This post goes out to Moab

Eco-friendly, tourist-friendly, local-friendlier, adventure-friendly... I live in a happy place. These are the places I frequent.


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Castleton Tower

Today I climbed Castleton Tower! Brian Hays and I climbed the Kor-Ingalls route, the route that made the first ascent of the tower in 1961. It was incredible! The climbing was fun and fairly easy, but the wind was terrible.

Behind me is the Colorado River, the towers Jah Man, the Priest and the Nuns, and the Rectory.

There are four pitches. The first, second, and fourth were easy. The third pitch was pretty hard, and slick hardened calcite didn't make it any easier. This is Brian at the anchors of the last pitch, about to rappel.

Where is this?

The view of our route before the approach. The tower stands 400 ft above the ground, and it's elevation is 6,656 ft. What a beautiful tower!

Chris on a bored day.

After night bouldering late yesterday, my internal adventure clock woke me up way too early this morning. It must not have known that today was going to be a cloudy, rainy day. I could not live in a place that was always cloudy, like Seattle, because after just one afternoon of gloom I feel doomed. Here's what a day like this looks like:
-check my facebook
-think of things to do
-realize that I've already done everything on my list
-watch YouTube videos
-get dressed
-listen to music, maybe buy new songs
-check my facebook
-call/text all my friends in town (who usually have normal jobs and can't play)
-finish project(s) that my understanding mother gives me
-browse instructables, mountain project, friends blogs
-check my facebook
-leave the house on my bike
-meander town, "bored shop"
-come home, check FB again, loaf around, fall asleep at 1am

I actually check my facebook a lot more than what I put on that list. Also, eating out by yourself isn't that fun either. Bleh. I'm always unprepared for days like these. I need to find a service project or homework or something.

Happy Earth Day

Canyonlands, Needles District

What Inspires You?

In 2008 Ueli Steck broke his own world record ascent of the Eiger in Switzerland. The north face normally takes four days to complete. It has earned the German nickname Mordwand, or "death wall," because more than sixty climbers have met their death on the mountain.

I will keep moving, and make progess in my life.