What does "crowded" mean at Smith?

[Gary_Yngve]

I was at Smith last weekend under beautiful sunny skies. We never had to wait in line! Five-Gallon Buckets, no big deal, just show up at 7:30 AM. Walked by Cinnamon Slab mid-morning; no one on it. Didn't have to wait for Lion's Jaw, Karate Crack, Moonshine Dihedral, Phoenix, Spiderman, Screaming Yellow Zonkers...

 

I thought it would have been super-crowded. What gives? We didn't check out the Marsupials or Gorge. It seemed the majority of clusters of people were beneath 5.8 bolted routes.

[Dechristo]

I believe most neophytes are beneath 5.8

[DirtyHarry]

Too bad more people weren't there, maybe you could have gotten a rescue from your epic bivy.

[thelawgoddess]

It seemed the majority of clusters of people were beneath 5.8 bolted routes.

 

there you go ... "5.8" + "bolted" = crowded

[G-spotter]

Five-Gallon Buckets, no big deal, just show up at 7:30 AM.

 

And it's so convenient too, once you finish descending from Solar Slab at 7:15 AM after starting up the climb at 5 PM

[Gary_Yngve]

So there simply aren't many trad climbers?

 

Or the trad climbers are likely to be out skiing or alpine as well?

 

It just seems that when you're at Index on a weekend (or even a sunny weekday late afternoon), it seems it's almost expected that there will be at least two parties on GNS and a party on Godzilla.

[Stefan]

Trad climbers really have no money.

 

They can't get there when gas costs $3 a gallon.

[Off_White]

I think you just got lucky, I've seen a steady stream on most of those routes on Fall weekends. Certainly Spiderman is still the mega-classic 5.7 crack down there and gets lots of attention. Hot tip: it goes as all one wonderful pitch with a 60m rope. Trezlar is usually empty though, I think it might have gotten a bit of reputation after that fatal accident years ago.

[G-spotter]

Do you think Super Slab will acquire a 'reputation' after the recent horrific unplanned bivi?

[Dechristo]

Stone Phillips is shooting a documentary of the epic bivy.

[Off_White]

Oh, I believe it has a reputation already. I've overheard a number of people fretting about the terrifying traverse on P2, shown here with the charming Snowbyrd, and thoughful backrope provided by Thinker.

 

[billcoe]

Trezlar is usually empty though, I think it might have gotten a bit of reputation after that fatal accident years ago.

 

If you're thinking of the double fatality of the Outward bound instructors on Trezlar in 1986, those people did it to themselves. 100%

 

Was there another one? That's a great 2nd crux pitch, very well protected.

____________________________________________________

 

 

Like Gary, although I rarely get to Smith, sometimes it amazes me to show up wanting to climb midrange cracks and see them pretty much empty. Parking lot is full.

 

I wonder if it's just maybe more people are climbing in the gorge on those days, coupled with less people wanting to climb cracks? (see Garys thread on Karate Crack hangdogging)

 

BTW Dru, what do you say about the recent infomation which suggests that the "alledged" unplanned bivy on Amphetimine Grip may have been a planned attempt to get on Super Slab at 5:00 am to avoid the crowds.

Edited May 5, 2006 by billcoe

[olyclimber]

doesn't smith have a reputation as being a sport climbing area? if you wanted to trad crag climb, would you go to smith, or somewhere else?

isn't smith a pile of mud?

[G-spotter]

BTW Dru, what do you say about the recent infomation which suggests that the "alledged" unplanned bivy on Amphetimine Grip may have been a planned attempt to get on Super Slab at 5:00 am to avoid the crowds.

 

I think it was more of an "unplanned" attempt to get OFF Super Slab. But you are right, it could have actually been a spectacularly unsuccessful attempt to 'reserve' Dances With Clams for the day by setting an early TR on it in advance of Gary's Mountie group showing up.

[Alpinfox]

... if you wanted to trad crag climb, would you go to smith, or somewhere else?

isn't smith a pile of mud?

 

[ivan]

never had to wait to climb sky chimney or white velvet - both excellent moderate trad routes - fact i've only seen 2 or 3 parties ever climb those - a great vantage point to gawk at the horror-fuck-fest in the main area

[jlag]

It's White Satin.

[ivan]

satin's fir pussies! velvet - now there's a man's fabric...

[EWolfe]

 

Best 5.8 pitch in Oregon!

[olyclimber]

crowd·ed (krou'did) pronunciation

adj.

 

1. Filled near or to capacity: a crowded bus.

2. Filled with a crowd: a crowded plaza.

3. Filled to such an extent as to be detrimental to the inhabitants: “By the mid-1800s children were being transported on ‘orphan trains’ from crowded eastern slums and institutions to the West” (Mary-Lou Weisman).

 

I'm pretty sure this definition applies in Oregon too.