Who’s Up For This Climb?
Yep, that a REALLY BIG ROCK – and those are STAIRS you can use to climb it! Need more proof?
Step Right Up To The Rock Of Guatape!
Time to head to the small towns of Guatape and El Penol – because this giant rock sits right between them! It is also called the Rock of Peñol – it all depends on which town you are from – for the sake of simplicity – it’s Guatape going forward!
As a website explains:
The monolith stands out in the landscape surrounded mostly be grassy plains and lakes. The stone was worshiped by the Tahamies who lived in the area before the arrival of the Spaniards. It is uncertain what the rock is, or how it formed, but it is very smooth and most likely part of a granitic pluton that was uplifted during the formation of the Cordillera Occidental mountain range in Colombia.
The rock is 656 feet high, and is about 70 million years old.
The stone was worshiped by the Tahamies who lived in the area before the arrival of the Spaniards.
As you can see, the view is worth the climb! When I saw this, int reminded me of two other extreme “climbing up stairs” adventures I’ve shared with you, like this man-made adventure in Denmark:
Yes, a “corkscrew” treetop observatory – click here to see where it’s located:
And, while it’s now illegal, this is the legendary “stairway to heaven” in Hawaii:
You can find out why it’s illegal by clicking on my story here:
Leave a comment and let me know if you’ve seen the rock of Guatape – or what your wildest climbing adventure was!
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Thanks so much for reading!
Categories: Exotic Travel, nature, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Memoir
johnrieber 
Oh my goodness. Thank you so much for sharing as I’ve never seen or heard of these before. Amazing!
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Isn’t it amazing? Thanks for commenting!
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Oh my! how many steps are these? Geez I think one needs power legs to climb up! 😉
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I think it MIGHT not be as bad as it looks, but either way, I’d do it! Thanks for commenting!
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This is incredible! What makes it so good is the story telling and the pictures. Its on my list now that for sure.
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To me it just shows again how incredible our world is and how much I look forward to exploring it again! Thanks for commenting!
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Wow, look at that! It looks like an amazing trek, though I think I’d probably sit that one out.
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HA! Well, I love the look of it to be sure – thanks for commenting!
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Yikes! I think I’d just look at these from below with both feet planted firmly on the ground. 😉
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Oh my gosh! That looks incredible!! I would love to do that but I don’t think I could make it!!
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I think they have a funicular as well on the other side so everyone can go to the top for the view! Thanks for the comment!
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John – I think you should do a blog about Little Shop of Horrors. Both the original and Frank Oz’s 1986 musical. I recently rediscovered the latter and have a new appreciation for how good it is. And the original director’s cut ending was both crazy and expensive. They risked the studio shelving the movie if they didn’t toss out the high-budget end and reshoot. Anyway – just a thought!
Sent from my iPhone
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These all look amaaaaazing! It’s pretty cool that those stairs make the peaks accessible for those of us who do not have climbing skills!
Although, I have heard there is a legal way to climb the Hawaiian one. You just need to go a longer way to the viewpoint that avoids the actual stairs.
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Oh my! While my fibromyalgia and neuropathy would make this difficult, it might just be worth the pain.
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I think they have a funicular of some kind for those who don’t want to walk!
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Are these structures ADA compliant?
I think not!!!
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HA! Well, you are right about that to be sure!
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Goodness, John, I don’t know if I could make it up all those stairs. It might take me a few days.
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Robbie, worth it for the view I’m sure! Thanks as always for commenting!
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I would attempt that in a heartbeat. At least there are stairs, and you can rest between flights. I expect my legs would be very wobbly by the time I got to see the view though! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I’m right there with you Pete – let’s do it!
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Not in this lifetime. Would you do it? I bet you would
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Yes! I love these hikes to heaven!
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Whoa! Can you imagine hauling the construction material up there? Or being one of the construction people, and being alarmed “if there’s a bustle in your hedgerow”? …
The view must be unbelievable!
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Yes indeed…I love stuff like this and hope to get there one day to climb it myself!
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Take lots of photos to share 🙂
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