Smith Rocks, OR
Photo: Darin Reid
Monkey Face Area
- Pioneer Route - 5.7, A1
- Cool Route, but careful the bolt ladder. Leading it is great, but back clean every other bolt for your follower, except on the traverse into the mouth. This little bit is crutial to avoid an epic in free hanging space with major air. When cleaning the route on the traverse, hang from the next bolt with your daisy chain to relieve the stress on the carabiner that you're trying to unclip. Repreat this process through the traverse and you wont get stuck!
- West Face varriation - 5.8, A1
- Again, cool route, but more cautions. At the top of the first pitch do not sit on the grassy ledge. There are ticks on the ledge, lots of them, and there is a better belay startion about 10 feet to your left!
The Dihedrals
- Cinnamon Slab w/ Second pitch - 5.6/5.5
- Nice offwidth crack, not very hard if you have big gear. The second pitch is worth it for the first move under the overhang, but other than that it is crumbly and easy.
- Hop on Pop - 5.8
- Really neat chicken heads. A nice top rope after Cinnamon Slab, or a good sport lead.
- Left Side Crack - 5.6
- Sky Ridge - 5.8
- Totally classic route up the "Smith Rock." This route follows the left skyline out of asterix pass. The first pitch, bolted, is kind of runout between bolts. The second pitch, a 5.7 hand traverse with lots of air is totally worth the trip up there!
- Lion's Jaw - 5.8 Nice dihedral hand crack with little overhang at
the top.
Various North Point Climbs -- The rock out here was usually pretty good, but easier routes, 5.8 and under, are rather scarce. None the less, a nice uncrowded area.