It's All a Matter of Scale

June 7, 2012 11:31 AM

I wouldn't touch those rocks with a ten foot pole. Yet these folks do it every spring. After winters of ice and snow, the trails of New York's gorge parks are perilous, and these brave souls work to keep the loose rock from landing on you.

New York's gorge parks (such as Stony Brook in Dansville; Buttermilk Falls; Fillmore Glen and my personal favorite Enfield Glen) have some of the most beautiful swimming holes anywhere. While enjoying a refreshing dip, it's spine-tingling to look up and ponder the work involved in keeping those spots free of rockslides. Be sure to check out the video.

posted by kinnakeet (18 comments total)

It reminds me of my time growing up in the country. When I was a kid, the local farmers sometimes got tons of people together in order to pick rocks from the field. We'd all go out, walk behind a giant flatbed wagon pulled by a tractor, and then pick up all the sedimented rocks so the farmers could plow their fields without damaging their blades.

I only did it a couple times, and I hated it.

At least I never had to worry about rocks falling on me, though.
posted by symbioid at 11:43 AM on June 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

This is actually the latest iteration of the planking meme in the coach roach world.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 11:44 AM on June 7, 2012

Ithaca is gorges...
posted by JiffyQ at 11:52 AM on June 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

Ithaca is gorges...

Indeed. And deadly. At least three students/a just graduated alum died in Fall Creek Gorge last summer.
posted by zachlipton at 12:26 PM on June 7, 2012

Wow, I really wouldn't want to pay their Workers' Compensation rates. They must be insane.
posted by Malor at 12:27 PM on June 7, 2012

They have to do this on the highways here in CO. Occasionally they don't do enough of it and it crushes a car.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 12:37 PM on June 7, 2012

Is it just me, or does this sort of work seem oddly gratifying? "Ooh, there's a loose one, let me just pry you right off of this cliff face, hurtling you into the water below."
posted by resurrexit at 12:38 PM on June 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

Ah rocks! They are not just for jocks!

(I'm a hiker, and inordinately fond of them.)
posted by cool breeze at 12:38 PM on June 7, 2012

My favorite part of visiting Devil's Tower was seeing a sign that said "Helmet Required beyond this point. Immediately behind the sign was a chunk the size (and approximate shape) of a semi trailer. Helmet technology is FAR more advanced than I think, those rocks are lighter than they look, or the sign was mostly wishful thinking.

I'm glad I've never been crushed by falling rocks, is what I'm saying.
posted by VTX at 12:46 PM on June 7, 2012 [3 favorites]

So, how about a gorge meetup soon?
posted by zamboni at 12:53 PM on June 7, 2012

Something something lazy government workers creating no wealth something.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 1:30 PM on June 7, 2012

When my wife and I were at Taughannock Falls a few weeks ago, we walked out to the observation platform below the falls, hung out there a few minutes, then walked back to the wooden access bridge because the spray was making us cold. About one minute later, there was an avalanche above the platform which bounced about 50 rocks the size of my head off the platform and into the creek. We were lucky that day.

I'm totally down with a gorge meetup. I'm always bragging about how my daily commute involves traversal of a gorge past a bunch of waterfalls.
posted by fivebells at 1:56 PM on June 7, 2012

>So, how about a gorge meetup soon?

I'm in.
posted by The_Auditor at 2:03 PM on June 7, 2012

So, how about a gorge meetup soon?

Definitely interested.
posted by bread-eater at 2:50 PM on June 7, 2012

Just the thought of all those rocks falling makes my gorge rise.

Yes, that was disgusting. I'll leave now.
posted by BlueHorse at 4:37 PM on June 7, 2012

When I was a kid, the local farmers sometimes got tons of people together in order to pick rocks from the field. We'd all go out, walk behind a giant flatbed wagon pulled by a tractor, and then pick up all the sedimented rocks so the farmers could plow their fields without damaging their blades.

Which is pretty much the story behind every stone wall, anywhere... "This is as far as I'm moving these fucking rocks..."
posted by mikelieman at 5:11 PM on June 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

Good fences make good neighbors.
posted by maryr at 6:23 PM on June 7, 2012

I always wanted to rappel down those gorge walls. And all this time there's been a state-sanctioned way to do it??
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 7:07 PM on June 7, 2012