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Things Of Beauty (aka Interstate I-70 Towers)
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Select Route:
Alpha Tower 
Because It's There (aka Palisade Pinnacle) 
Black Tower, The 
Bug-Eyed Monster 
Fortress - The Prow , The 
Fortress, Regular Route, The 
Mad Dogs and Englishmen 
Mantis  
Napoleon's Toothpick 
Passport to the Golden Age 
Sword of Damocles., The 
Tom Thumbs Tallywag 
Turkey Neck Tower 


Browse this area on a map

Things Of Beauty (aka Interstate I-70 Towers) 


Photos: Recent | Best | Popular
Elevation: 4,800'
Lat, Long: 39.1093, -108.3543 Map
Page Views: 14,010. Good page? (2 likes)   
Administrators: Jesse Zacher, Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: USBRIT on Dec 31, 2007

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The Sword of Damocles. C2 70'. This was the first ...

Description 

This area was first recorded in Eric Bjornstad's Desert Rock III. Four tower climbs instigated by Pete Takeda and Duane Raleigh in 1992/3. These dirt towers of compressed shale with a sandstone cap rock can be seen as one drives passed Palisade on I-70 Interstate. These four towers climbed at that time where mostly quite short and fat. Seven years later from 2000 to 2001 Paul Ross with various partners cleaned up the area climbing nine more towers, some being extremely slim and spectacular for their size. Not great climbing, but they do have an element of risk and make great photos!! Please note the star system on these "things" apply only to this area.Good winter fun.


Getting There 

Take Exit 42 to Palisade about 200 yards from the exit take the first road on the right G.7/10 Road. Follow this...it eventually bends to the right and goes under the Interstate to the Mt. Garfield trailhead. All climbs are hiked to from here.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Things Of Beauty (aka Interstate I-70 Towers):
Napoleon's Toothpick   C1     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 50 feet   
Bug-Eyed Monster   C1     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 40 feet   
The Black Tower   C1+     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 85 feet   
Alpha Tower   C1+     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 50 feet   
Mad Dogs and Englishmen   C1+     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 90 feet   
Tom Thumbs Tallywag   C1+ X     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 70 feet   
Passport to the Golden Age   C1+     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 115 feet   
The Sword of Damocles.   C2+     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 70 feet   
Turkey Neck Tower   5.7 A3     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 50 feet   
Mantis    5.7 A3     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 180 feet   
The Fortress - The Prow    5.8 A3     Trad, Aid, 1 pitch, 120 feet, Grade II   
Browse More Classics in Things Of Beauty (aka Interstate I-70 Towers)

Featured Route For Things Of Beauty (aka Interstate I-70 Towers)
P. Ross on summit of Tom's Tallywag. It was at this point that he realized the mini spire was swaying from its base.

Tom Thumbs Tallywag C1+ X  CO : Grand Junction area : ... : Things Of Beauty (aka Inter...
If you want a thrill, this is it. This is the smallest tower anywhere. One follows nail heads for about 65' up the edge of a steep ridge to the base of the 15' "skinny" tower. A couple of aid moves to reach the summit block (3'X 18"). On the first ascent as Ross stood up on the summit, the whole spire started to sway from its base.... A very quick but careful descent then took place!! Hurry if you want a second ascent. It is advisable not to clip ones rope into any of the nails/piton on the actu...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO


Photos of Things Of Beauty (aka Interstate I-70 Towers) Slideshow Add Photo
Mt Garfield: <br />A) Mad Dogs and Englishmen. <br />B) Summit of Mt Garfield. <br />C) To Napolean's Toothpick and The Black Tower area.

BETA PHOTO: Mt Garfield:
A) Mad Dogs and Englishmen.
B) Summit...

Mt Garfield area. <br />A) Passport to the Golden Age. <br />B) The Fortress (See Desert Rock III). <br />C) Turkey Neck (See Desert Rock III). <br />D) Mad Dogs and Englishmen. <br />E) To Bug-Eyed Monster and Tom Thumb's Tallywag.

BETA PHOTO: Mt Garfield area.
A) Passport to the Golden Age.
B...

A) The Black Tower. B) Napolean's Toothpick. C) Alpha Tower. X) unclimbed.

BETA PHOTO: A) The Black Tower. B) Napolean's Toothpick. C) Al...

A) The Fortress. B) Passport to the Golden Age. C) Turkey Neck. D) To:- Tom Thumbs Tallywag and Bug-Eyed Monster.

BETA PHOTO: A) The Fortress. B) Passport to the Golden Age. C)...

A) The Sword Of Damocles as seen from Interstate I.70....

BETA PHOTO: A) The Sword Of Damocles as seen from Interstate I...

A small nasty looking 30/40' unclimbed dirt tower "The Serpent" Located down and to the west of Alpha Tower. Don't all rush at once!

A small nasty looking 30/40' unclimbed dirt tower ...

The head of "The Serpent". Care must be taken when one attempts to stand on the summit.

The head of "The Serpent". Care must be taken when...

Sunset on a section of The Things of Beauty Spires. Mt. Garfield. Photo Carol Crockett.

Sunset on a section of The Things of Beauty Spires...

Arial view of Mt Garfield. Photo Carol Crockett.

BETA PHOTO: Arial view of Mt Garfield. Photo Carol Crockett.

A) The Black Tower. B) Napoleon's Toothpick. C) Alpha Tower. Photo: Carol Crockett.

A) The Black Tower. B) Napoleon's Toothpick. C) Al...

Mt. Garfield.

Mt. Garfield.


Comments on Things Of Beauty (aka Interstate I-70 Towers) Add Comment
Show which comments —
By YDPL8S
From: Santa Monica, Ca.
Jan 8, 2008

This is taking climbing on crumbly dirt (I don't think you can realistically call it rock) to a new level! You guys are nuts!!!

By USBRIT
Jan 11, 2008

Well, it keeps you off the streets...and it sure beats sport climbing....

Eds. An off-subject discussion ensued after this comment and can be found here.

By Umph!
Jan 20, 2008

You kids are the freakin' champs! I've been eyeing those horriffic hoodoos for too many years.
Someone finally did it. . . and posted it even!
So tell me, was it worth it punk. . . well, was it?
(Good job, Paul)

Have you been to the top of the rim? If so, is there anything up there? I'm not sure of how to access, but I'll find out next week. There does seem to be some canyons and rock formations up there. . . .

By USBRIT
Jan 23, 2008

To Cam. There does not seem to be many unclimbed towers left that are worth doing in this I-70 area. However, there are some spectacular knife edge ridges that would have the same pant filler experience as the towers.

By Tevis Blom
Apr 17, 2008

You people are absolutely MAD! It looks like vertical kitty litter... Those pillars only exist because the capstone blocks rainfall from eroding the softer underlayers; basically some soft sheit!

By USBRIT
Dec 27, 2009

Thanks for the information, Tevis ...gosh, would never have thought of that....could even be dangerous !

By Brian C.
From: Loveland, CO
Sep 25, 2012

Here's a short blurb I wrote on these...

coloradoclimbers.org/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=193