Rock on: Beloved missing rock from Squamish, B.C., found miles away — in California

A mystery has been somewhat solved in Squamish, B.C.

Last fall, a beloved granite rock used by climbers in the area vanished. 

As reported in the Squamish Chief, locals lamented the disappearance of the rock, nicknamed Portable, as its shape and size made it the perfect stone for working on balance and practicing grip.

“Portable has definitely been around Squamish a lot longer than I’ve been alive,” 23-year-old Squamish rock climber Ethan Salvo told CBC’s As It Happens. “Us climbers are pretty weird creatures and we definitely approach the woods with some love for nature, maybe a little bit too far at times … but I think Portable became loved just as a fun, silly challenge.”

When the rock disappeared last fall, he said the community was shocked and confused. 

“It is kind of silly for this small rock that means so much to everyone in the community to just vanish.”

But now, Portable has been located. 

While on a climbing trip in Bishop, Calif., Salvo was alerted to a photo on social media Monday night: a suspected image of the missing rock — about 20 minutes from where he was camped out.

Salvo said the rock was “wearing a Canadian drinking toque.”

“He had some goggles on him and … a really sick hat.”

At first, he thought the photo might be AI-generated. He contacted a friend who was closer to the spot where Portable was allegedly seen, asking her to go check things out. 

“Lo and behold, Portable’s sitting there in his Canadian drinking toque, just chilling, looking at the landscape.”

Salvo’s friend picked up the heavy stone, which Salvo estimates is about 32 kilograms, and took it back to her camp. 

He drove to meet her at 8 p.m., blasting Creed all the way, to greet Portable with arms wide open. 

“The minute I saw the shape, I knew it was it. It just looked like home. It felt like home. It weighed like home.”

But how could Salvo be sure it was definitely the exact rock taken from Squamish? 

“Rock climbers are weird. We have a weird connection to the environment around us. If you like, put me blindfolded in front of a rock and put my hand on a famous hold, I’d know the hold off the bat, probably.”

How Portable ended up in Bishop, Calif., is anyone’s guess, but Salvo thinks a visitor to the Squamish area last summer probably took it, quite innocently, not knowing how the community would react. 

Now, Salvo said he will return Portable to its home, at the base of the Superfly boulder in Squamish.