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Famed U.K. Rock Destroyed, Canada Can Help

Us climbers love rock formations, so when a famous one is destroyed, we all shed a tear and shake our heads at the stupid act of damaging rocks.

Recently in the U.K., vandals knocked over a famous boulder balancing on the edge of a cliff.

The teetering 320-million-year-old stone was at Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire, England. After being pushed off the cliff, it shattered.

Many media sites have said the action has caused “worldwide fury” and many rock lovers are very angry.

The rock at Brimham is sandstone and the cliffs have eroded over time to create amazing features, climbing is prohibited.

Here in Canada, we have countless tourist-worthy rock formations. One sits on the hiking trail up The Chief in Squamish.

But, one in particular might be of some interest those who will dearly miss their Brimham boulder.

The only catch is that you have to to to the Tonquin Valley and alpine climb up to Lookout Pass, which is along The Amethyst Lake Rockwall Traverse.

In 2012, Dana Ruddy, Eamonn Walsh and Raphael Slawinski made the first ascent of the grade IV 5.6 traverse.

Along the way, Slawinski snapped a photo of a boulder that seems to be defying gravity. It’s fair to say that is would be worthy of gazing onlookers.

Unfortunately, it’s too remote for most day hikers to venture to. Hopefully, this image will give those in anguish some peace, knowing that somewhere out there is a rock similar to their beloved now-gone Brimham boulder.

For a full trip report and a potential summer project, read the story about the traverse here.

Rest well old rock, you’ll be missed.

Tonquin Valley’s balancing boulder Photo Raphael Slawinski

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