May-June, 2023
Another gorgeous day on this camping trip. And another adventure. 🙂
As blog reader SteveW mentioned, the Peshastin Pinnacles just south of Leavenworth aren’t huge, but they are amazing.
The Peshastin Pinnacles were formed from sediment mostly from tectonic and gravity and river action. The sediment settled in troughs or the river bottoms, then the sediment hardened and gained more levels of sediment, and then gained even more and more layers of different types of rock/sediment, and then it all hardened together, and then entire huge slabs of that hardened sand/rock/quartz/etc were lifted and turned on their sides at about a 60-degree angle (think about THAT earth-shifting experience!). And that’s what Peshastin Pinnacles are.
Oh, and, another small detail here … they are 45 MILLION years old.
I’ll share a few of my photos from our visit here. Then at the end of this blog post I share a 9-minute video I found online where a geology professor, Shawn Willsey, shares all manner of geologic information about the Pinnacles, explaining why this relatively small group of “rocks” is unique and so fascinating, having been created millions of years before humans were here.
There is a native/local tribe here, the Wenatchi-P’squosa. I thought they might have history and beliefs about the Pinnacles too, stories of how those “rocks” came to be, but I couldn’t find much online. I did find a website that says the Wenatchi-P’squosa have lived in this area for 12,000 years or so. That’s impressive. The Pinnacles were here 45 million years ago, long before humans were ever on this planet. But still, I’d bet there are “stories” from 12,000 years ago and I’d sure like to know them.
Here are my photos from the day I was here. We didn’t hike up into the Pinnacles, but we happily wandered around their feet and appreciated them. I’d love to learn about the people who were here those thousands of years ago and learn their stories. But in the meantime, I like that the State of Washington set aside this land in order to preserve it. There were major electrical power lines running through the property, right next to one of the largest pinnacles … the state made the power company take those stanchions and lines down and move all of it off the property. Power lines do show in my first photo of the pinnacles below, but these are the ones that were installed outside/around the Pinnacles, not through the Pinnacles.
Feel free to jump ahead and watch the video below about the geology of this area, then come back and see the photos. Or enjoy the photos first. Either way works for me. 🙂
What I saw first off, in the view above, was a person … lying on her/his back, the face is at the top of the hill and is looking up at the sky. Her/his right hand on its outstretched right arm has its gloved fingers pointing to the sky, too.
Or maybe that “right hand” is an Orca leaping out of the water trying to catch a salmon, although Orca mostly catch salmon underwater, it’s easier.
And then, off to the right (below), was this rock formation … this person lying on its back … having a chat with a bird on its chest?
Or maybe that’s this person’s hand, and this person is making an extrememly important declarative statement … ONE reason, ONE concern, ONE option we should be pursuing.
You know that saying that some people speak out of both sides of their mouth, and that’s not a good thing. But THIS person seems to have an upper mouth and a lower mouth instead. So maybe it’s only one message, just delivered differently so more people can understand the message.
Here’s the video from Shawn Willsey, geology professor.
Peshastin Pinnacles is a Washington State Park. No camping is available onsite, but the land is protected and cared for. Here’s the link to the state park website … https://parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/peshastin-pinnacles-state-park.
Amazing … 45 million years old!!
Perfect!!! Ann, thank you. This was just how I remembered it, both your photos and the video. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome, Steve. I really like that you were there as a kid, and that you saw back then what I saw on this trip. And that it was amazing back then and now too. This world is truly stupendous.
I’ve hiked around the Peshastin Pinnacles too, Steve, many years ago, maybe when you were there, before those major power lines were there. Thank god those lines have been moved. It’s great to see the area again, and to see it through the eyes of someone who has a clue what this area means. Thanks Ann.
I remember that weird two-mouth stone creature off to the side … but I didn’t see the rest of it, the bird, the “finger”. ha! thanks. 🙂
Thanks Paul. 🙂 Indeed, the “finger”. How cool that you were there years ago when Steve might have been there too. It all comes back around doesn’t it?
What good fun – a stone person who chats to a stone bird and gives advice. I wish all issues so simple and all people kind as you, Ann.
