Photos by steve-o

I've been on small exposed summits like this before, but they weren't 8,000' up with views of even higher peaks, glaciers, and alpine lakes. When I spotted a little red dot down in the valley (our tent), I realized this was visible from the campsite. Later that evening I couldn't stop looking up in wonder with a grin on my face, staring at a tiny sliver high up, where the mountains met the sky. --thanks to Bellaitalia for a great shot.

Exhausted, dehydrated, and about to tackle an offwidth, and this is my idea of a vacation! Journey Home forces me to evaluate why I do this to myself. Topping out in the dark, completely spent, but grinning ear to ear, I know I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

"Finally" - an exciting opportunity to get yourself stuck over and over again while making minimal upward progress and burning thousands of calories. It is the hard to miss wide splitter at the end of the Nautilus formation. I'm an offwidth fan and this didn't disappoint. Getting around the small roof was thin and a bit tricky.

Blake enjoys the jams and I enjoy the view, climbing on the coffin

My brother Daniel follows up after me on a hot June day.

Eyetooth's summit is amazing! When you top out and look over the backside, the rock curves in and leaves you looking straight at the ground.

If you're climbing in the spires this should be at the top of your list. An exciting and exposed climb and wait till you reach the summit and look down the other side!

Steve-O sticks with it and demonstrates faith in microcams.

We raced up the ridge to get in one last climb after an incredible day (and our first) in Garden of the Gods. The North Ridge is definitely worth doing and if you're confident on 5.7 all you need is quickdraws.

Good quality of rock for sandstone and a fun crack climb. Saw this from the sidewalk and had to get on it. Be ready for lots of gawkers! P1 ends on a nice ledge with good bolts.

This is the start of P2 on Snuggles and Fall Crack. You climb it like an offwidth or I found it could be liebacked to start and save yourself some humping. No good face holds to start, but you get good rests between sections and it eases up at the top. Watch out for all the pidgeon crap near the summit - yuck!

New Era is just as much face climbing as it is crack. I found the climbing easy but fun. Sometimes you just gotta get on a route and cruise not having to worry about hard moves or bad falls. The top of the 2nd pitch is where it gets interesting. I (Steve-O) jammed up the crack, while my partner (Brit) layed it back. Would've liked to do the 3rd pitch to get to the summit but we weren't too sure how easy the walk-off was and didn't want to come all the way back up to grab our gear at the base. A fun 2-rope rap gets you back to the ground.

Impeachable Offense has terrific and varied climbing all the way to the summit of Dire Spire. We did it in 3 pitches and this is Brit surmounting P2. What a terrific section of climbing!

This is me belaying my two friends to the top of the second pitch. We came back on a different day and climbed this by the light of headlamps. All 3 of us were at the top anchors, under the stars. When we rapped down, we switched off all lights. It was great!

This is me shoeing up for my first climb in The New River Gorge, WV. I was on a 2 week rock climbing road trip out east. Climbed everyday of it but one, due to rain. We used that day to cruise over to the Red River Gorge, KY.

What a sweet splitter crack! If you want to learn to rely on hand jams for vertical gain, this is the climb.

Got to put my microcams to good use on the first pitch. The second pitch although rated harder than the first seemed easier to me. The 2nd is short, but has a commiting move to get over to the anchors. This was a great climb to break into the 5.10 trad range. A beatiful section of wall and a must do - or must aspire to - climb!

This climb has it all. Starts off on a slab with some thin moves to get in position for the overhanging wall. Take a good rest then fire up the pockets, clipping as quick as you can. There is a ledge you can get a good rest at 2/3 of the way up the overhanging section. This was the very last climb I got on to end a 2 week climbing vacation out east. I got to the anchors but didn't get the redpoint. Did get worked though. Rematch someday. A classic endurance route.