Ball's Pyramid

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Buju

Trad climber
the range of light
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 8, 2009 - 08:35pm PT
Anyone ever heard of this thing? I guess climbing on it was banned a few decades ago... Looks pretty crazy though...


WBraun

climber
Dec 8, 2009 - 08:38pm PT
There's huge serpent that lives on that thing and one has to chant a special mantra continuously while on that island to keep from being swallowed whole ......
Big Piton

Trad climber
Ventura
Dec 8, 2009 - 08:48pm PT
Where is it?
cintune

climber
the Moon and Antarctica
Dec 8, 2009 - 08:54pm PT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball%27s_Pyramid

Ball's Pyramid is 20 km (13 miles) southeast of Lord Howe Island in the Pacific Ocean. It is 562 m (1844 ft) high, while measuring only 200 m (656 ft) across, making it the tallest volcanic stack in the world.[1] Ball's Pyramid is located at 31°45′21″S 159°15′02″E / 31.75583°S 159.25056°E / -31.75583; 159.25056Coordinates: 31°45′21″S 159°15′02″E / 31.75583°S 159.25056°E / -31.75583; 159.25056. It is part of the Lord Howe Island Marine Park.

The first successful climb to the summit was made on 14 February 1965 by a team of climbers from the Sydney Rock Climbing Club, consisting of Bryden Allen, John Davis, Jack Pettigrew and David Witham.[2]

There had been an earlier attempt in 1964 by another Sydney team that included adventurer Dick Smith (then just 20 years old) and other members of the Scouting movement. They were forced to turn back on their fifth day running short of food and water. In 1979 Smith returned to the pyramid, together with climbers John Worrall and Hugh Ward, and they successfully reached the summit. At the top they unfurled a flag of New South Wales provided to them by Premier Neville Wran and declared the island Australian territory (a formality which it seems had not previously been done).

Climbing was banned in 1982 under amendments to the Lord Howe Island Act, and in 1986 all access to the island was banned by the Lord Howe Island Board. In 1990 the policy changed to allow some climbing under strict conditions, which in recent years has required an application to the relevant state Minister (e.g.[3]).
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
Dec 8, 2009 - 09:40pm PT
I'm with Werner. You definitely need to include sea serpents in the list of objective hazards.
Bill Mc Kirgan

Trad climber
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Dec 8, 2009 - 09:42pm PT
....and a related Wiki page says the climbers in the 60s found some stick insects previously thought to be extinct!







http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Howe_Island_stick_insect





adventurous one

Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
Dec 8, 2009 - 11:01pm PT
Somewhere years ago I remember reading an account of the first ascent.
A filthy chosspile, but what a summit it must be.
Photos I saw before made the scale seem much larger than these photos. (anyone have others?)
If I remember correctly, just getting ashore could be an epic due to no landing spots and heavy surf.

A huge pinnacle like that rising out of the Pacific looks like something straight out of mythology!
Read somewhere that without the equiviliant of an Act of Congress, it was impossible to get a permit to even go ashore due to the fragile/unique eco system.

Choss pile or no, it would make for a fine adventure.


edit- The Wiki link says Balls Pyramid is the largest sea stack in the world, with the summit being 1,844 ft. above the sea.
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
Dec 9, 2009 - 12:35am PT
It is pretty neat looking, despite the monsters.
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Dec 9, 2009 - 12:37am PT
There was an article or two about climbing it in Summit magazine, in the 1960s or early 70s.
There are some nesting birds on it which like to empty their stomach contents onto nearby climbers....
Studly

Trad climber
WA
Dec 9, 2009 - 12:55am PT
Incredible.
WBraun

climber
Dec 9, 2009 - 12:57am PT
There are some nesting birds on it which like to empty their stomach contents onto nearby climbers....


Fulmars?

They did that on the old man of hoy when we were there.
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Dec 9, 2009 - 01:31am PT
There was something about climbing on it in an article on climbing in Australia, in Mountain in 1973 or so. As mentioned by others, half the challenge was simply getting ashore, then getting back to the boat after the climb.
WBraun

climber
Dec 9, 2009 - 01:50am PT
Because it's there.

