Fisher Towers, 1992-3. The major event of the Fisher Towers was Rob Slater’s repeat of all the towers listed in Eric Bjørnstad’s Desert Rock, including all the “Mystery Towers” and River Tower, a grand total of 23 formations— nothing short of outstanding. Slater made all the repeats between the summers of 1992 and 1993 except for an ascent of the Titan in 1986. Partners included Stu Ritchie, Sue Wint, John Sherman, Mike O’Donnell and Alan Lester. Between Christmas, 1992 and May 31, 1993, he spent every single weekend except one at the Fishers. Harvey Carter and Bruce Hamilton picked off their own first in the Fishers recently, a small 200-foot tower (III, 5.10), located north of the main formations. The climb was done in a healthy rain. Also in the spring of 1993, Duane Raleigh and Pete Takeda climbed a major new line on the west face of the King Fisher (V, 5.10, A3+) in four long pitches. The route followed a natural line and, according to Raleigh, required a minimum of bolting but a little bit of everything else, from bird beaks to an ice axe, which was used for “dry-hooking.” Also in the Fishers, Mike Baker and Leslie Henderson climbed Dragontail Rock (III, 5.8, A3+) in the spring of 1993, a major butte-like formation with a cork-screw summit similar to that found atop Ancient Arts. The four-pitch tower lies directly uphill from and behind the King Fisher.

Cameron Burns