balanced

This iconic rock in Garden of the Gods is balanced on what appears to be a very small surface.

With an estimated weight of 700 tons, this sandstone beauty will likely fall at some point. Apparently it is protected from erosion (just a bit) by a layer of concrete surrounding its pedestal, applied by Grace Goerke Boughner's father in 1910. I was fascinated to read that. I was actually driven to look for information when I spotted what appeared to be man-made clumps of square red rocks supported some outcroppings a bit further back from Balanced Rock.

Are you interested in reading a sandstone story? Take a look at the article Balancing act: Iconic rock destined to fall, but when and how? in The Gazette, published on January 6, 2012.