Smith Rock
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June 2009: An evening visit to Smith Rock |
To use your whole body, mind and spirit. To be completely aware. To accomplish a goal so simple as up. That is climbing. |
A view northwest over the Crooked River from the walls of Smith Rock. |
Another climber finds a toe-hold on a 5.6 overhanging stem route. |
The setting sun makes Smith Rock glow over the Crooked River. |
A wrentit pauses for only a millisecond to hear the cries of its fledgling chicks. Dinner is on the way... |
There are a number of fixed routes along the lower walls of Smith Rock. This allows climbers to pick a route that matches their skill level, and concentrate on the climbing instead of the route-finding. |
A dragonfly roosts on a sagebrush along the Crooked River. |
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July 2007: A stroll along the Crooked River |
The steep cliffs and reliable water of Smith Rock provide an excellent habitat for a myriad of adaptable animals. Dozens of Violet-Green Swallows like this one were feeding, preening, flying and nesting near the trail. |
This climber had his work cut out for him. |
This Canyon Wren only appeared for a moment before ducking behind a large rock. |
I believe this is a Western Fence Lizard (note the hint of blue on the underside). It was hanging out on top of a rock in the morning sun near the trail. |
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February 2005: Exploring Smith Rock State Park |
Smith Rock State Park is located just north of Bend, OR along a short section of the Crooked River. The river helped carve the steep cliffs that have made Smith Rock famous. |
Climbers from around the world (and just down the highway) come to Smith Rock to try their hand at the hundreds of excellent climbing routes scattered throughout the cliffs. |
Smith Rock is located on the edge of the Oregon desert. The high peaks of the Oregon Cascades block much of the moisture from the nearby Pacific Ocean. The result is an abundance of sagebrush, grass and bare rock. |
Rock climbing may look glamorous in the movies or on the cover of magazines, but in reality it can often be a tiring and tedious battle against the weather, time, and one's own ego. Here, a climber is doing an assisted climb of a wall on the Monkeyface (one of the more famous formations at Smith Rock). This requires him to set protection on the rock, secure the rope, then use the rope to ascend. It's not a particularly "pure" (or fast) form of climbing, but sometimes it's the only way... |
Here is a view up the Crooked River, back toward the more popular areas. The Monkeyface is on the left, it's a towering structure with overhanging cliffs on all sides. From one angle, the top looks like a monkey's face, hence the name. |
The end of another day comes to Smith Rock and the Crooked River. |
Where is it? Smith Rock State Park is located about 6 miles north of Redmond, OR. From the community of Terrebone along hwy 97, follow the signs east. |
Before you go... The landscape in and around Smith Rock is beautiful, but don't expect any solitude or illusion of wilderness. A lot of people use the park... In the height of summer, it can get quite hot and dry - bring water! In the winter, the weather can vary from snowy to cool and pleasant. One of the best times to visit is in early spring, when the temperatures are mild, and the flowers are in bloom. |