Verdun Finger Pinnacle…
About 3 weeks ago Deb and I did a hike on the Bunchgrass Ridge to Mount Fuji. At the beginning of the hike, we were looking across the Eagle Creek canyon, at Verdun Rock and noticed what appeared to be a small pinnacle in the middle of the north side of Verdun.
It’s been bugging me since, so I set out Thursday to find what I’m calling the Verdun Finger Pinnacle. After studying lidar images, and google earth, I was pretty confident on the coordinates I came up with. I decided to use the Verdun Rock trailhead to take the trail to Hell’s Half Acre (meadow). From there I went up, cross-country in a NW direction, to a ridge top with fantastic views across the Eagle Creek canyon. I continued in a NW direction, dropping in elevation 700’, while staying in the older forest, and staying away from the younger forest. Unfortunately, the pinnacle is in the younger forest, so I dropped till I was about a tenth of a mile from it and thrashed my way till I could barely see it through the dense trees. If I didn’t have the coordinates, I think I might have walked right by it.
I’m estimating it to be about 30’ tall on the up-hill side, and about 70’ on the down-hill side. Someone might be able to climb it on the up-hill side, but it’s mostly conglomerated junk, with holds that look like they’re held in with mud. The down-hill side looks more solid, but hardly worth the effort to get here.
After slogging back up the 700’ through the forest, I decide to just continue up the ridge to the summit of Verdun Rock, and down the SE ridge back to Hell’s Half Acre, where I caught the trail back to the truck.
Fun day out. I love this kind of exploring. The trail up to Hell’s Half Acre, from the trailhead, is a beautiful hike through a beautiful forest. Lots of big trees, and lush meadows…
The view three weeks ago, when we spotted this finger pinnacle, just below the summit of Verdun Rock…
Zoomed in shot…
Verdun Rock trailhead…
Along the trail, this was a good reminder that it’s yellowjacket season…
Beautiful forest…
…with beautiful trees…
…and flowers.
At the edge of Hell’s Half Acre meadow. Looks like it was a great year for the Bear Grass blooms…
Off trail now…
From through the trees, I can see across Eagle Creek canyon, at Big Bunchgrass meadow. Just about the only thing that didn’t burn on the Bunchgrass Ridge.
After a short thrash through the young forest, arrived at my destination. It felt good to see the rock through the trees…
From the down-hill side…
From the up-hill side…
Slogging back up to the ridge…
A nice view of Bunchgrass Ridge and Mount Fuji (right)
From the summit of Verdun Rock, Looking at Mount David Douglas.
great view of Diamond Peak and Mount Yoran (left)
From the top of Hell’s Half Acre, looking over the meadow…and all the Bear Grass.
Spring water in the middle of the meadow.
Pollinators
Back on the trail, in the forest…
The days track…
Well thanks for this! It wasn’t six hours ago that I took a photo of that same rock from Bunchgrass Ridge and wondered “what the heck is that?” You’ve saved me the effort of bushwhacking to find out for myself 🙂
Glad I could help 🙂