How to best spend 4 hours at Smith Rock?

[jetjackson]

So I'm headed out on a road trip with my father and brother next week along the west coast.

I've managed to wrangle in a half day at Smith Rock, and I've got a guide booked so I have someone to belay/bring gear.

To give you an idea of my level, recently went to Squamish and had two days, was ticking 5.11a/b on 2nd attempt, had 3 attempts at a 5.11d and couldn't get it. 

Any must do, classic routes? I'd love to get on something at mid 5.11 range, long technical face climbing. 

[MarkAnderson]

Wow, interesting question. I would try to make that "half-day" in the evening. It's going to be quite hot I'd imagine. If you must go in the morning, you can go to the backside, but you'll spend a lot of your time hiking (like, nearly half your time). Even in the shade, the conditions will be rough. Good thing you're used to terrible conditions

Anyway, If I were you I'd go to the Dihedrals/Christian Brothers, if for no other reason than it's got the most famous & classic routes. Even if you don't climb anything, you'll probably enjoy looking at Chain Reaction, Heinous Cling, Darkness at Noon, To Bolt Or Not To Be and some of the other legendary lines. It's also got about a 15 minute approach, which is about as short as it gets at Smith. If you end up in that area, you could try:

Revelations, 5.9
Barbecue the Pope, 10b (HFG!)
Wedding Day, 10b
Moondance, 11c

If you have time to visit the Morning Glory Wall, check out:
5 Gallon Buckets, Gumby, 9 Gallon Buckets or Zebra Direct (depending on how things are going; 5.8 to 5.11a)
Magic Light, 11a

If you have trad gear:
Moonshine Dihedral, 5.9
Karate Crack, 5.10a
Wartley's Revenge 11a (super classic, easy to protect)

If you must climb in the morning, I would probably recommend the Cocaine Gulley, which has some really good face climbs in the 10-12 range. These aren't the best routes at Smith, but they're good and shady in the am. Vomit Launch is a classic, must-do-if-there 11b.

[jetjackson]

Thanks Mark, we're scheduled in for 2:30pm, to climb into the evening.

You're right, pretty used to heinous conditions

[erick]

+1 for Moondance

If your at the morning glory wall check out Lion Zion 10c. Super long really great crimping. If its crazy hot and you head around to the other side of Smith check out Screaming Yellow Zonkers 10b and Moons of Pluto 10d

[jetjackson]

Thanks guys!

So after all of this, I was so tired after a week of road-tripping I didn't have a whole lot of energy and just went wherever the guide took us. Onsighted a 5.10b called Earth Boys and had a few cracks at a route next to it called Ring of Fire, but couldn't figure it out. Spent a fair bit of time putting my brother up on top rope - his first time outdoors.

I need to get back there and put some time into the walls, technical climbing at it's best.

Checked out Chain Reaction and Darkness at Noon - awesome looking lines. Think I'm going to have to get up there for a few weeks sometime.

[MarkAnderson]

That's pretty funny--it seems like EVERYONE ends up on Ring of Fire on the first trip. My very first time at Smith--I think I was 14 or 15, and we were there with a Boy Scout group--we spent an August day, in the blazing sun, trying to get up that hell-ish route. It's really easy to set a TR on that thing since you can cruise up Jete or Dancer (bolted 5.7/8) to get to the anchor, so it must be the go-to "hard route" for guides to set up. I wouldn't say its a great route, but it's definitely classic in the sense that pretty much everyone can relate to that experience. That Combination Blocks area is a really cool hang though (literally and figuratively).

[jetjackson]

Yeah, if I could go back, I certainly would have burnt less energy on the crux of that climb. I'm determined to go back though. Already contacted the wife to let her know that I'm organising a Smith trip. Probably for May next year.

Our guides name was Alan, apparently his father bolted a few of the routes in Smith, and he has been doing some development himself. He said next time we go, just send him an email and he will take me out climbing anyway.

I'll also spend plenty of time working crimps and pockets on the HB before I go. Seems like anything mid 5.10 and up has crimpers.