feet from where you rope up. It sits on a 1,000 foot tall pile or rubble that is steep and discouraging even before you start the climb. I've climbed a 5.10 A1 route (North Chimney) and I can tell you that rock is dead vertical. Though climbing Castleton Tower was hard and somewhat scary - rappelling off the top on the tower's east side is by far the scariest thing I have ever done. Two hanging belays (!) required... and you will go home with a touch of PTSD.

[ChuckKerwin]

Buddy, I knew you were a stud!!!

[Buddy Thomason]

Bad Viking gene pool - ask my wife, she married into it.

Here are a few from our trip down there two years ago. These are within Arches National Park. I like the first one because by chance the man struggling against the wind has assumed the same shape as the Delicate Arch itself.



For perspective, note the pilgrim on the path near the base of the tallest part.



Spirits in the desert, faces in the rock - even skulls. Check this out.