A rock climber can’t go to Moab, UT and not climb a desert tower. It’s like a chef visiting France and not trying any food, or a ballet dancer going to New York and not viewing a Broadway show. Though I haven’t done much climbing during my trip around the country, I figured that I couldn’t pass up spending a beautiful day enjoying a classic area climb.

That’s how I ended up on Ancient Art. This sandstone tower corkscrews up into the air with an artistic flair. While spectacular to look at from the ground, encountering this spire up close was absolutely breathtaking. There was so much air on both sides of me. The desert and its ancient formations stretched as far as the eye could see.

Getting to the top is only the beginning. Rappelling hundreds of feet is the perfect conclusion to an extraordinary ascent.

It’s days like these where I think, “I love my life.” It’s hard not to when you’re surrounded by paradise.