Can you see Bruce in the picture on the left? He is about three-fourths up the large center crack with his arm stretch out to the left. The photo on the right is what Bruce would look like If you had a pair of binoculars. Now can you find him on the photo to the left? The route Bruce is on is called Generic Crack.

The left photo is also Bruce on Generic crack, which is at Indian Creek in southeastern Utah. On a map we are about 50 miles south of Moab near Canyonlands National Park. Indian Creek is known for its seemingly never ending cracks, which require either flawless technique, or heroic amounts of energy and unwavering commitment to climb. We are still working on that flawless technique. On the right Bruce is on No Name crack.

Luckily, we are here with some friends, including Travis and Luke, who have more crack climbing experience than we do. They offer us tips and hints on how to get up the cracks using as little energy as possible.

Lukes hands are all taped up and ready to go for another crack. Taping the back of the hands not only saves skin, but also makes jamming your hands in the crack much less painful.

We are here in the late fall, the temperature is perfect for climbing and exploring. The valleys around us are filled with trees in their brightest fall colors. Between climbs we check out the beautiful rock art on the canyon walls.

Newspaper Rock was carved out over a period of 2,000 years by mostly prehistoric peoples. The carvings of wheels and people on horses were added after the arrival of Europeans to the New World. In the Navajo language the rock is called "Tse' Hane,'" which translates as "the rock that tells a story." Newspaper rock is about 10 feet high and 20 feet long.

In this close-up photo you can see a medicine wheel showing the four directions. A group of deer are lined up in a row. The animals in the upper right might be flying squirrels. Notice how you can see into the body of the top one. Also, find the bighorn sheep with its curved back horns. The footprints are probably of a bear. The animal in the center at the bottom might be a buffalo

Here you can see a wagon wheel, and someone shooting a deer from a horse, sure signs some of the carvings were made after the arrival of Europeans. The figures at the top with antlers or horns might be spirit people who will help with a hunt. Or, it could be the hunters themselves, taking on part of the form of the animal they are seeking. No one knows for sure what many of the carvings mean. What do YOU think?

To see rock climbing photos from 2001 click on Joshua Tree and City of Rocks climbing.

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