The Sherpa Balanced Rock from...

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The Sherpa Balanced Rock from...

The Sherpa Balanced Rock from...

The Sherpa Balanced Rock from the main summit on July 22, 2001. It is about 20 feet tall from the ledge at left. This is what my old brown Beckey guide says about climbing this obolisk: "First ascent by Dave Mahre, Gene Prater, and Bill Prater in 1955. Shoulder stand gains the east-side pedestal. With bolt protection, friction climbing gains the summit. Class 5.7. Rappel bolt atop.". These guys climbed it.
Klenke
on Jan 18, 2004 8:14 pm
Lat/Lon: 47.47170°N / 120.8893°W
Image ID: 38791

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Dean

Dean - Jan 18, 2004 9:49 pm - Hasn't voted

Amazing

What a balancing act. Neat pic.

Deb

Deb - Jan 29, 2004 10:16 pm - Voted 10/10

Re: Amazing

Wouldn't you be scared to death to climb this lop-sided thing? eeeeew! But it's a fantastic looking deal.

Klenke

Klenke - Jan 30, 2004 5:46 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Amazing

I've heard it's more solid than one might think. But you look at that those two large horizonatal cracks (at bottom and mid way) and you sort of realize it may just be one block resting on another block resting on another block, not one continous block. It's kind of interesting to imagine the manner in which such a formation comes into existence. After everything on the ridge fell or eroded away, it remained stalwart. You can often find precarious spires like this on descending ridges far below any summit (especially in the granodioritic Stuart Range where this peak resides), but to have one be the veritable summit of a mountain is really quite unique (at least in the Cascades).



These "loosely perched" blocks have been known to slide off in our time. Take Dome Peak for example. There used to be a big block at the summit but it has since tumbled away. Compare this photo and this photo with this later scene of the same. The summit of Dome is very exposed on all sides, so it is kind of like the Sherpa Balanced Rock.

Bob Bolton

Bob Bolton - Jan 19, 2004 11:31 pm - Hasn't voted

Dave Mahre

For anyone who might be interested, Dave Mahre is the father of Olympic Gold and Silver medalists in the 1984 Winter Olympics, twins Phil and Steve Mahre. For what it's worth.



Bob

Klenke

Klenke - Jan 20, 2004 12:58 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Dave Mahre

Thanks, I wasn't sure if he was their dad but suspected as much. I'll add this to the main page info.

rpc

rpc - Jan 29, 2004 11:39 am - Voted 10/10

sweet shot!

nice.

Klenke

Klenke - Jan 29, 2004 4:41 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: sweet shot!

If you intend to climb it next summer....see Diggler's note above. You should go over there and solo it while Shirley stays behind at the summit to snap a photo of you at the top of the balanaced rock. You'd be a famous Sherpa then. Or you can let Shirley solo it.



In reality, such things would be possible but it would take 10-15 minutes to scramble between them. So if one of you was belayed to the top, then the other would have to scramble sufficiently away from it to get a good photo like the one above with someone on its top. Yeah, too much logistics I'm sure.

Diggler

Diggler - Jan 29, 2004 4:01 pm - Hasn't voted

trippy shot!

Nice pic! Why didn't you get one with someone on top?

Viewing: 1-8 of 8