The Southeastern Climbers Coalition

Most of us have the Dixie Cragger Atlas or the Horse Pens 40 Bouldering guidebooks. A few of us have probably read the short blurbs at the front of these describing just how these crags and boulders were found and the people instrumental in opening these areas up to the next generation. On June 28th, the climbing community lost one of their own, one of the "who's who" of southern climbing: Tommy Taylor. Tommy had many of the first ascents at Griffin Falls (such as the popular Knife Crack) and was a pioneer at Steele, Shades Crest, as well as some areas in North Carolina. He was a prominent figure in the Grand Tetons as well, summiting and guiding trips on the Grand Teton, Middle Teton, South Teton, and Mount Owen. He leaves behind a legacy all of us can appreciate, as we are all affected by the passion he and others have had in opening up and leading the way into the unknown and unexplored areas of the Southeast. If you would like to contact the family, email me at crittcg@yahoo.com for info. - Cosby Crittenden

The infamous Knife Crack