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+[[!meta title="Smith Rock, 2009-04-18"]]
+
+[[!tag climbing]]
+
+<center>
+[[!img smith_rock_01.jpg size="300x300"]]
+[[!img group_shot.jpg size="300x300"]]
+[[!img smith_rock_03.jpg size="300x300"]]
+</center>
+
+[[!img approach_02.jpg size="200x200" class="left"]]
+[[!img scott_d_with_stick_clip.jpg size="200x200" class="left"]]
+
+We had a fantastic time on our first [climbing](../) trip to Smith
+Rock. We drove down on Friday and camped at the base of the
+rock. Scott D. was anxious to beat the rush and set an alarm for 5:00
+AM. When that alarm went off it was still quite dark and the
+temperature was just below freezing(!). The thought of ice-cold rock
+on bare hands was enough to keep us in our warm sleeping bags for a
+while longer, but eventually we did bundle up for the approach hike to
+the rock.
+
+We got onto the rock at about the same time the sunshine did, and
+fortunately it warmed the rock very quickly. In fact, by afternoon we
+were desperate for shade to escape the heat. Large temperature swings
+are expected in the desert, of course, (note: next time, remind
+everyone to at least pack some socks). Getting to the rock early did
+work out quite well. We didn't see another climber for over an hour,
+so we had the chance to choose any route we wanted. Later in the day
+the most popular routes had lines long enough to make things feel a
+little bit like Disneyland.
+
+[[!img carl_on_rappel.jpg size="150x200" class="right"]]
+[[!img scott_d_belaying_near_tonka.jpg size="266x200" class="right"]]
+
+Since this was our first time leading outdoors we decided to start
+with the easiest routes we could find in the guidebook, and work up
+gradually. We found some nice beginner routes in the Cinnamon Slab
+area just before the Dihedrals. Everything went great, and we each had
+a successful lead behind us well before the mobs of climbers started
+showing up. We might have stayed more impressed with ourselves if we
+hadn't seen that the next climbers on our first route were parents
+setting up ropes for their 5 and 6-year-old children. Look close in
+the picture and you'll see that just behind Scott's belay stance there
+are a couple of kid-size shoes, and a tonka trunk. Ah well, a little
+humility might even be good for us, I suppose.
+
+Leading on this rock outdoors was very different from anything we had
+done in the gym. The most obvious change is that there's not any tape
+showing exactly where to put your hands and feet. So we all found
+ourselves shopping around for a while at each stance, always looking
+to see if we could find better holds.
+
+And for me, at least, the psychological difference between top-rope
+and lead was much wider outside than in the gym. That might have been
+because these routes were not very steep, so any lead fall would have
+certainly meant a fairly quick swing into some very rough rock. I
+didn't realize how much I was staining, over-gripping, over-thinking
+and neglecting technique until I got onto toprope of a route I had
+just finished leading. Suddenly I was relaxed, comfortable, and moving
+quickly and smoothly on a route that moments before had my leg shaking
+wildly. So I'll definitely need to improve my ability to relax, use
+good technique, and just trust myself.
+
+[[!img scott_d_belaying_with_shades.jpg size="150x200" class="left"]]
+[[!img scott_d_lowering.jpg size="266x200" class="left"]]
+
+We stepped up the difficulty a bit when we moved over to the "Peanut"
+and confirmed the rumors that Smith routes have tough starts. On all
+of our routes in the morning the hardest moves were right at the
+beginning. We were glad that Scott D. brought his stick clip, (in
+spite of being afraid he might feel like a goober carrying around such
+a long pole), so we could get into that first bolt while it was still
+15 feet up and have some ropes protection for the first tricky
+moves. And rather than seeing him as a goober, climbers nearby were
+grateful that Scott was happy to share his stick with them. Have I
+mentioned before at how friendly people seem to be in the climbing
+community? Everyone we met at Smith was very nice, and they didn't
+even make fun of us even though we were obviously beginners, (our gear
+was all obviously unused since it was still so shiny).
+
+[[!img scott_dv_leading_5_gallon_buckets.jpg size="150x200" class="right"]]
+[[!img scott_dv_relaxing_on_buckets.jpg size="150x200" class="right"]]
+
+By the afternoon, we were getting a little tired of knobby face climbs
+on wickedly abrasive rock. We got some variety on the "5 Gallon
+Buckets" route, a ladder of pockets so big you could sit down inside
+most of them. Scott DV was anxious to lead this one and found the
+underclings in the pockets extremely gratifying. Just take at look at
+how confident he his flashing those pearly whites while on lead.
+
+Here's a run down of the six routes we climbed. All three of us
+climbed each one of these with (almost) no falls at all.
+
+ * Night Flight (5.5) Carl, Scott D., and Scott DV. each on lead in turn.
+
+ * Easy Rider (5.6) Scott D. on lead.
+
+ * Lichen It (5.8) Carl on lead.
+
+ * Ginger Snap (5.8) Scott D. on lead.
+
+ * Hop on Pop (5.8) Carl on lead.
+
+ * 5 gallon buckets (5.8) Scott DV. then Scott D. on lead.
+
+Next time we go we'd like to lead some 5.9 routes, (and maybe bring a
+friend to put up some rope for us on some 5.10). One thing we didn't
+find was any terrain steep enough to make us comfortable to take any
+practice falls. I think Scott D. really missed that---sometimes I
+almost wonder if falling is his favorite part in this sport.
+
+See the complete set of [[photos]] from this trip.
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