[TR] Smith Rocks - Monkey Face/Zebra Zion/etc 3/11

[olyclimber]

Trip: Smith Rocks - Monkey Face/Zebra Zion/etc

 

Date: 3/11/2007

 

Trip Report:

it was a dark and stormy night, so i went to smith rocks with jeff hansel to find out how out what kind shape i am in after doing nothing all winter. we listened to jonathan winters and the repoman soundtrack. we decided to take a shortcut and got lost, so we went braffing in my car.

it was rainy the first day so we drove up to mt. bachelor and drank. when we got back from bachelor the sun came out long enough for us to get a few pitches in. then we drove back to bend and partied with timm@y till the early morn. then we went out to monkey face and we met corvallisclimb and a friend who were climbing the c2 route to the right of just do it. jeff and i climbed the bolt ladder with aiders made from dental floss (mammut slings). then jeff lead the last pitch, climbing the lesser climbed traverse to the right from the monkey mouth. i managed to unclip and then get pumped on the rad 5.8 choss so i downclimbed rather than fall. then i ended up too low and then i came off trying to get back up and ended up dangling over just do it. so i had to climb up that, but lucky for me there was a jug one move up and then i was able to get back up to the route and finish it. then we did the single rope rappel, with jeff swinging into the monkey mouth so we could rapple from the anchors there. fun.

the next day we climbed zebra/zion. that is pretty fun. i sucked at the little roof there on the first pitch, but we made it up in good time. it got hot. we met a pandora back at the base, who had driven down for a one day climbing session. core. anyway i'm not in great shape, but it was some good exercise.

on the way back we admired the fins on the back of rice burning cars and people who drive slow in the "fast" lane.

 

here are some pictures to compliment the 5 brazillion pictures of smith that are already on teh interweb:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

climbing stuff

 

Approach Notes:

the weather forecast was suck, but as most people who know smith rocks you should ignore it and go anyways as it will be nice. it only rained a little for part of the first day, the rest of the time is was great...almost too hot on sunday.

[olyclimber]

one more pic:

 

[Billygoat]

Yeah, that first roof is greasy. How did you like the belay ledge halfway up with the spinnerz and weird wire funkness?!

 

 

skull

[olyclimber]

i saw those. they are still there, but we used the fat metolius bolts just below them

[kevbone]

Right on! Zebra Zion is the best climb at Smith. IMO.

Edited March 13, 2007 by kevbone

[sweatinoutliquor]

Nice pics Oly, sounds like you picked a great weekend to be out there.

[fheimerd]

Was out there on the 11th and my partner and I were going to climb zebra zion but...we got tired of waiting for the party in front of us. Seems like the dude following couldn't make it over the roof. Serious hangdogging. It was almost agonizing to watch. We finally decided to climb something else because we had low expectations for the dudes ability to climb the rest of the route in the remaining 4 hours of daylight.

 

That hope that wasn't you guys.

Edited March 13, 2007 by fheimerd

[olyclimber]

it was probably me flailing because i'm so out of shape. its not like there are any hard moves up past that though, and there was over almost 7 hours of daylight left when we got off the route, so maybe it was someone else.

 

 

[corvallisclimb]

Nice day out there on the monkey, we had a mellow cruise up the east face. Perfect weather on sunday. Was nice to talk to you guys out there.

[AJScott]

Dirtyleaf and I were down there sat-sun. What a great weekend...it really felt like summer down there! we had our shirts off for quite a bit of the weekend. We had plans for zebra/zion to end the weekend but were just too tired when we got over there. Gotta go back for that one, looks like a blast. I heart smiffy! Woulda been cool to meet up with you guys! some more photos for the 5 brazillion and one.

 

Dont remember the name of this crack but it was fun, right next to the barbeque the pope route.

We started the monkey face on the west face dealy starting with this painful finger crack...the two pitches we climbed on the west face were really fun quality climbing.

I wanted to get a picture of me doing a handstand on the top of monkey face but due to a tragic breakdancing injury when I was younger im no longer able to do a handstand...so I made Geoff do one.

 

 

[motomagik]

Nice to know cc.com was well represented at Smith this weekend. My partner and I and a couple friends were down as well, it was quite nice, especially the end of the day on Sunday....

[jfs1978]

thanks for the badass shot down MF from the cave. my partner's on the bolt-ladder, making me the big-footed gumby down on Bohn Street. nice meeting you guys. props on zebra-zion regardless of any flailing - great route.

[John Frieh]

Dont remember the name of this crack but it was fun, right next to the barbeque the pope route.

 

Revelation 10a. People love falling out of the top and breaking their ankle.

 

my new favorite smith route:

 

[Knottygirl]

 

Revelation 10a. People love falling out of the top and breaking their ankle.

Rumor is he's alright now.

 

 

 

Hmmm actually he not only broke his ankle but shattered the heel in case you were referencing the accident I caught.

A guy next to us said the previous day someone broke their leg.

[John Frieh]

I think it mentions the popularity and consequences of falling out of the top in the guidebook... Good to hear he is okay

 

How soon can we go to the city?

[billcoe]

Revelation 10a. People love falling out of the top and breaking their ankle.

 

Buzzz; You can have another guess cause you're such a nice fella. Might double check the guidebook.

 

__________________________________________________________________-

 

Ya gotta love any story that starts out " it was a dark and stormy night ". Oly, you're suppose to work up to the classics, not start with em, 'cause it's all downhill now:-)

___________________________________________________________________

 

AJ, painful crack ? Hard to tell from your pic. Monkey Farce? Sweet lil 10B to the right of West Face Variation right side start?

