Rock Stacking

Twice now Jeff and I have come across precariously stacked rock sculptures on our hikes. Over the summer, while we were homeless and unemployed we went for a hike at the Dee Wright Observatory in Central Oregon. It was a beautiful, clear day and from the observatory you can see most of the mountains in the Oregon portion of the Cascade Range. As we were walking around the lava flows we came across these interesting displays.


Some stacks were really big and other were small. I've seen lava rock land in strange formations before, but I didn't think that these stacks were natural. I didn't think much about though until last week when we went down to Oceanside after church for a picnic on the beach. If you've ever been to Oceanside you know that one of the best things about it is the cave that goes from the main beach to a beautiful rocky beach. As soon as we came out of the cave onto the rocky beach we saw this stack. I took the picture from a distance, so the stack doesn't look like much, but it was actually almost as tall as me!

When we got home and decided to look into this and I found out that it is actually a really popular art movement. I guess rock stacks are popping up all over the world, on beaches, river banks and anywhere else that there are enough rocks. There are even groups who do it professionally. Jeff is interested in trying his hand at it, becuase really all it is is physics. You just have to find the center of gravity, and watch your toes :)