Trundling, for the sake of trundling. Is it illegal?

If I know there's no one below me or anywhere within the vicinity, is there anything particularly wrong with trundling a large loose rock?

How about a refrigerator-sized block?

How about a block that's closer in size to a pillar?

Are there any laws in place that prohibit intentional trundling, specifically in national parks, recreation areas, monuments...etc.?

If there is no one around...how will anyone know it wasn't natural? Unless maybe you tell your friends how spectacular your trundle was and they don't like you and turn you in....
If its illegal, I'm guilty. Sooooo much fun.

having done my fair share of trundling (usually with a purpose), consider also the collateral damage you might do to the slope/rocks downhill... even if there is no one else around, most likely the rock coming down will dislodge others that may not be released until later, when there might be someone below. some precarious blocks remain in their natural state until disturbed.

certain county open spaces and parks actually DO have specific rules against trundling...

Someone was killed a year or so ago by a trundler that thought nobody was around cause he was in the middle of nowhere. Be really friggin careful if you do.

knuckleheads toss rocks off from above with no purpose or thought and scare the bejeesus out of us. but I think our well thought out and helpful trundle of a dangerous block is OK, after some real shouting, warning, audio and visual search of the intended area below. nature would do it unannounced sooner or later so trundle away with care.

I agree that trundling is good fun. I don't think its right though, from a 'leave no trace' point of view. Also, what about the harmless carrying out of interesting rocks from our favorite places?... It doesn't feel right to me.
Steve

Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you should.

Probably the best thing is to just leave stuff alone. Leave the rocks they way you got to see them so the next person can too. Those big ass balanced rocks, or the giant block perched on the edge of the brink is cool to see. It's likely been that way an awful long time, and if left alone will stay there for a long time still - or not. But let nature take it's own course without assistance from man.

generally a bad idea, but you didn't need a bunch of internet dorks to tell you that.

So I can' remember the location or the names, but a few guys were trundling I think in either WY or Montana and killed a very well know climber in the area...Might have been someone out of Lander.

Either way they didn't see the guys below them, and effectively left a family fatherless. I'm pretty sure the trundlers said they looked.

Something to think about...

Pete Absolon, the Rocky Mountain NOLS Director was killed by a trundled rock in the winds in 2007.

outside.away.com/outside/cu…

Thank you for helping tell that story...really sad on both sides of the coin. Since this topic came up, we can take this opportunity to remember one of the community that passed too early.

rockandice.com/inthemag.php…

climbing.com/news/passages/…

Price wrote:generally a bad idea, but you didn't need a bunch of internet dorks to tell you that.

The problem is you DON'T really know if someone's below you, as mortal tales have proven.

What's the big need to do so? Can't you just go to a batting cage and thrash a baseball? Why take the risk on someone else's life?

We had a long discussion about that here.
All the young guys should follow this whole thread with the links.
The other side of trundling
One moment with a dumb move can cause endless repercussions. How many times have each of us tested fate?

RIP Tony Rich, of Butte Montana.

Then on September 25, 1994, a Butte climber named Tony Rich was killed not far from where Earnest Bruffey landed decades earlier. Rich died under a cascade of huge boulders while ascending Granite Peak by way of the snow-covered north face. His climbing partner, Fred Donich of Ennis, said that the two frantically tried to dig themselves into the snow in hopes that the rocks might skid over them. But Rich’s helmeted head was crushed by a truck-sized boulder that rolled down from the summit above. An investigation followed, and ultimately three young climbers who were on the peak above Rich and Donich were charged with negligent endangerment relating to the incident. Evidence indicated the threesome had pushed tons of rocks and debris off the summit without knowing there were climbers below. Each defendant ultimately pled guilty to misdemeanor charges.

Trundeling is something I did when I was a kid and didnt know any better. My dad was doing some trailwork above his house in WA and a large rock got away from him and the person helping him. The rock somehow made it all the way down through the forest and bounced up and knocked the back door off its hinges and sent it flying across the room. Luckily my little sister and step mom were out of the path of the door. You couldnt see the house from where the rock let loose.

WiledHorse wrote:certain county open spaces and parks actually DO have specific rules against trundling...

Colin Simon wrote: Do you know of any in particular? Are any of these areas run by the feds or just state/county areas?