Amanda Snyder
The Seattle Times
Featured Columnist

Amanda Snyder

is a Seattle Times staff photographer. Reach her at asnyder@seattletimes.com.

University of Washington employee Nick Franko, left, boulders Husky Climbing Rock, more commonly known as Husky Rock, located at the south end of Husky Stadium on Tuesday, September 7, 2021. For Franko, Husky Rock is “the best place in town to train and climb outside, especially for free.” In 1970, climbers bouldering campus buildings had become a rising problem on the University of Washington campus, according to “Husky Rock: A Bouldering Guide to the U.W. Climbing Walls” by Scotty Hopkins and Erik Wolfe. When the situation became worse, the University didn’t focus on stopping the bouldering attempts, but according to Hopkins and Wolfe, the university instead discussed building an artificial climbing wall. After separate mountain climbing accidents tragically claimed the lives of two students and a faculty member in 1973, students urged the approval of the project so climbers could train properly and learn about safety, according to a Seattle Daily Times article. Plans for construction of the strenuous climbing rock was approved and went on to be designed and built from 1975-76 by architects Anderson and Bell. Today, Husky Climbing Rock is recognized as one of the first outdoor bouldering areas in the country, according to the authors.

Husky Rock offers an upward challenge

In 1970, climbers bouldering University of Washington buildings had become a problem on campus, according to authors Scotty Hopkins and Erik Wolfe. Today, Husky Climbing...

Keira Sweeney looks up at an Allosaurus, the largest meat eater during the late Jurassic Period, featured in the Dinosaur Discovery exhibit at the Woodland Park Zoo on Thursday, May 6, 2021. The zoo’s new exhibit features dozens of “the world’s largest and most life-like dinosaurs.” Visitors are able to learn more about the historic creatures as the dinosaurs move, breathe and roar throughout the exhibit. The exhibit was created by Dino Don Inc., the only maker of full-sized robotic dinosaurs, which are featured in zoos and museums around the world, according to the Woodland Park Zoo.

Woodland (not Jurassic) Park VIEW

Woodland Park Zoo's new exhibit features dozens of life-like dinosaurs. Visitors to the zoo in Seattle can learn more about the creatures as the robotic...