Smith Rock
Matt Gordon cranking on Latest Rage (5.12b)
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Near the top of Chain Reaction
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I thought I had a page about climbing at Smith, but I couldn't find it, so who knows where it is. Well, I love to climb at this place. It is pretty dirtbag friendly too, with free camping about 8 miles away, and an annual pass only $25. I have been here many times and should be able to find some more pictures with a bit of effort. In any case, I plan to return, since I still have to send "Chain Reaction"
Nov 9, 2003, Return I did, and I finally sent Chain after heaps of tries. The first try today I got up to the last clip so smoothly and easily and still fell on the last throw. That was too much, I figured out some new beta at the top to avoid the throw. This involved a heelhook and popping my left hand up to a small knob (good call Dave) and then bringing my left heel in to the big hold my left hand had been on. Then hiking up on that and popping my left hand over to the big hold that I had been throwing for with my right. After walking about a bit I gave it another go. Up to the same spot smoothly and then wonder of wonders, IT WORKED!!!! this send was marred only by popping my knee out of joint. I must have tried this route 50 times or more, with maybe 20 serious tries in 2002 and that many in 2003. Even more frustrating is the fact that I managed to get cleanly up through the crux to the last hard move at least 15 times this year before finally putting it all together.
2005 I visited again in early July to try to get a bit of climbing in before heading up to the NWT in Canada. Things were pretty toasty in the sun, but the days were long, and we got in plenty of climbing on the frontside after it went into the shade before it got dark. Now I have my digital camera, so I took a bunch of shots, some of which even turned out ok. I finally got a chance to climb Monkey Face, although I managed to fall in the middle of the crux traverse of "Monkey Space" on my super stretchy skinny rope and had a micro epic getting back onto the route. The last day I gave my old nemesis "Chain Reaction" a go, and remembered about all the moves. I surprised myself somewhat by managing to do all the moves first try, although I took twice for fear of falling into space and having to lower (plus my endurance and strength weren't up to the task).
Link to my Chain Reaction page
The Crooked River flowing through Smith Rock State Park
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The Crooked River flowing through Smith Rock State Park - take 2
(it really is a nice view)
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Tauna in the cave on the north side of Monkey Face (photoshopped panorama)
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On the summit of Monkey Face, we found this little monkey. As you can see, it amused Tauna
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