Big Rock on Table

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kepPNW
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Big Rock on Table

Post by kepPNW » March 16th, 2014, 1:50 pm

What the heck's the name of this rock?
20140315_pan03x_sm.jpg
Shot from viewpoint before boulder scramble.
Karl
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Don Nelsen
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Re: Big Rock on Table

Post by Don Nelsen » March 16th, 2014, 3:08 pm

That rock is one of the "Two Chiefs"

dn
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"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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kepPNW
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Re: Big Rock on Table

Post by kepPNW » March 16th, 2014, 3:20 pm

Don Nelsen wrote:That rock is one of the "Two Chiefs"
Ah-ha! Of course. I am going to remember that, this time. :)

So the one pictured above is the yellow arrow in this shot, and presumably the red arrow is pointing at the other "Chief"?
20140315_9220tc.JPG
Thanks, Don!
Karl
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Don Nelsen
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Re: Big Rock on Table

Post by Don Nelsen » March 16th, 2014, 4:54 pm

kepPNW wrote:
Don Nelsen wrote:That rock is one of the "Two Chiefs"
Ah-ha! Of course. I am going to remember that, this time. :)

So the one pictured above is the yellow arrow in this shot, and presumably the red arrow is pointing at the other "Chief"?
20140315_9220tc.JPG
Thanks, Don!
I've always called them the big chief and the little chief, the big one being the larger and more northern one. You can do a short bushwhack to the summit of either one and it is a real rush to peer over the edge down the cliffs! BTW, there is a large crack developing on the south side of one of them, I think it is the southern one, I don't remember just now, so in the future, the profile will certainly change!

Don
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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kepPNW
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Re: Big Rock on Table

Post by kepPNW » March 16th, 2014, 4:58 pm

Don Nelsen wrote:I've always called them the big chief and the little chief, the big one being the larger and more northern one. You can do a short bushwhack to the summit of either one and it is a real rush to peer over the edge down the cliffs! BTW, there is a large crack developing on the south side of one of them, I think it is the southern one, I don't remember just now, so in the future, the profile will certainly change!
Fascinating! I'm going to have to do that, one of these days! :)

I like using Big Chief and Little Chief, too. Totally intuitive.

Thanks!
Karl
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BigBear
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Re: Big Rock on Table

Post by BigBear » March 17th, 2014, 9:15 am

Not sure why they are being misidentified as "Two Chiefs." The fin-shaped rocks have been on topo maps for decades as "Sacajawea and Papoose" rocks. The higher one is Sacajawea and the lower one is Papoose.

The "Two Chiefs" is a name often given to a feature known as "Rabbit Ears" which is lower on the mountain. On this rock feature the two pinnacles are of nearly equal height which is why the feature has been more recently called two chiefs.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Big Rock on Table

Post by Don Nelsen » March 17th, 2014, 9:44 am

BigBear wrote:Not sure why they are being misidentified as "Two Chiefs." The fin-shaped rocks have been on topo maps for decades as "Sacajawea and Papoose" rocks. The higher one is Sacajawea and the lower one is Papoose.

The "Two Chiefs" is a name often given to a feature known as "Rabbit Ears" which is lower on the mountain. On this rock feature the two pinnacles are of nearly equal height which is why the feature has been more recently called two chiefs.
There seems to be some confusion on this issue: My USGS topo labels the feature we call the "Rabbit Ears" as "Sacaguawea and Papoose Rocks". It labels what Karl is asking about as elevation 2692.(What I'm calling the Big Chief") The Little chief doesn't even have an elevation given.

-Don
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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kepPNW
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Re: Big Rock on Table

Post by kepPNW » March 17th, 2014, 11:53 am

Don Nelsen wrote:
BigBear wrote:Not sure why they are being misidentified as "Two Chiefs." The fin-shaped rocks have been on topo maps for decades as "Sacajawea and Papoose" rocks. The higher one is Sacajawea and the lower one is Papoose.

The "Two Chiefs" is a name often given to a feature known as "Rabbit Ears" which is lower on the mountain. On this rock feature the two pinnacles are of nearly equal height which is why the feature has been more recently called two chiefs.
There seems to be some confusion on this issue: My USGS topo labels the feature we call the "Rabbit Ears" as "Sacaguawea and Papoose Rocks". It labels what Karl is asking about as elevation 2692.(What I'm calling the Big Chief") The Little chief doesn't even have an elevation given.
Okay, this, precisely, has been my point of confusion as well! For reference, here's a snip from the 1994 USGS quad:
  • Capture.JPG
    WA_Bonneville Dam_240154_1994_24000_geo.pdf
The 1979 USGS quad puts the marker for Sacagawea and Papoose a bit farther south on no particular feature at all:
  • Capture.JPG
    WA_Bonneville Dam_240153_1979_24000_geo.pdf
The label for S&P does not appear at all on the 1957 quad.

Before studying the USGS maps, I originally called these larger, higher rocks Sacagawea and Papoose:
  • Image
    Two Chiefs? Sacagawea and Papoose?
But then came to feel from both conversations in these forums, and the 1994 quad map, that Sacagawea and Papoose were instead the other set that (indeed) more resemble a pair of rabbit ears.
  • Image
    Rabbit Ears? Sacagawea and Papoose? Both? Neither?
Hence the post. Hoped to nail this confusion (of mine!) down.
Karl
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BigBear
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Re: Big Rock on Table

Post by BigBear » March 17th, 2014, 2:04 pm

kepPNW: Hmm, now you have me wondering if it was my Green Trails map that had the S&P title going south-to-north across the ridgeline or what? I can visualize it in my mind from the map. It made more sense that the fins were S&P because the reason for the name was that papoose was on Sacajawea's back, and the Rabbit Ears do not have the shape to support that description. Very perplexing.

Well, USGS wins because that is their mission: draw it and label it. It's obvious from the two maps that S&G is a single rock and not the ridgeline with the two fins.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Big Rock on Table

Post by Don Nelsen » March 17th, 2014, 2:40 pm

BigBear wrote:kepPNW: Hmm, now you have me wondering if it was my Green Trails map that had the S&P title going south-to-north across the ridgeline or what? I can visualize it in my mind from the map. It made more sense that the fins were S&P because the reason for the name was that papoose was on Sacajawea's back, and the Rabbit Ears do not have the shape to support that description. Very perplexing.

Well, USGS wins because that is their mission: draw it and label it. It's obvious from the two maps that S&G is a single rock and not the ridgeline with the two fins.
I took a look at my Green Trails map and it has S & P labeled right where the '79 USGS quad positions it. Probably the GT map was taken from that - my copy is dated 1983. Do you have a newer version - this is an interesting mystery.

BTW, even the USGS makes mistakes: A few years ago I led a project for Sturgeon Rock getting properly placed on maps and it took two years for the powers that be to agree the map was wrong and to correct it. (the maps showed Sturgeon Rock misplaced nearly a mile to the west on a nondescript rounded hill.) I made a half-hearted attempt to get Pyramid Rock's position corrected too but it is only a quarter mile off so not so much of a big deal.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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