[TR] Another Smith TR... - Several 5/31/2008

[111]

Trip: Another Smith TR... - Several

 

Date: 5/31/2008

 

Trip Report:

I had to drive to Burns for a week of work, so I figgered I'd cram a full weekend of climbing into a day. Myself and a friend, Keelia, hiked out to the Marsupials with a goal to climb 15 pitches or more of 5.8ish in a day, preferably on a few unconventional smith routes.

We started up The Marsupial Traverse, climbed that while watching a number of thunderstorms roll through to the north and south of us, climbed Mini Halfdome, Thin Air (P1), Round River, Then headed up to the Wombat for a big summit adventure. The whole time we were wondering if climbing the tallest formation at Smith Rock was the best idea with so much thunder and lightning about. We went for it anyway and hid out in a cave for 2 hrs to wait out one large cell but we got our window and finished the 5 pitch Birds Of A Feather 5.8 up the wombat. (great route! with zero traffic).

The total for the day was 16 pitches, so we beat our goal, but I now have a new goal of 25 pitches in that area because with our late start and the weather, four more hours of climbing is available to hit up so much else...

No pictures, but I can tell you that Birds of a Feather has some really great climbing on it, with a stellar 45m hand and finger crack on it.

 

Gear Notes:

single rack to #3 camalot, 10 alpine draws helmets, flask. Bring a snakebite kit too because the ledges are crawling.

 

Approach Notes:

get up earlier, hike faser, less pitching it out and more simulclimbing.

[jlag]

It's Birds in a Rut, and it's one of Smith's better kept secrets.

 

gotta deal with the runout on pitch one though.

 

 

the crack is the money pitch.

 

 

jL

[111]

damn, thats it.

 

pitch one isnt bad at all. what, a 15 ft runout on 5.5 There's worse runouts up higher.