06 - 08 - 2007, Near Fredicksburg, Texas
While visiting Cross Plains, Texas, for their annual Robert E. Howard Days festival, I decided to hitch a ride with REH stalwart and editor extraordinaire, Rob Roehm and his parents, for a ride through central West Texas. Our aim was to visit as many of the points of Howardian interest that we could.
It wasn't long before we found ourselves at the foot of Enchanted Rock, gazing up its wondrously smooth pink granite pluton sides of this giant dome. What the heck is a pluton anyway? According to wikipedia, "In geology, an intrusion is a body of igneous rock that has crystallized from a molten magma below the surface of the Earth. "
Anyway, geology lessons aside, Enchanted Rock sits at about 1825 feet in elevation. It's pretty large and provides many opportunities to simply hike where you'd like. It has a marked trail and because of its dome shape you can navigate easily between the marked trail and your own trailblazing desire.
There is a designated trail that leads from the base of the rock (the Ranger station) to what might be called the halfway point,marked by a sharply delineated but low shelf, but after that, just keep climbing up as the trail gives way to the dome of rock.
I found the climb to be invigorating but short. It is fairly steep but the surface seems to be made for gripping. I felt like Spider Man as I descended the far side of an insane pitch. With each step I took, it seemed like I was going to step off into the air, such was the visual trick of the curving surface.
Height: 1825 feet elevation, 425 feet above the surrounding area.
Difficulty: (out of 10 with 10 being insane) I am giving the rock a 4. It wasn't terribly difficult to navigate at all. It was steep but only 425 vertical feet up. I was able to walk to the summit without pause though there were others who paused several times on the way up. It seemed to me to be made for exercise! Hill sprints on this would be a killer.
Take Note: There are wonderful opportunities for scaling and scrambling. I scrambled up and down many sections of loose boulders, chasms, very small caves and tunnels. Take note of the islands of vegetation and wildlife that exist at the top in small, pool-like depressions. Also, if you hang around until dusk you might hear the famous groaning and creaking that caused the original inhabitants, the Tonkawa tribe, to give it its mysterious and beautiful name.
Enjoyment factor: (out of 10) A solid 6 for the bouldering and scrambling opportunities alone. A real blast and very fun. It is easy to see how Robert E. Howard could have been inspired to pen the poem, Cimmeria.
The grub
While visiting Cross Plains, Texas, for their annual Robert E. Howard Days festival, I decided to hitch a ride with REH stalwart and editor extraordinaire, Rob Roehm and his parents, for a ride through central West Texas. Our aim was to visit as many of the points of Howardian interest that we could.
It wasn't long before we found ourselves at the foot of Enchanted Rock, gazing up its wondrously smooth pink granite pluton sides of this giant dome. What the heck is a pluton anyway? According to wikipedia, "In geology, an intrusion is a body of igneous rock that has crystallized from a molten magma below the surface of the Earth. "
Anyway, geology lessons aside, Enchanted Rock sits at about 1825 feet in elevation. It's pretty large and provides many opportunities to simply hike where you'd like. It has a marked trail and because of its dome shape you can navigate easily between the marked trail and your own trailblazing desire.
There is a designated trail that leads from the base of the rock (the Ranger station) to what might be called the halfway point,marked by a sharply delineated but low shelf, but after that, just keep climbing up as the trail gives way to the dome of rock.
I found the climb to be invigorating but short. It is fairly steep but the surface seems to be made for gripping. I felt like Spider Man as I descended the far side of an insane pitch. With each step I took, it seemed like I was going to step off into the air, such was the visual trick of the curving surface.
Height: 1825 feet elevation, 425 feet above the surrounding area.
Difficulty: (out of 10 with 10 being insane) I am giving the rock a 4. It wasn't terribly difficult to navigate at all. It was steep but only 425 vertical feet up. I was able to walk to the summit without pause though there were others who paused several times on the way up. It seemed to me to be made for exercise! Hill sprints on this would be a killer.
Take Note: There are wonderful opportunities for scaling and scrambling. I scrambled up and down many sections of loose boulders, chasms, very small caves and tunnels. Take note of the islands of vegetation and wildlife that exist at the top in small, pool-like depressions. Also, if you hang around until dusk you might hear the famous groaning and creaking that caused the original inhabitants, the Tonkawa tribe, to give it its mysterious and beautiful name.
Enjoyment factor: (out of 10) A solid 6 for the bouldering and scrambling opportunities alone. A real blast and very fun. It is easy to see how Robert E. Howard could have been inspired to pen the poem, Cimmeria.
The grub
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