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Rat Rock (Central Park): Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 40°46′10″N 73°58′40″W / 40.769361°N 73.977655°W / 40.769361; -73.977655
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{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
[[Image:ratrock.jpg|thumb|250px|Rat Rock]]
{{For|the schist boulder in Morningside Heights, Manhattan|Rat Rock (Morningside Heights)}}{{Short description|Rock formation in Manhattan, New York}}
[[File:Rat Rock pinacle jeh.jpg|thumb|Pinnacle]]
{{Infobox climbing area
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'''Rat Rock''' is a [[Rock formations in the United States|rock formation]] of a [[schist]] [[boulder]] protruding from the [[Central Park]] [[bedrock]] in [[Manhattan]]. It is named after the [[rat]]s that used to swarm there at night but it is also known as '''Umpire Rock'''.<ref name=nyt1>{{citation|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/nyregion/thecity/07boul.html?partner=USERLAND&pagewanted=all|title=The Zen of the Rock|date=October 7, 2007|author=Jennifer Bleyer|publisher=New York Times}}</ref> It is near the southwest corner of the park, north of the [[Heckscher Ballfields]] on the lines of [[62nd Street]] and [[Seventh Avenue (Manhattan)|7th Avenue]]. The boulder is roughly circular, about {{convert|55|ft|m}} wide and {{convert|15|ft|m}} tall with east, west and north faces that each present different climbing problems.<ref name=SC>{{citation |url=http://books.google.com/?id=-jZL9k4OICsC&pg=RA3-PA226 |title=Stone crusade: a historical guide to bouldering in America |author=John Sherman |pages=226–228 |publisher=The Mountaineers Books |isbn=9780930410629 |year=1994}}</ref>
| name =Rat Rock
| other_name =Umpire Rock
| photo = Rat rock east face Feb jeh.jpg
| photo_caption = East side of the rock
| map = Manhattan#New York City#New York#USA
| map_caption = Location of Rat Rock
| location =[[Central Park]], [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
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| coordinates = {{coord|40.769361|-73.977655|display=inline,title}}
}}


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'''Rat Rock''', also known as '''Umpire Rock''', is an [[outcrop]] of [[Manhattan schist]] which protrudes from the [[bedrock]] in [[Central Park]], [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]]. It is named after the [[rat]]s that used to swarm there at night.<ref name="nyt12">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/nyregion/thecity/07boul.html|title=The Zen of the Rock|last=Bleyer|first=Jennifer|date=October 7, 2007|website=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|access-date=April 19, 2019}}</ref> It is located near the southwest corner of the park, south of the [[Heckscher Ballfields]] near the alignments of 62nd Street and [[Seventh Avenue (Manhattan)|Seventh Avenue]]. It measures {{convert|55|ft|m}} wide and {{convert|15|ft|m}} tall with different east, west, and north faces, each of which present differing climbing challenges.<ref name="nyt12" /><ref name="SC">{{citation|author=John Sherman|title=Stone crusade: a historical guide to bouldering in America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-jZL9k4OICsC&pg=RA3-PA226|pages=226–228|year=1994|publisher=The Mountaineers Books|isbn=978-0-930410-62-9}}</ref> The rock has [[Glacial striation|striation]]s caused by [[glaciation]].<ref>{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HfozbQ4QXv4C&pg=PA22 |title=The Creation of Glaciers |author=Carol Hand |publisher=Rosen |year=2009 |isbn=9781435852983}}</ref>
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Boulderers congregate there - as many as fifty per day. [[Bouldering]] is the sport of [[climbing]] such large rocks.<ref>{{citation|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02E3D61230F932A25750C0A96E958260

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|title=The Thrill of Bouldering: It Doesn't Have to Be High to Be Hairy|author=Joe Glickman|date=March 11, 1998|journal=[[New York Times]]}}</ref> Some are regulars such as Yukihiko Ikumori, a gardener from the [[West Village]] who is known as the ''spiritual godfather'' of the rock.<ref name=nyt1/> Others are just passing through, such as [[Tourism in New York City|tourists]] and visitors who learn about the climbing spot from the Internet and [[word of mouth]]. Experienced climbers such as Mr Ikumori often show neophytes good routes and techniques. More experienced outsiders may be disappointed as the quality of the stone is poor, the setting is gloomy and the climbs present so little challenge that it has been called "one of America's most pathetic boulders".<ref name=SC/>
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[[Bouldering|Boulderers]] congregate there, sometimes as many as fifty per day.<ref name="nyt12" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02E3D61230F932A25750C0A96E958260
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|title=The Thrill of Bouldering: It Doesn't Have to Be High to Be Hairy|author=Joe Glickman|date=March 11, 1998|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Some are regulars such as Yukihiko Ikumori, a gardener from the [[West Village]] who is known as the ''spiritual godfather'' of the rock.<ref name="nyt12" /> Others are just passing through, such as [[Tourism in New York City|tourists]] and visitors who learn about the climbing spot from the Internet and [[word of mouth]]. Experienced climbers such as Ikumori often show neophytes good routes and techniques. More experienced outsiders may be disappointed as the quality of the stone is poor, the setting is gloomy and the climbs present so little challenge that it has been called "one of America's most pathetic boulders".<ref name=SC/>