 

____________________________________________________________________

 

OK John, I'll guess, you found a bolted crack at Smith? It almost looks like picknic lunch wall to me but I don't remember that look.

[Knottygirl]

 

How soon can we go to the city?

Whenever! I am ready. Pub club at CoR.

[corvallisclimb]

Dont remember the name of this crack but it was fun, right next to the barbeque the pope route.

 

 

nope! thats new testiment, the grade is right on tho. revelations 5.9 is to the left of that on the arete, wich i recently rebolted the finish and anchor.

[John Frieh]

sounds like I have been studying the wrong bible lately

 

Bill: that is free lunch... my favorite route on PLW to date

[billcoe]

Sweet classic John. Your pic sort of looks like that route.

 

How about a mini TR since it's 5 glorious and varied pitches and you posted only 2 pics of only the crescent crack? Oly climber needs to get on this one next time down:-0.

 

My special questions are:

 

Have the 1st pitch 1/4 death bolts been redone by Corvallisclimb or anyone?

 

Was there much loose rock?

 

3rd, would you call P1 10B or C or do you think it's really 10A?

 

What did you use for pro on the last pitch, and did you wander to the left and up the face or stay in the offwidth?

 

 

 

I once pulled off about a 1'-2' flake (one-two foot across x @8" deep) on P1 of free lunch. The scar-light rock is still visible @ 30'-40' up or so).

[AJScott]

John, is that free lunch route on the wall right when you cross the bridge? That looks super fun. This was only my second time down to smith so im not too familiar with the area (and I dont own a guide book.)

 

New testiment rings a bell...I could see how people could peel off that top exit! Pro was great though, how are people breaking ankles and legs?!

 

billcoe: yes that would be the one...i dont recall the name though it felt about 10b'ish. both of us lost a lil blood on it I would recommend starting down there for the monkey face to anyone on there way up to climb the pioneer route! Super fun stuff.

[AJScott]

John, is that free lunch route on the wall right when you cross the bridge? That looks super fun. This was only my second time down to smith so im not too familiar with the area (and I dont own a guide book.)

 

New testiment rings a bell...I could see how people could peel off that top exit! Pro was great though, how are people breaking ankles and legs?!

 

billcoe: yes that would be the one...i dont recall the name though it felt about 10b'ish. both of us lost a lil blood on it I would recommend starting down there for the monkey face to anyone on there way up to climb the pioneer route! Super fun stuff.

[kevbone]

Dont remember the name of this crack but it was fun, right next to the barbeque the pope route.

 

 

nope! thats new testiment, the grade is right on tho. revelations 5.9 is to the left of that on the arete, wich i recently rebolted the finish and anchor.

 

No that is 10.a. I thought is was 5.9

[John Frieh]

Sweet classic John. Your pic sort of looks like that route.

 

How about a mini TR since it's 5 glorious and varied pitches and you posted only 2 pics of only the crescent crack? Oly climber needs to get on this one next time down:-0.

 

My special questions are:

 

Have the 1st pitch 1/4 death bolts been redone by Corvallisclimb or anyone?

 

Was there much loose rock?

 

3rd, would you call P1 10B or C or do you think it's really 10A?

 

What did you use for pro on the last pitch, and did you wander to the left and up the face or stay in the offwidth?

 

I once pulled off about a 1'-2' flake (one-two foot across x @8" deep) on P1 of free lunch. The scar-light rock is still visible @ 30'-40' up or so).

 

I'll pass on the TR Bill (hijacking is so much more fun!)... if peeps have questions they can send me a pm.

 

I'll post a few more pics later... Marcus's girl took a few from the ground.

 

The 1st pitch bolts are great/new... after 4 cut left and follow them across to the belay. The 1st pitch belay shared the belay bolts for Highway 97 so they are super fat new ones.

 

A little choss on the first pitch... nothing too bad but if peeps are hanging out for Teddy Bear's picnic give them a heads up before you launch off.

 

And p1 is 10-... some might try to call it an "a"... some a "b"... whatever... 10- is good enough for me...

 

How loose is it? I have a hard time answering this as everyone has a different opinion... my teenage years were spent at smith or around the OR casacades so my idea of loose might be a little more liberal than most...

 

How about this? All the belays are protected/out of the line of fire from rock fall (as the route never really goes straight up) so as long as you have a healthy set of lungs to yell rock at the hikers below and a fine selection of small to mid sized cams to sew with you should be fine.

 

For reference if you have done the farmers route this one is significantly less choss.

 

I will say for what it is or isn't worth for the aspiring alpine climber (especially those interested in first ascents) this is a great alpine trainer/sampler... face climbing on p1, traverse/downclimbing on p2, pigeon poop wallowing on p3, sustained 5.9 on some loose rock on p4 and an offwidth for p5... basically a little bit of everything. Plus it will make you bring a back pack or at least climb with your shoes on your harness as you wouldn't be able to easily rap it. This will ensure good times on p5 So yeah... a little alpine sampler.

 

Pro: set of nuts, blue - red alien, 0.4 - 3.5 c4 singles (if you sew you might want doubles in 0.5 - 2). Mileage will vary.

 

Now I just need to con someone into climbing shiprock with me 50' loops of 1" webbing? check.

[catbirdseat]

So why is it that falling out of the top results in injury? Is it because it steepens combined with pro pulling out or no pro?

 

I remember getting in a Green Alien and a Blue Alien right before the pod. They nested in there pretty securely, so that they most likely would have held a fall, at that low fall factor.