Dave and I discovered Smith Rock while on a ski vacation in Oregon as we were driving from one ski area to another. I noticed the rock formations jutting out of the flat plain, obviously a misplaced piece of geology that bore further investigation. It was evening so we decided to camp at the park and do some hiking the next day as a break from skiing. The rock formations were so inviting we vowed to return with our rock climbing gear in the near future.

This picture taken from near the river that runs through the park illustrates why one of the prominent features of the park is called “Monkey Face.” A portion of Pioneer Route up the formation is shown in red. This is the easiest route, but is quite exhilarating because the lead from the belay point marked “B” to the mouth is mostly a slight overhang, with 400 feet of exposure to the sagebrush below.