The park police formerly ticketed climbers who climbed more than a few feet up the rock. The City Climbers Club approached the park authorities and, by working to provide safety features such as wood chips around the base, they were able to legalize climbing there.<ref name=SC/>
The park police formerly ticketed climbers who climbed more than a few feet up the rock. The City Climbers Club approached the park authorities and, by working to provide safety features such as wood chips around the base, they were able to legalize climbing there.<ref name=SC/>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Rat rock 1 011.jpg
Image:Rat rock 2 008.jpg
Image:Ratrock redcrashpad.jpg
Image:Rat Rock Central Park NYC.jpg
Image:Rat rock 2 020.jpg
</gallery>


==References==
==References==
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== External links ==
== External links ==
{{Commonscat|Rat Rock (Central Park)}}
{{Commons category|Rat Rock (Central Park)}}
* [http://www.centralpark.com/pages/sports/bouldering.html Bouldering in Central Park]
* [https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/sports/bouldering/ Bouldering in Central Park]
* [http://www.climbnyc.com/climb/rat-rockumpire-rock-north-face RatRock @ ClimbNYC.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20141112163500/http://www.climbnyc.com/climb/rat-rockumpire-rock-north-face RatRock @ ClimbNYC.com]


{{Central Park}}
{{Central Park}}

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{{coord|40.769361|-73.977655|display=title}}



[[Category:Central Park]]
[[Category:Central Park]]
[[Category:Climbing areas of the United States]]
[[Category:Climbing areas of the United States]]
[[Category:Stones]]

[[sv:Rat Rock]]

Latest revision as of 12:45, 3 May 2024

For the schist boulder in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, see Rat Rock (Morningside Heights).
Rat Rock
Umpire Rock
East side of the rock
Map showing the location of Rat Rock
Map showing the location of Rat Rock
Location of Rat Rock
Map showing the location of Rat Rock
Map showing the location of Rat Rock
Rat Rock (New York City)
Map showing the location of Rat Rock
Map showing the location of Rat Rock
Rat Rock (New York)
Map showing the location of Rat Rock
Map showing the location of Rat Rock
Rat Rock (the United States)
LocationCentral Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York
Coordinates40°46′10″N 73°58′40″W / 40.769361°N 73.977655°W / 40.769361; -73.977655

Rat Rock, also known as Umpire Rock, is an outcrop of Manhattan schist which protrudes from the bedrock in Central Park, Manhattan, New York City. It is named after the rats that used to swarm there at night.[1] It is located near the southwest corner of the park, south of the Heckscher Ballfields near the alignments of 62nd Street and Seventh Avenue. It measures 55 feet (17 m) wide and 15 feet (4.6 m) tall with different east, west, and north faces, each of which present differing climbing challenges.[1][2] The rock has striations caused by glaciation.[3]

Boulderers congregate there, sometimes as many as fifty per day.[1][4] Some are regulars such as Yukihiko Ikumori, a gardener from the West Village who is known as the spiritual godfather of the rock.[1] Others are just passing through, such as tourists and visitors who learn about the climbing spot from the Internet and word of mouth. Experienced climbers such as Ikumori often show neophytes good routes and techniques. More experienced outsiders may be disappointed as the quality of the stone is poor, the setting is gloomy and the climbs present so little challenge that it has been called "one of America's most pathetic boulders".[2]

The park police formerly ticketed climbers who climbed more than a few feet up the rock. The City Climbers Club approached the park authorities and, by working to provide safety features such as wood chips around the base, they were able to legalize climbing there.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Bleyer, Jennifer (October 7, 2007). "The Zen of the Rock". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c John Sherman (1994), Stone crusade: a historical guide to bouldering in America, The Mountaineers Books, pp. 226–228, ISBN 978-0-930410-62-9
  3. ^ Carol Hand (2009), The Creation of Glaciers, Rosen, ISBN 9781435852983
  4. ^ Joe Glickman (March 11, 1998). "The Thrill of Bouldering: It Doesn't Have to Be High to Be Hairy". The New York Times.
[edit]
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