The first hour I spent scaling beginner routes at an indoor climbing gym, I realized that while I was on the wall, I couldn’t think about anything else. It was the ultimate exercise in focus and mental clarity – no multitasking, no background thoughts about what might be for dinner. Otherwise, I would fall. Outside, the focus and scenery are even better.
This month, the AAPG Women’s Network and Midwest GeoSciences Group will explore the geology behind one of my favorite hobbies, rock climbing. The presentation on April 11will be led by geologist, inventor, business owner and climber Lauren Heerschap, who will dig into how rock types and geological history influence climbing style and share firsthand accounts of what has made some spots favorites within the climber community. You can register for this free event by visiting midwestgeo.com and clicking on the ‘Webinars’ tab.
Visiting Smith Rock State Park, Oregon
The top rock climbing spot on my bucket list also features interesting geological history and nearby sites to see: Smith Rock State Park in Oregon.
The highlight of the 650-acre park is its namesake rock and the Crooked River Caldera, which formed when a volcanic crater collapsed roughly 30 million years ago, creating the Smith Rock Tuff. The caldera is 26 miles long and 17 miles wide. Later volcanic activity covered the tuff with basalt lava. Smith Rock features a 3,200-foot ridge and 600-foot-tall cliff overlooking the Crooked River.
The park houses more than 2,000 rock climbing routes of varying degrees of difficulty, ranging from beginner to highly advanced. Many of them are bolted (meaning there are metal bolts installed in the rock to help guide where your rope should go as you ascend).
From the main parking lot, you can see the Picnic Lunch Wall. Most of the climbing here is challenging, but intermediate climbers can start with the Honey Pot and Teddy Bear’s Picnic routes. True beginners would do better to start at the nearby formation Dihedrals and opt for the Easy Ride or Ginger Snap routes. Climbing inside the Crooked River Gorge centers more around a balance-heavy and crack climbing style, as the routes cut through a basalt deposit. There are abundant group tours that will take you through many of the area’s climbs, providing gear and safety supervision. If you have your own ropes and equipment, you can climb on your own in the area.
Hiking is also readily available within the park: Of the 12 official trails, five are rated easy. More advanced and adventurous travelers can choose to summit the caldera and Smith Rock on a 7.3-mile hike that treks through a series of switchbacks.
Nearby Stops
Terrebonne is the nearest town to Smith Rock State Park, but Bend provides a much larger, more established option for sightseeing, just a 25-minute drive from the park. The town of roughly 80,000 hosts several annual festivals throughout the year and is renowned for its microbrewery scene: There are more than 29 microbreweries in the local area. Deschutes Brewery Public House is a local favorite that some say was the first in the area.
Another stop with geological highlights near Smith Rock is the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, 54,000 acres of lakes, lava flows and geological features in Central Oregon. The volcano inside the park remains active and is roughly the size of the state of Rhode Island. Its caldera is 17 miles wide. According to the U.S. Forest Service, “Geologists believe the caldera sits over a shallow magma body only 2 to 5 kilometers deep. Visitors see numerous cinder cones and vents (over 400 throughout the area), miles of basalt flows, as well as rhyolite flows of obsidian.”
Whether you hope to hike, seek a climber’s high or just enjoy the numerous geological elements, Smith Rock State Park and Central Oregon are worth the trip. The park is just three hours from Portland, making a weekend trip from the state’s craft coffee-filled capital an easy addition to a longer Oregon journey. So, swing into Portland staples VooDoo Doughnuts and Stumptown Coffee, and get on the road early!