UKC

Balls Pyramid - Climbing For Science!

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 Damo 06 May 2017
http://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2017/Riddle-in-the-Pacific/

Article with big pics from a very recent climb of Balls Pyramid, finding phasmids for the Australian Museum.

Though there have been one or two 'illegal' pirate climbs in recent years, it's a long time since any ascent was publicised.
 pneame 06 May 2017
In reply to Damo:

Wonderful. Thanks for posting
 bouldery bits 06 May 2017
In reply to Damo:

Great article, thanks.
 sg 06 May 2017
In reply to Damo:

Yep v interesting. Thanks very much.
 Raymondo 09 May 2017
In reply to Damo:

Should also read Dick Smith's viewpoint of some time ago.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/in-1964-dick-smith-too-was-told-it-cou...

Info for UK based UKC'ers : Dick Smith is a household name in Aussie.
 d_b 09 May 2017
In reply to Damo:

Good article.

Every time I see a story about Balls Pyramid I look at the shape of the island and think "Awesome!", then I get to the pics of the stick insects & centipedes and think "Nah!".
OP Damo 09 May 2017
In reply to davidbeynon:

"The rock quality was largely chossy basalt blocks loosely held together by guano and a bit of dirt. We nicknamed one section Paradise Forks due to a columnar section of good quality rock. It was about 4 m long. Lots of interesting huecoes, usually with a bird nesting inside. It was absorbing, so not to trundle on your climbing partner."

quote from one of the climbers, Vanessa, at: http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=DisplayTopic&ForumID=1...
 SenzuBean 10 May 2017
In reply to Damo:

I always love hearing about Ball's pyramid - the stick insects and the island itself. I also suspect they had to describe the climbing as outrageously bad regardless, because to incentivize it would put the insects at risk. They joke about it being a $100,000 insect - which is really not a joke at all.
 bouldery bits 13 May 2017
In reply to SenzuBean:

> I always love hearing about Ball's pyramid - the stick insects and the island itself. I also suspect they had to describe the climbing as outrageously bad regardless, because to incentivize it would put the insects at risk. They joke about it being a $100,000 insect - which is really not a joke at all.

How much is far to pay to ensure that we don't see it go extinct?
 SenzuBean 14 May 2017
In reply to bouldery bits:

> How much is far to pay to ensure that we don't see it go extinct?

Dunno - but I suspect $100k could've saved way more animals and species at risk in special habitats such as South American cloud forests (especially considering this one is already 'saved' with 700 individuals alive now).
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