The central Oregon park’s creation dates between 1960 and 1975 when the state obtained land from the city of Redmond and a few private landowners. The park established a bridge across the river and hiking trails. The climbers followed. Many of the early routes followed broken cracks until Alan Watts began taking to the faces. In 1983 Watts became the first American to rap bolt a route, placing bolts for protection from the top down. This change in style to what the Europeans were doing at the time rocketed Smith and America to the forefront of hard climbing. The park now features fifteen hundred routes from easy 5th class trad routes to 5.14d crimping test pieces.
Located in the desert, Smith Rock offers warm climbing temps through much of the year. The volcanic tuff on the front side turns ideal for difficult climbing in the winter months. The basalt gorge, which follows the Crooked River, remains warm as well and climbing in both areas is best done in the shade. Though the ambient temperature tends to be warm, many locals climb through the summer in the shade of the Aggro Gully and in the gorge. The basalt of the lower gorge features a number of splitter cracks as well as wild stem boxes and columns, a welcome variation from the tip searing climbing of the tuff.
Smith Rock State Park sits in the town of Terrebonne, Oregon, located two and a half hours from Portland and approximately nine hours from San Francisco. Domestic flights land in Redmond, a mere ten miles from the state park. Most climbers stay in the Smith Rock State Park campground, which is walking distance from the climbing. Terrebonne offers a grocery store and Redpoint Climbing supply sells ropes, quickdraws and stick clips for the well spaced bolts. Bend, located forty minutes south, has a number of great brewery and craft beers.
Most climbers head to Smith for the sport climbing. The climbing tends to be more bolted face climbing. While Watts and others placed many bolts from the top down, they spaced them to an extreme. A stick clip is highly recommended as the first bolt can be up to twenty feet off the ground. Enjoy the climbing at Smith Rock! Be sure to tag your photos with #touchstoneclimbing!
