Dates: September 28-October 2, October 6&8, 2025 (Sun-Thu, Mon&Wed)
Partner: Nate Beckwith
Climbed at: Morning Glory Wall, The Dihedrals, Llama Wall, Northeast Face
Routes (ordered by grade):
• 5 Gallon Buckets 5.8, sport Morning Glory Wall
• Deteriorata 5.8, trad (toprope), The Dihedrals
• Wannabe Llamas 5.8, sport, Llama Wall
• Hissing Llams (aka Scary Llamas) 5.8 Llama Wall
• Helium Woman 5.9, sport, The Dihedrals
• The Outsiders 5.9, sport Morning Glory Wall
• Moonshine Dihedral 5.9, trad, The Dihedrals
• Karate Crack 5.10a, trad, The Dihedrals
• Light on the Path 5.10a, sport Morning Glory Wall
• Captain Xenolith 5.10b, sport, The Dihedrals
• Leper Messiah 5.10b, sport (toprope solo), Northeast Face
• Wedding Day 5.10b, sport, The Dihedrals
• J.T.'s Route (aka Jim Treviso Memorial Route) 5.10b Llama Wall
• Master of Puppets 5.10b/c, sport (toprope solo), Northeast Face
• Llama Enlightenment 5.10c, sport, Llama Wall
• Nine Gallon Buckets 5.10c, sport Morning Glory Wall
• Morning Sky 5.10c, sport Morning Glory Wall
• Fred on Air 5.10d Llama Wall
• The Struggle Begins 5.11a, sport, Llama Wall
• Zebra Direct 5.11a, sport Morning Glory Wall
• Cool Ranch Flavor 5.11b, sport Morning Glory Wall
• Higher Messiah 5.11b, sport (toprope solo), Northeast Face
• Damage, Inc. 5.11c, sport (toprope solo), Northeast Face
• Zebra Seam 5.11d, sport (toprope) Morning Glory Wall
• Cool Ranch Flavor Finish 5.12a, sport Morning Glory Wall
• Heinous Cling lower pitch 5.12a The Dihedrals
I had just wrapped up the move from Colorado to Washington. With everything tucked away in a storage unit, it was time to hit the road for a climbing trip. The original plan was Squamish, but a soggy forecast sent us south instead to Smith Rock, where we based ourselves for about a week and a half and climbed six of these days.
Day one (Sunday) was bustling with Portland climbers. We started on some open lines at The Dihedrals, but the 87° heat quickly chased us into the shade of the Northeast Face. There, we strung the rope and toprope soloed two long 165-foot pitches in the 5.10b–5.11c range—a solid warm-up day.
Day two (Monday) brought cooler temps - overcast skies and no sun. So we took the opportunity to climb at the often scorching Morning Glory Wall. We got on six routes ranging from 5.8 to 5.11d, finishing with
5 Gallon Buckets—arguably Smith’s most popular 5.8—which I led in a downpour. Another solid day of mileage.
Day three (Tuesday) I led six enjoyable routes, opening with the trad classics
Moonshine Dihedral (5.9) and
Karate Crack (5.10a)—both of which had felt much harder the last time I climbed them—before moving on to sport lines at The Dihedrals and Llama Wall in the 5.10b–5.11a range. Another strong and satisfying day.
On Wednesday, we took a rest day. After three days of climbing, we needed it, and I also had a midday interview and the forecast didn't look great. I went on a loop hike around Smith Rock (Misery Ridge to River Trail, ~4.6 miles, 1000 ft gain/loss) before my interview and rains.
On Thursday, our fourth day on the rock, we returned to Morning Glory Wall and each got in about six pitches. My highlight was leading
Nine Gallon Buckets (5.10c), while Nate celebrated a milestone—redpointing his first Smith 12a,
Cool Ranch Flavor with
Cool Ranch Flavor Finish (12a), on his second try. I followed with a fun toprope lap.
Nate flew back to Boulder on Friday and Saturday for a scheduled commitment, giving me the chance to scramble up
Broken Top on Friday and spend the weekend climbing basalt splitters at
Trout Creek.
By Monday, we were back at Smith Rock. I’d tweaked my arm again after pulling too hard on Thursday (I'd first injured it sport climbing in Red Rocks in April and the injury had plagued and frustrated me ever since), so I was on belay duty while Nate worked on
Crossfire (12b). It was a beautiful day to bask in the sun, and as I watched, I found myself reflecting on the string of minor injuries that seem to come with sport climbing—the strength and precision it builds are valuable, but I can’t help wondering if it’s worth it when I end up sidelined. I don’t handle downtime well, and at the core, what I truly love—and what my body is built and trained for—are long endurance adventure climbs.
On Tuesday I went on a hike to the summit of
South Sister and enjoyed exploring the summit crater.
On Wednesday—our final day at Smith Rock and my fifth day of climbing there (Nate’s sixth)—I went for a run before heading to a morning physio appointment in Redmond for my arm. Eric at Therapeutic Associates was great; he suspected tendonitis at the bicep tendon attachment near the elbow and prescribed some eccentric loading exercises. He also checked out my shoulder, which I’d tweaked sport climbing, and sent me off with some homemade chocolate chip cookies and protein bars after I mentioned I was living out of my car while climbing. I returned to Smith Rock afterward, and we spent the rest of the day cragging. I tried to stick to moderates to protect my arm but got tempted into toproping a 12a (
Heinous Cling) Nate was working on—probably a mistake—though I was able to lead
Karate Crack (10a) afterward without issue, so no major harm done.
Next up: Yosemite Valley.