Henry, thank you! Let us, all of us, keep on passing on that kindness to everyone whether a stone creature or any other human we meet. 🙂
I love that rock person with two mouths. You see faces and beings in rocks, and you hear them speak! 🙂 And I am very impressed by that professor of geology and his information. This was amazing.
Well, maybe I make up the rocks speaking. 🙂 But thank you, Judy. And yes that video was super!
A good friend of ours has an advanced degree in geology. Had him watch the video, he loved it, said the guy is right on. Janey and I stopped by Peshastin Pinnacles one day several years ago when we were passing through the area on a camping trip. Wish we had known this information when we stopped there. [tho finally we’ve been somewhere that you’ve been Ann 🙂 ] I do remember that recumbent fellow with the bird on his tummy. Janey thought he was giving us the bird (or the “finger”) lol!! I like your thought that maybe that recumbent person is wise and trying to tell us something that we really should be listening to. Maybe something like “stop judging and hurting people, start taking care of people”. Pretty radical, I know. 🙂
Jim
Yay! We’ve been to the same place! 🙂 I like that too, Jim.
And I like that you and Janey noticed the recumbent rock fellow with the bird on his tummy at Peshastin. I like your take on his message that we should be taking care of each other. Let’s spread that thought.
When we lived in Ellensburg years ago we visited Peshastin Pinnacles too, before the power lines, but we didn’t know the history of them when we were there, sure wish we had. It’s amazing, 45 million years old. All these millions of years later, it seems they are trying to tell us something. Those rocks were here 45 million years ago … they’ll probably still be here 45 million years from now. Maybe we should go sit out there, spend more time outdoors, go sit, and listen, wherever you are. Get outside your constructed walls, and watch the natural world that doesn’t have walls.
Ok, got my folding chair in hand and I’m out the door!! 🙂
I sure like your words, Nevada. Get out into the natural world, outside of your house walls. How many people I know who never go anywhere except in their car or inside another set of walls? Yes, let’s get outside those walls and doors and sit and listen … and learn.
What fun! 🙂 and amazing. really cool!
🙂 Thanks Nebraska.
I bet there are lots of local nation/tribe stories about those rocks and how they came to be, and which rocks are talking with which rocks. Guess you have to find someone local to find out those stories. I was very impressed by the video and the information he shared. And I really like how YOU listen to the rocks. 🙂
As I drove around the area, I kept looking for any signs directing me to a local nation/tribe. Maybe I missed the signs, but I saw none. Back at home, and online, I find some sources, and will follow up on my next visit there.
But … indeed, those rocks talked! I might not have understood everything they said, but they sure did talk. 🙂
Those rocks are way cool. Like they’re watching us….
Yes! I thought so too, Kristin. That recumbent rock wasn’t just talking to the rock bird that was sitting on its chest … all of them were talking to all of us. And then all of those rock people squinted and turned their heads and looked at me … and they said to themselves “is she listening?”
I liked that!
Anne and I stopped there for breakfast a few years ago, after spending the night in Cashmere [Our preferred.breakfast routine when traveling is to find a co ffee stand and a bakery, then find a scenic spot to enjoy it.] We did not do any exploring , just went on our way north to get apples. Next time we’re in the area we’ll have to take some time to explore.
By the way, Cashmere is home to Applets and Cotlets, and in the store they have lots of different flavors . My favorite is the pineapple/walnut 😋! Anne likes the traditional Turkish Delight, with rosewater flavoring.
They also do free tours, too.
Thank you for again showing us stuff we missed.
Thanks for the info on the pinnacles. Now that we know how special they are, we will have go back and take a good look at them.
Oh yes, next time you drive by the Peshastin Pinnacles, be sure to stop and walk around and say “hi” to all of the rock people there. 🙂
I didn’t know about the Aplets and Cotlets history in Cashmere … and didn’t see any signs about that. They need to advertise! My online research this evening tells me it was two Armenian guys who started the business in Cashmere, WA. “Aplets and Cotlets” are VERY popular in Washington State. You other folks should try them. 🙂