Three Gossips, Arches National Monument. In the Park Avenue section of the monument are several impressive formations, few of which have been climbed. Many have blank, rotten sections at their bases. We chose the northern summit of the Three Gossips in October, since it appeared that good cracks existed. There were cracks, but they were not good. It was Allen Steck’s first desert climb and so he got the first lead. He would yell down, “Do you think this one’s OK?” “Hell, yes, Steck. Didn’t you hear it ring?” Meanwhile I got ready for a fall. But Steck did beautifully and naively pranced up a 100-foot ladder of pins which was removed in minutes. A few hours later we reached the summit. The upper part was mostly free; a hidden four-foot-wide chimney splits the summit block. The route lies on the side opposite the road. NCCS II, F7, A3.

Steven Roper