Discussion: Boulder of the Year Award

It is indeed about that time of year where the Boulder of the Year is named. While we had several different nominees to examine, there was an obvious top runner, and the Laramie Daze Boulder of the Year Committee is pleased to announce this year's winner is....

Perfect Boulder.

From publiken

Perfect Boulder graded out at about a 9.8, with outstanding perching on a slope, good base clearance and detachment, overall excellent form, paucity of other nearby rock, and a height approaching 5 Rosstophers. It is located on the to-be-issued (2013 Laramie Daze) Big Basin map, and the course setter will not reveal the exact location of the boulder yet, nor will it be disclosed in advance whether or not Perfect Boulder will be used as a control location at the race scheduled for Big Basin on September 1.

Enjoy this year's Boulder of the Year, Perfect Boulder!

Will there be a ceremony at Laramie Daze? I think that would be in order.

A shame that there is not a Rosstopher in the image to show relative scale. Still, this Rosstopher is just happy to share a mention in the same post as such a gold medal quality boulder.

Why am I 2,500km away from your race? Why?

Well, there are a few recommended methods to solve that dilemma, Bats - but I share your pain, and I have no such good reason as distance separating me from running on a map with Perfect Boulder.

Of course, growing up in Boulder, CO, I was expecting slightly different competitors and criteria!

These boulders are modest and humble almost beyond compare, models of comportment and decorum, and never seeking to bask in the limelight. Any feting is simply not on.

Moreover, there are some security concerns as well. I don't know how it is back East, but here in the West there has been a growing trend of the scourge known as graffiti beginning to appear even in protected wilderness areas and national monuments. The vandals/vermin purveying their trashy despoilments hardly need any encouragement.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Laramie,+Albany,+Wy...

?

Jagge, I really don't know how to tell you this, so perhaps it is better to fall back on the accepted wisdom that a picture is worth a thousand words (piece of the soon to be released Big Basin Map):

From publiken

I feel so ashamed!

(Not really.)

Why must the boulder be perfect? Can we not admire and honor the boulder for simply being the best boulder it can be? I fear that the label of perfect will bring undue pressure and expectations, leading the boulder to go off the cliff Lohan, whatever that might be for a Boulder.

" I fear that the label of perfect will bring undue pressure and expectations, leading the boulder to go off the cliff Lohan, whatever that might be for a Boulder."
On the other hand, this extensive publicity may allow the Perfect Boulder to become a bolder boulder- maybe even a rock star.

Why am I 2,500km away from your race? Why?

Because you're in Canadia, that's why. But look at the bright side: the race is only about 1600 miles from you!

Speaking of boulders, I stumbled across a collection of very, very large glacial erratic boulders on some terrain for a personal mapping project. When I was researching the area, I found a Washington geology website talking about the largest known erratic boulders in the state and country. I'm thinking that I've found a couple that are about the same size, possibly larger. I'm not a geologist, though...

Not that I'm competitive, but perfect boulders will put me at a disadvantage for sure, as I debate whether I should stay the course or try to better acquaint myself with the top of the boulder.

After examining the enemy fortifications surrounding Perfect Boulder for the better part of 2 hours during the early afternoon, the commander made up his mind that an effort would be made to seize the Perfect Boulder position despite its native, numerous strengths, and so he called for his subordinate commanders and ordered them to shake out their brigades into two battle lines. As the brigades deployed, regimental bands struck up the Stone Temple Pilots' "Interstate Love Song". Once everything was ready, the order to advance was given and the first battle line surged up the steep slope towards Perfect Boulder, with the second battle line following 100m behind.

At first the enemy held their fire, perhaps surprised that any attack would be attempted upon their formidable position, or perhaps in acknowledgement of the courage of our troops, aware of the carnage about to be visited upon our fine soldiers.

Fire broke out sporadically as individual enemy soldiers began shooting, but swiftly it rose to withering levels as the enemy line fired in earnest. We were forced to simply take it until, with mounting casualties, we had at last closed the distance enough so that we could flop down into the deep sage and still blooming purple lupine, and begin returning fire. Our sharpshooters crept into favorable spots and began their gory task of taking out the enemy officers; the fewer leaders available to serve them, the sooner the enemy would be liable to break.

After 20 or so minutes of some of the heaviest action I had ever seen, with proportionately heave casualties on both sides, it seemed clear that a climatic point in the battle was near at hand, with the enemy beginning to falter. A few more minutes of hard fighting and then one fierce charge should have done the trick. This time, our rebel forces would prevail! However, it was just at that crucial juncture that an enemy battery unlimbered and went into action off on our right flank from a protected position of several lesser perfect boulders, and this enfilading fire had an immediate and devastating effect on our troops.

Even worse, however, was that it then started to rain, and anyone who has ever mapped knows there is nothing that runs faster than green when sun turns to rain. We were of course at that point forced to retreat as best we could back down the infernal slope, with absolutely nothing to show for all our dead and wounded.

Paintball war is hell.

@jjcote - a sound observation indeed. I'm grateful for suddenly finding myself 900 units of measurement closer to the Laramie Daze! If only I owned a vehicle, the odometer of which was expressed in leagues, then this traverse would be perfectly drivable.

If it's as big as he says it is, Ching-Hua, I think climbing it would be a worthy challenge!

How is it a Perfect Boulder and yet only scored 9.8? Surely this score would make it merely a Really Good Boulder.

@Bats. Sorry to be pedantic, but the official unit of measurement in this thread is the Rosstopher. So you're several orders of magnitude further away than you think (but not as far as me - boo).

Oh, sad face....

As one whom appreciates a good boulder, I approve your choice. Unafraid, it laughs at the slope it rests on. Enduring longer than the strata that bore it eons ago, it takes its rest from an icy ride just geologic seconds ago. A million years after the last beep is heard from a Sportident station, this magnificent rock will still be tall enough to map.

Unless it is covered in ash from the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption.