Updates to this project will be added to the bottom of this post.

The hiking trail is finished (whatever that means). Still lots of dead limbs to chip up but the trail is as complete as I’m inclined to make it. But what to do with all those rocks?

“A cairn is a man-made pile (or stack) of stones raised for a purpose, usually as a marker or as a burial mound. Cairns have been and are used for a broad variety of purposes. In prehistory, they were raised as markers, as memorials and as burial monuments (some of which contained chambers). In the modern era, cairns are often raised as landmarks, especially to mark the summits of mountains. Cairns are also used as trail markers. They vary in size from small stone markers to entire artificial hills, and in complexity from loose conical rock piles to elaborate megalithic structures. Cairns may be painted or otherwise decorated, whether for increased visibility or for religious reasons.” (Wikipedia)

The Wikipedia article will tell you everything you might want to know about cairns but it piqued my curiosity so I’m reading a tiny book titled Cairns: Messengers in Stone by David Williams.

I chose a small natural clearing for my first effort. I immediately figured out the larger circle below would require way too many stones. The small circle is about six feet in diameter. The next photo down provides a better view. Continue reading →