OK, so the golf courses in the distance from the summit trail don't exactly scream wilderness. Yes, it can get crowded with all types: rock climbers, hikers, families, pets. The sun can be brutal. Or the clouds relentless. Many attributes attract this diverse community (location, accessibility, varied skill levels and your weather of choice) and make Smith Rock a really cool state park and a great place to get high. Elevationally speaking, of course.
We started by overnighting in a Bend hotel ready for our much anticipated summit of South Sister on Sunday. Saturday night the clouds broke, the local weather report was promising. Been planning this all summer ... the summer of drought ... we were prepared to suck up water and oxygen like they were cocktails at an all-inclusive resort. But no ... we pick the one weekend the entire summer when South Sister decided to have 45mph gusts, blowing snow above 8,000 feet and near zero visibility. After finding out about that forecast really late Saturday night, we decided to have an alternate in place. Smith Rock was close and we'd never been. So when we first arrived at South Sister's Devils Lake trail head Sunday morning, and the lots were 95% empty while the rain, fog and wind clung to us like latex jumpsuits ... we knew there was only one plan ... Plan B.
About 45 mins later we were out of the rain and in the lot at Smith Rock. It was cloudy and cool, but with sunbreaks. It rained a little bit, which seemed to bring the deserty landscape alive with smells and little critters like fire ants who were just popping out of their nests and sitting in the rain like it hadn't rained there all summer.
From the lot we headed across the river bridge and up Misery Ridge trail. We were in shape for South Sister so it felt like it might be a letdown from the looks of it, but what you see is not always what you get. It's a nice little grinder of a trail and while there are stairs in some sections, they're needed as the slope is extremely steep in spots. It's a moderate climb, but one you feel when you get to the top. And the views all around are astounding. You can't help but ask yourself how did this all come to be ... this rock outcropping in the middle of mostly flats.
From the Misery Ridge trail we took Mesa Verde up to the Summit Trail which crosses a small patch of private land on the back (unseen) side of the ridge surrounding the park. The Summit Trail then switchbacks up to a junction with the Burma Trail which leads you back down to the river and the lots. But there are also a couple of options at this junction that have trails up to BLM and USFS land that get you way up above the park for an even better view before you head back down:
Lots of photographic spots everywhere. Rock climbers on Monkey Face:
Speaking of faces ... there are so many all around the park. This guy (left spire) looks like the Hulk:
Looking down at part of the Misery Ridge trail from the top:
The ridge line that the Summit Trail snakes behind:
The place has almost an Arizona or Utah feel to it:
Sheer side face with quickdraws:
Cool looking 5 petal flower:
Your gaze is caught on almost every turn:
So yeah, it was not the trip we set out to do ... but we got a good 7 mile loop in with some side trails ... beautiful scenery and crossed one off the list. St. Helens summit is next ... Sept 10.
Smith Rock State Park 8/30/2015
Smith Rock State Park 8/30/2015
Last edited by Arturo on September 1st, 2015, 6:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Smith Rock State Park 8/30/2015
beautiful
i was up there yesterday too
misery ridge was fun
great views.
also a fun little saddle by the snoopy head rock as well.
Awesome trip report!
i was up there yesterday too
misery ridge was fun
great views.
also a fun little saddle by the snoopy head rock as well.
Awesome trip report!
Re: Smith Rock State Park 8/30/2015
This one is a little dog like (foreground) ...Pyrogen wrote:beautiful
i was up there yesterday too
misery ridge was fun
great views.
also a fun little saddle by the snoopy head rock as well.
Awesome trip report!
And it's hard to see from this photo, but the tallest spire near the middle looks like Man-Ray from Spongebob.
Re: Smith Rock State Park 8/30/2015
thinking of astricks pass
cool little bypass trail
cool little bypass trail
Arturo wrote:This one is a little dog like (foreground) ...Pyrogen wrote:beautiful
i was up there yesterday too
misery ridge was fun
great views.
also a fun little saddle by the snoopy head rock as well.
Awesome trip report!
And it's hard to see from this photo, but the tallest spire near the middle looks like Man-Ray from Spongebob.
Re: Smith Rock State Park 8/30/2015
Arturo, beautiful pictures. I love the Smith Rock area.
My husband and brother and brother's son went up South Sister on Saturday. I wasn't crazy about the idea but when they got to the trailhead, the parking lot was full. They made it farther than anyone else they could see but had to turn back about 600 feet from the top. He said it was nearly impossible to stand up and it was bitter cold. They think the winds were sustained at over 60 mph at the top portion of the climb. My husband is a strong man with lots of experience climbing that particular mountain and he said one wrong move and you would have just kept rolling. More importantly, a bad injury would have ended not well. I hope they listen to me next time. It's hard to change plans when you have a date on the calendar for months. I'm going to show him this and say......"Look what a wise move this guy made!"
Anyway, you made a good decision going to Smith Rock. This weekend looks promising for South Sister!
My husband and brother and brother's son went up South Sister on Saturday. I wasn't crazy about the idea but when they got to the trailhead, the parking lot was full. They made it farther than anyone else they could see but had to turn back about 600 feet from the top. He said it was nearly impossible to stand up and it was bitter cold. They think the winds were sustained at over 60 mph at the top portion of the climb. My husband is a strong man with lots of experience climbing that particular mountain and he said one wrong move and you would have just kept rolling. More importantly, a bad injury would have ended not well. I hope they listen to me next time. It's hard to change plans when you have a date on the calendar for months. I'm going to show him this and say......"Look what a wise move this guy made!"
Anyway, you made a good decision going to Smith Rock. This weekend looks promising for South Sister!