Mystery is all attractive ........
matty

Trad climber
los arbor
Dec 9, 2009 - 02:07am PT
"a surprise visitor..."

HAHAHAHA

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/animal-planet/28383-fooled-by-nature-fulmar-chicks-vomit-video.htm


EDIT: Anyone know who that is?
adventurous one

Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
Dec 9, 2009 - 02:11am PT

" It's great that climbing is banned on Ball's. Why do we humans have to be able to tread EVERYWHERE on this planet?!? "

The pursuit of the unknown, a never ending human endeavor.

I agree that it is great that there are places where we are banned from treading,
but................the more that we are told, as humans, that it is impossible, the more strongly we feel the desire to do it anyhow and uncloak the mystique.
IntheFog

climber
Mostly the next place
Dec 9, 2009 - 03:06am PT
The first ascentionists tell their story, with lots of pix, here:

http://www.uq.edu.au/nuq/jack/Bryden.html

And again with pix here (in a larger discussion of the closure):

http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=DisplayTopic&ForumID=15&MessageID=9923&PagePos=&Sort=&Replies=58&MsgPagePos=40

Of course, there are a bunch of videos on YouTube, the first two from the air, and the third from a boat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQcLGMlKiCw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsPAHY75UPI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s0D0rSWAw4
hb81

climber
Dec 9, 2009 - 08:03am PT
There is a book by Stephen Venables called "Meetings with mountains" that has a story about a 1973 ascent by 2 australians. It's pretty much a chosspile apparently.
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
Dec 9, 2009 - 01:53pm PT
Bump for a cool trip report
Oplopanax

Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
Dec 9, 2009 - 03:12pm PT
Tami i think it's up to 6 or 7 on SV now?

Bunker/Haley repeated the traverse, Simon Richardson et al ticked it, somebody else did too? a couple recently
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
bouldering
Apr 26, 2011 - 12:12am PT
Wonder if this one's been climbed ...

Pyramid Lake (Nevada)
adventurous one

Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
Apr 26, 2011 - 12:28am PT
That be "The Pyramid" of Pyramid Lake. Complete chosspile. Ice axe would probably be of more use than climbing shoes. From up close it looks like it would melt away with the first good, driving rainstorm. Very much off limits, unless you're a tribal elder or something, to even set foot on the thing, even if ya wanted to. Sure is an awesomely surreal lake though.
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Apr 26, 2011 - 12:33am PT
Sort of looks like a cairn near the summit, doesn't it?
dfinnecy

Social climber
'stralia
Apr 26, 2011 - 12:46am PT
I've flown over Balls Pyramid and stared at it from Lord Howe island. I'm sure it is an awful pile of choss glued together by bird vomit and sea mist. But it also looks positively fictional, and ascent would be like climbing something off the cover of a Yes album.
I've heard there have been some hush-hush ascents. Aside from the shark-ridden swim ashore and bloody mangling sure to greet you as a wave washes your body and gear on to some cheese-grater shelf at the base, the crux would probably be convincing a local on LHI to take you out there and not tip off the autorities.
LHI is an awesome place to have a holiday. The locals are a few and proud bunch who are quite protective of their little patch in the Tasman sea. If the swell is right there is an amazing reef break you will have all to yourself (once again, you'll need a local to take you out)
Batrock

Trad climber
Burbank
Apr 26, 2011 - 01:37am PT
balls
justthemaid

climber
Jim Henson's Basement
Feb 18, 2014 - 10:26am PT
Balls Bug Bump.

Cool piece of history... both the climbing and the bugs.

Don't neglect the links... there's some great stuff in this thread!


RyanD

climber
Squamish
Feb 18, 2014 - 11:28am PT
Oh what?!
Bender

Trad climber
Palo Alto, California
Mar 11, 2015 - 06:28pm PT
New article put out by NPR on Balls Pyramid and it's giant stick insects:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/02/24/147367644/six-legged-giant-finds-secret-hideaway-hides-for-80-years

Messages 1 - 27 of total 27 in this topic
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