Desert Tower Book

Mike B and I in Sweden 2007. But to the real point of this entry, The new and only Desert Tower Book by Crusher Bartlett.

Last night "Crusher" came to Grand Junction to share his 30 years of climbing and his love of first ascents and desert towers. In his slide show, we learned how he earned his nickname and why he became passionate about scrappy, loose, and dangerous sandstone towers. It was wonderful to hear if his successes and failures. It brought everyone in the audience closer to what climbing is for us climbers. Sometimes you complete your goal and often you head home empty handed with a little less gas money!

For Crusher, standing on top of a tower embodies everything that is good in climbing. It is the journey, the adventure, the problem solving, the companionship and the moment.

As I bought the book last night, I knew that this modern timepiece, that begins from the first tower ascents to myself free climbing those towers, was a great artifact with its huge color photos and insightful tales of all the historic greats who spent their lives playing in the sand.

This book is a must have if you have ever spent time in the desert either climbing or gazing at those oddities reaching for the sky.

piz : )