The humungous Hanging Rock looks like it could topple at any moment. Perched precariously on a cliff face, this 50-foot-long, 500-ton granite stone is one of Russia’s natural wonders, lying hidden in a remote mountain range in southern Siberia.
The ginormous rock holds on for dear life, resting upon a surface area of just 1 square yard. Located in Ergaki National Park, the giant stone appears to “hang” in mid-air about a half-mile over the deep waters of Lake Raduzhnoye, also known as Rainbow Lake.
Hanging Rock appeared there during the last ice age, which began some 115,000 years ago, when it was deposited by a glacier in the region now known as the Western Sayan Mountains.
Adding to the legend is the ghostly, heartbeat-like vibration of the exposed stone, caused by the whistling wind. Anyone who succeeds in shifting the rock, which has remained in place for tens of thousands of years, will replace Sleeping Sayan as the defender of peace and harmony, freeing her from eternal duty.
Undeterred, many tourists have tried their luck at dislodging the coarse-grained granite—some even bringing jacks and winches—but none have succeeded. One 30-strong group descended upon the mighty lump, known as the Visjay Stone, all to push at once—but to no avail.
The ancient legends of the Sayan Aboriginals and Turkic Peoples hold that only when the time is right, will the slumbering giant awake. When she does, and Hanging Rock makes the half-mile plummet to land before crashing into the icy lake below, the splash will wash the warrior’s face, and a new era in history will begin.
It’s possible to hike to the intriguing Visjay Stone, but only between the months of June and September when the punishing and fluctuating conditions of the region ease. The uphill trail leading to the site is 7.5 miles in length and takes five to seven hours to hike.
“One of the most interesting wild nature points in Russia,” “A real miracle of nature,” and “Insanely beautiful”—these are some of the comments left by people who have visited Hanging Rock.
