Stack Rock II
Years ago when I did more rock climbing, my friends and I would hike to Stack Rock near Bogus Basin. We did some technical routes there, but usually we just climbed a scramble route to the top. I hadn't been there for quite a few years, so I hiked there this July and tried to repeat my earlier climbs to the top. Unfortunately, I got stuck about half way up and couldn't get past an obstacle. To add insult to injury, I broke the camera lens on my phone while I was trying to chimney up. Fortunately my friend Ivan managed to replace it with a part that I bought on eBay so I was saved from having to buy a brand new phone. The climb was unfinished business though so I resolved that I would go back some day and get the rest of the way up.
Well it was beautiful fall weather in Idaho ever since I got back from Nepal. That was going to change. The forecast was for a winter storm to be coming soon. I still had time to get in one final hike to Stack Rock. It would give me another chance to get to the top.
Bogus Basin from the trail to Stack Rock
After a busy summer and a month in Nepal I had done a lot of hiking. I lost weight and was in pretty good shape. So the four mile hike to Stack Rock went faster than usual. This time I wore my pack as I started to climb, so I could keep my phone somewhere safe. But as soon as I started I just didn't feel psyched. The climbing isn't hard and the rock is good but there is some exposure. For whatever reason, especially climbing by myself, I didn't feel up to it. I wasn't even as high as last time but I decided to turn around. I could always try it another day.
Going down while I was wearing my pack was a little awkward. No problem. I took my phone out so there was only clothes inside. I gave it a big heave over the side. I figured I would just pick it up at the bottom. Then I climbed down easily. Except that when I got lower I saw that it was a bad toss. My pack didn't make it all the way to the bottom but had landed in the middle of a big slab on the lower part of the rock. I couldn't climb down to it easily. As I was going around to the bottom to try to reach it, two hikers showed up. They gave me funny looks so I had to explain to them why my pack was stuck on the rock. Fortunately I was able to climb up to it and throw it all the way down, then climb up to where I had been before. A little embarassing but no harm done.
I chatted with them a little bit. They had come up Sweet Connie's Trail from lower Bogus Basin Road. I'll have to try that another time. I had done the usual Entrance Exam Trail to Eastside Trail from upper Bogus Basin Road.
So I still have unfinished business at Stack Rock. I'll have to go back again. Maybe next time I'll practice a little more on the easy lower slabs first. Or maybe I will go with someone else so we can spot each other. Or maybe I just have to psych myself up some more. It will probably have to wait till next year.
