I recently returned from an epic annual gathering with a 15-year legacy. It’s organized by Dirk and Nancy Tyler and their families, with friends Malcom and Karen Daly, Mark Kroese, Matt Compton, Greg Mills, Josh Friedman, Jeff Buhl and others — an assemblage of dirtbags converging on this backcountry paradise for an unforgettable week of nonstop climbing and camaraderie.
Our adventure began at home, in Golden, Colorado, where we jumped into the camper of longtime friend, climbing partner, and fellow Everest teammate, Charlie Mace. The 10-hour drive took us across Wyoming and Utah to The City of Rocks National Reserve, a 14,000+-acre climber’s mecca in rural southern Idaho that boasts 2.5 billion-year-old granite spires and monoliths, some equivalent to 60 stories! The area is chock (and chalk) full of over 700 developed routes, and we enjoyed four beautiful days playing on as many as we could.
We warmed up on a couple of Bumblie Rock routes, including Too Much Fun and City Girls, moved on to Elephant Rock classics, including The Pygmies Got Stoned and Just Say Go, and ended (a bit ironically) on Eye-Full Tower and some other fun routes in Castle Rocks Park’s Bracksiek’s Pillar.
At the group campsite — a happy collective of campers and tents — we relished in end-of-day suppers, singing by the fire, and of course, big wall storytelling, all while children and grandchildren (many accomplished young climbers in their own right) bouldered and buzzed around us with the pure joy of an unplugged summer adventure. It was a magical trip for so many reasons and we’re especially grateful to Charlie, Nancy, and Dirk, and hope to return with our enormous wish-list of classics yet to be tackled.
Adventure Photos
