OCR Text |
Show Sunday, April 23, 2006 DAILY HERALD Ss Any book or article that stones,” he said. “If a thing is calls attention to an environ- worth doing, it's worth writ- mentally or historically sensi- tive environment, or to any Continuedfrom C1 adventure.” At onepoint, Roberts said, he attempted to figure out how many steps he'd taken eventually placing his estimatein the neighborhood of 500,000. The intimidating thing is not the numberofsteps, he said, but how many of them entail pay- ing careful attention to one's balance. Intrigued by the Anasazi The dust jacket for “Sand- good atutilizing whatever was at hand,” jamming branches into seams in the rock or carving out mation? In the ag pease to“Sand- increased public interest in an environmentally or histori- “If there are no books” at all, he said, “then you don't stone Spine,” about hiking Utah's remote Comb Ridge, climber and author David Roberts notesthat “In this book,! have chosen sometimes to be cally sensitivesite. “It's kind of hard to weigh the impact”of a particular bookorarticle, he said. On the other hand,Portillo knowthat certain places are special and should be protected.” And, as Roberts suggests in “Sandstone Spine,” there are name and location of certain prehistoric ruins and rock art.” Roberts's caution will be appreciated by some, even while hand- and toeholds by chipping at the sandstone with harder quartzite. And then, as Child put it, “At a certain point, they were just strong and talented and very gutsy climbers.” Robertssaid that he feels that archaeologists haven't sufficiently studied the Anasazi because “they aren’t climbers themselves. They don't appreciate the dangers.” There's also a certain spiritual connection that maybe lacking AsChild said, “Sometimes you stone Spine”notes that Roberts, Child and Hadenfeldt are the first hikers to go from end to just walk upto cliff becauseit has somequality of geometry or colorthat attracts, you.” end ofthe Combin a single push, but Robertssaid that the Frequently, he said, those are thecliffs that end up sheltering ideaofpulling offa first isn't really what drovethe three friends. Rather,he said, the general absenceof such bravadois one thing he finds appealing about exploring Utah's canyon country. “Somehowit’s less narcissistic,” he said, “You aren't doing it paint your mark on the mountain,to say, ‘By God, we did the first ascent of the West Face.'” (Both Roberts, now 62, and Child, 49, are climbersof inter«national renown. You could say without too much hyperbole that they're oneof the bigger duos to roam around southern Utah since the era of Butch Cassidy and the SundanceKid.) The remarkableplenitude of signs that the Anasazi — the cliff-dwelling American Indian people (generally linked to contemporary Pueblo Indians) who mysteriously adandoned their lofty homes several centuries ago — oncethickly inhabited the Comb was of muchgreater interest. Since developing during the past 10 to 12 years what head- mits is a bit of an obsession with the Anasazi, Robertssaid, he’s consistently been fascinated by how remarkably well preserved their formerbuildings and tools are, “The cliche is thatit looks as if they just left yesterday,” he said. “It strikes you every time.” And,in the minds of both Roberts and Child, the Anasazi areintriguing for a less immediately evident reason. In gettingto the lofty sites wheretheir dwellingsstill stand, Child said, “they were very a rockart panel or mud-brick home. “Youthink, ‘Hmm,the same thing that attracted meattract- ed these Anasazi.’ ” GarthPortillo, a Bureau of Land Managementarchaeologist based in Salt Lake City, said that there are “tens of thousands”of documented American Indian historic sites in Utah, a large percentage of, which are believed to have Anasazi origins. Portillo said that he hasn't read “SandstoneSpine,” but he said he understands what draws people to the Anasazi. “We knowjust enough to tweak our interest, but we don't haveall the answers,”he said. The ruins are “something that we can see and recognize, but they’re also kind of a mystery.” Andit isn't just the interface with an alien culture that can he gets blasted byothers for wholetimethat we werein (a ruin) we couldn't really enjoy it because we werethinking, ‘Oh, 2270445710940 8) 110415 7:25 10:00 isn rsasse sso 7segse t 12202505107.20930 1145145345548 745 845 g 115400725 950 ‘ reoremzmsec # 52070740915 945 ‘ “EverytimeI write a maga- Doggedby old age Contemplating death orserious injury, actually, is something of keeping his