Smith Rock

Date: April 26^th 2003
Sent to washingtonclimbers@yahoogroups.com.
By Kristian Andaker
Photos from this and many other trips to Smith Rock here.

Jerry, Alex and I took off in the Crag Camaro Friday evening. All reports indicate it is possible to survive the 6 hour drive in the back seat of that thing. As usual all the world's problems related to religion, war, relationships, work, rock shops, climbing, cars, the perfect place to live and hair color were solved on the drive down.

Saturday morning we got off to a terribly early start (guess who can't stay still awaiting the sun to rise). We were by the wall at 8.30am, just before the first rays of sunlight had had a chance to warm up the rock. All three of us red pointed Magic Light (11a) as a warm up, but judging from the stinging pain of cold in my fingers after getting down, it was more of a 'warm down' or 'cold up' than a 'warm up'.

Then we headed off to Heinous Cling (12a) for a bunch of top rope ascents, trying to get sequences right and learning the route. We gawked at some people climbing Chain Reaction (12c or something like that) and Jerry got on Darkness at Noon (13a!). Kim (from the climbing gym) showed up and followed up on Jerry's 13a effort without as much as hesitating about a single move. Some crazy climber was working on Scarface (14c!!!) around the corner and as he was hiking out he sounded slightly disappointed: 'I didn't make it, I had a hang'. I suppose everything is relative :). Alex and I shot off to do some un-remembered 10s and 11s as Jerry hooked up with Greg and Melissa for some scary 12a. Of course Alex and Andy couldn't stay off attempting to top rope that thing.

Saturday evening was spent eating Chicken Fajitas in the company of Lisa, Andy, Greg and Melissa. Then we worked on getting a tiny fire started for a while before it was time for sleep. Friday night had generated reports from Alex that 'someone' was snoring. Saturday night had the tables turn as Jerry pointed out that 'someone' seemed to be Alex himself. I suppose we'll have to wait for impartial judgment on this.

Sunday morning we were disciplined enough to get to the crag at a more appropriate hour (9.30am or so). We warmed up on Chicken Mc'Nuggets (10b) up in Cocaine Gully. We then skipped Vomit Launch in favor of Crackbabies (12b!) and some 11c because they were in the sun. Alex and I led Crackbabies (Alex got to the top, I bailed on bolt from it) bolt to bolt, and we all top roped up the 11c a few times. Jerry did it clean, and I have a feeling he'll be red pointing that sweet climb next time down. Andy got on Freebase (12a), despite Jerry's constant flow of 'ohhh... That route is thhhhiiiiinnnn' outbursts during dinner the night before. To end the day, Alex led Toxic (11b) while Jerry was basking in the sun down by the trail.

Going home was an endless stream of Life House, Alanis Morissette, sweet karaoke to the sound track of O Brother Where Art Thou, the sound track of Gladiator, some Taco Bell and a very exciting gas shortage. We slid into the gas station at Biggs (Columbia river crossing) with 0.5 gallons left in the tank, well after the needle had reached 'E' on the dash board. It's a good thing it's downhill the last 15 miles or so before Biggs, otherwise we would have been spending Sunday evening hiking and hith-hiking for gas.

Hope everybody's mouths are watering for some Smith Rock and Skaha exposure :),