travels entirely a sidebar telling people how said Roberts. Not, of course, to the point to himself. An editor at Na- tional Geographic, he said, oncetold him that anything worth doing is worth writing about. said that he remembers work- ing in California when a magazine published an article about previouslylittle-known ghost towns on BLM land. In the months that followed, BLM rangers accosted a substantial numberofindividuals doing illegal excavationat those sites. “Everyoneof those people had a copyof that magazine in their hip pocket,” Portillo said. Deciding whetheror not to reveal what they knowcan be frustrating for authors. “Somepeoplewill say, “You don't tell us how togetto this place,’ ” said Greg Child, who tookthe photos printedin “SandstoneSpine.” “Others will say, ‘You've done a great disservice by even mentioning this place.’ You can't get “That's one of mytouch- it right.” also said that there can be positive outcomes of popularizing little known areas of great natural beauty. usually means of getting at whatever information a writer chooses not to disclose. Sometimes people who havethat information are willing, even eager, to shareit — given the propercontext Dustin Lyon, president of the Serac Mountaineering Club and a co-ownerof Orem's Hansen Mountaineering, said that the Timpanogas Caving Grotto, a club sponsored byhis store, is a good example. Club members,he said, are “very welcoming” of people with interest in Utah's many caves, and happyto divulge whatthey know... to people who arewilling to be educated about caving safety and lowimpact visitation techniques. —CodyClark many more Saaee can A 30 this? How many more seasons can I doit well?” lot of his friends from expeditions past, he said, now have “joint problems, bad knees, bad hips.” Onefriend who still does difficult climbs, Roberts said,told him that something like the Comb would be out ofthe question. bit better where he's coming from. But you don't have to have been a climber, or currently be a climber,to enjoy his staff.” And thoughhe’s alreadypro- duced an impressive numberof books and magazinearticles, Robertsisn't ready to rest on “Hetold mehis knees couldn't takeit,” Roberts said. There's also the fact that “aside from just his laurels — he spoke to the physical wreckage, age makes you awarethatlife is short,” he said. “There's so many places for National Geographic Adven- youstill wantto see.” Daily Herald a day before returning to Utah on assignment ture magazine. Child will also be along, again Richard Downey, a media to take pictures. Thoughhe,like as triumphs,”is part of what Roberts, is an extensively published mountaineering writer, he said that there are advantages to being“just” the photographer. “Writing, you can neverquite librarian at the Orem Public Library,said that Roberts's willingnessto examinehis adventures,to discuss“foibles, as well makes him compelling. That, Downeysaid, and the fact that “he's one of the best writers around.” A formerclimber himself, Downeysaid that one of Roberts's gifts is that his books are accessible to readers of any background.If you are, or have beena climber, Downeysaid,“it helps you to understanda little see the endofit sometimes,” he needingto seek out adventurein distantlocales, “You've kind of gotit right here, all around you.” Robertslives imCambridge, Mass. — like to saythatI live in Cambridgebecauseit’s halfwaybetween the Southwest and France, my twofavorite places” — andsaid that he once contemplated moving to Moab(also Santa Fe, N.M., and Flagstaff, iene CINEMARK AT PROVOé 1200 Towne Center Bivd. 801-852-2872 fn Tes6rut5775-5 fn578tbo 50 Cae hm ow0 25Br PSEIE cs Ariz), but couldn't quite make theleap. “I’mnot a small-townperson,” he said. Notthat his mindis 100 per- cent madeup. “EverytimeI talk to Greg (Child),” Robertssaid, “he says, Yeah,I'm going out to check out a new canyon.’ I'm just burn- 5 % ‘ . ‘ 1 ‘ 4 said>“Whenthe sun goes down, it's over for the photographer.” Whentheir currentassign- mentis finished,it'll be back to Moabfor Child, whosaid that Utah reminds him ofhis native Australia,and thathe settled here because he couldn’t shake Be ATTHE pS ida off the beautyof the landscape. Andalso because,instead of “A HAPPILY COMEDY” “The ALLSTADIUM SEATING - ALL DIGITAL SOUND] jAdvanceTickets for Mission impossibie MichAcL PHILIPS, Chicago Tribune OMT ALA ets MEWETH TURAN, Coe Angeles Cimes et eee ee) dc ae aeee TheSenta 1190140 40 St Ya 210450 730 1010 ScaryMawa 4(76-18)11:30-209 420.84 40 1090 Toewd) tarzan gras7s08 (7613) 10:50 1:90 $20 latiieweweal 2076) eanat38 906:30 845 ti iit Punta Cncaseaed 3 are Now Available @SILENTHILL(R) 150430 7.20 1000 ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN(PG) 5407 THANK YOU FOR SMOKING (R) 1 FAILURETO LAUNCH(PG-13)1:30415, THE SENTINEL (PG-13) 1.45415 THE WILD 6) 1:00 3:00 5:00 SCARY MOVIE 4(PG-13)1 203.25 5:30 1 5 5:05 aan Showtimes oval tcimemarkcom TAKE THE LEAD (PG-13) 130415 THE BENCHWARMERS(PG-13)1 te 40.9:50 ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN(PG) 10035 5 10 7:15 9:20 Vacation Travel MORRIS LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN (A) 1:50 4.45 Business Travel Luxury Travel Escorted Tours www.morrismurdock.com 1-800-999-4646 ene ea eee 0°The Seaton!1) Silent il) the Wid) {ear Mele 4m) | Bonchwormers ein) ]ieko The Lend mpm Sea Age 20) i of the ancient Anasazi to get there, andI resist that,” " cisack“wsener renga catherine frances “aura aniston cucsek keener_mcdormand Refinish It & Save $1,000's! PEE Peete fragile dwellings andartifacts zinearticle they wantto run be exciting, Roberts said. Some- times eagerness to explore a ruin would lead Roberts, Child and Hadenfeldt to makea ratherdelicate ascent or breathtaking upward scrabble. Oncein while, hesaid, “the upping the general awareness ofa region both aesthetically appealing andrich in the often (expletive), how are we going to get down?" that Roberts has discussed at lengthin past writings, and he revisits someofthose reflections in “SandstoneSpine.” “Every a; go outea now,” he said, “! that's not by accident. But he gist with the Bureau of Land Management saidthat there’s not alwaysa direct correlation between a book or articleand € "SMART, WITTY AND ALERT!" Arter Tams, ROLLING STONE &% ARTISTIC BATH & KITCHEN REFINISHING INC. ) friendswithimoney 1-888-707-9297 www.artisticbathrefinishings.com iMG Refinish Any Refinish Tub & Tile for $550 Over20 Years ofExperience Mexican )\ Baja/Riviera 3 Nights From 8759 Ocean-View Cabin! Gran Caribe Real (4 St 1, 7/18, 7/20, 7, 4 Nights rrom94.79 written and directed by nicole holofcener www sonvetassics com SONY PICECRES CLASSICS CINEMARK 200 TOWN CENTRE 852-28: Tub for$275 (Cancun { =; 13) SIL On real een ae oe 5 Sail on Carnival’s Paradise soa Rare stort are! Valid 8/28/06 Carnival ee All-Inclusive Hotel plus \. Airfare from Salt Lake! _/ ) sae Po COM “Gen Blk” GEMS TRANSPARENT AND OTHERWISE Zr Wil Feller to another,increasing the sparkle The majority of gemstones are andfire of the stone. | transparent; that is, you can see Translucent and opaquestones, through them. Somearetranswrnesone 12} such as agate and turquoise, are lucent; you cannotsee through usuallycut into cabochons, with them,although somelight does domedtops andflat bottom surpass through. face formounting. Therest of the gems are Cabochons maybe round or opaque; they do not permit ant oval and on occasion, squared or transmission oflight. rectangular, The same method is When gemsare cutfrom the rough stones, the transparent ones used for unfaceted stones of many are usually cut with facets, many eae shapes. Wil Felleris the owner of flat surfaces at angles to __7 Goldsmith Co.Jewelers 9 120 No. UniversityAve. Provo, “a 375-5220 MANAGER’S Experience the best with greatvalues mice1049 SPECIAL Fly Non-Stop to Hawaii Honolulu $599 from Round-trip air from SLC, cruise andtransfers 5/5 & 9/22 departure Round-trip air from SLC Valid Now-5/23 plus 3-day car rental! @ Holland America Line Pae._.__a THE MELTDOWN auanscrvna Pow Ginn AraMenIcanFORK <ineAanK @Provo SaanisH8 “nemrsOCGAguannptevexe @lige»vour-seatthriller.” Mediterranean {Enter To Win \ A Trip To $50 shipboard credit (up to 4 persons in a stateroom) Cabo San Lucas For Mother’s Day! 7 Nights From $699 Tell us why your Mom Voyager of the Seas Valid Dee 9/23, 0/28, 1 deservesa trip (150 words). Go to morrismurdock.com to enter the contest. \ Courtesy of Funjet \ aacations J SUha‘AS PS =; PaaS FEDCARPET ONEMAS CARMXE CRENIRKATAMERICANFORK CREARK@PROHO SPANISH 8 CHECK DRECTORY FORSHOWTIMES | WYNSONG f2 DINNER HOURS Monday- Saturday 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. iB. + SUC 801-581-0222 463 N.- Ave. + Prove 861-373-6677 event The Comb Garth Portillo, an archaeolo- Child pointed out that there are no detailed maps in “Sand- stone Spine” and said that pristine locale not heavily trafficked by sightseers, raisesa familiar question. How much information is too much infor- deliberately vague about the village tucked into an inaccessible olledge of CombRidge. ing about.” |