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lollipopchic
Feb 4, 2007, 11:23 AM
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Hi guys,
forgive my ignorance of the climate of Smith Rocks, but what is the climbing like during June-August. Is it possible to climb? is it too hot? perfect temperatures? Or if anyone can point me to some websites with info on the weather.
Thanks a bunch
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mattyp
Feb 4, 2007, 11:38 AM
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At Smith there will always be something in the shade as the rock runs mostly north-south. Just find a route in the shade and the river is right there at the base. Always nice for a cool dip. Who knows though, maybe they banned swimming since I was last there. Good luck. Central Oregon is the best.
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bent_gate
Feb 4, 2007, 11:55 AM
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You can definitely climb then but my opinion is that it can sometimes be uncomfortably hot June - August. The average daily high temperature in the local town is 28 degrees celcius. Up at Smith Rock State park it always seems 3-4 degrees C warmer. (and that's the average high, it can be 4 degrees up or down from there)
http://www.weather.com/...ph/97760?locid=97760
http://www.weather.com/...PSR?from=search_vert
Especially the "Front Side" in the sun feels like being in a reflector oven. But a lot of people hit the "Back Side" in the shade where it is more bearable. Really, Spring and Fall are the more temperate times to go. But it depends on what level of heat you can tolerate. If it is the only time that you can make it there, then do it. I wouldn't let it deter you from going climbing. You can find something in the shade. The place is great, don't miss out.
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herbaltee
Feb 5, 2007, 1:47 AM
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Too hot. Climb in Squamish.
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wrbill
Feb 5, 2007, 2:03 AM
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June is not that bad, it does not start getting to hot till mid July to the end of August. Plus like people have said, you can always find shade. If you want I will be happy to climb with you and show you around. I go to Smith about 10 to 15 times a year, just email me or send me a PM.
Bill
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leapinlizard
Feb 5, 2007, 3:18 AM
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My advice is when you go, get up early and get on the rock while it is still cool out, then take the afternoon to relax, hit Redpoint Climbers supply ans then bout 4:30 head back out, it will be beautiful when you get back out there. Just my two cents, but I have climbed there in July, and that is the way I reccomend it.
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Davey
Feb 5, 2007, 7:21 AM
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Yea this is the way to go
Smith Rock is da bomb, not worth missing because of weather
P.s. Get a parking pass. Coming back to the car after a long day of climbing only to find it towed sucks.
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matttt
Feb 5, 2007, 8:32 PM
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mattyp wrote: Just find a route in the shade and the river is right there at the base. Always nice for a cool dip.
it's hilarious to see people swimming in the crooked river. ever seen a local do it?
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herbaltee
Feb 5, 2007, 8:38 PM
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you should add "and coming out of the Crooked River with a rash"
Yeah the only way you could get me in the pesticide ridden river is if a bear was chasing me. And even then I might have a better shot at attacking the bear.
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Davey
Feb 5, 2007, 9:11 PM
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Wow made that mistake one time and it was the last time.
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david_smithrock
Feb 6, 2007, 1:08 AM
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I cool down in the Crooked River all the time! My friend (who's also a local) takes his kids in it probably three times a week during the summer as well.
People always assume it's polluted, but that's mostly a myth. It gets tested regularly, and last I heard (maybe two years ago) it's clean. It comes out of the Prineville reservouir (where people swim and fish all the time) and only flows through about 25 miles of mostly ranching land before hitting Smith. It's not like there's a toxic waste dump out here in Central Oregon that it has to meander through! 
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fancyclaps
Feb 6, 2007, 1:48 AM
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Bwahahahahaha, 82 is uncomfortably hot?
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Davey
Feb 6, 2007, 1:56 AM
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The last time I swam in it was three years ago and a day latter there were rashes were they shouldn't be. You are probably right it was most likely a fluke. I might have to give it a try this spring.
Thanks
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mattyp
Feb 6, 2007, 1:57 AM
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Um, yeah. I was a local for 10 years. We swam in the river just about every time we visited Smith Rocks. And no. I never got a rash. I haven't been back to Smith in about 4 years though.
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Davey
Feb 6, 2007, 2:32 AM
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Wow I guess I hit a nerve with all the ‘locals’ if you really want me to post some pics I will but I don’t want to have to go there. Like my previous post stated it was probably just a crazy one in a million incident.
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matttt
Feb 6, 2007, 7:21 AM
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david_smithrock wrote: I cool down in the Crooked River all the time! My friend (who's also a local) takes his kids in it probably three times a week during the summer as well. People always assume it's polluted, but that's mostly a myth. It gets tested regularly, and last I heard (maybe two years ago) it's clean. It comes out of the Prineville reservouir (where people swim and fish all the time) and only flows through about 25 miles of mostly ranching land before hitting Smith. It's not like there's a toxic waste dump out here in Central Oregon that it has to meander through!
myth? most likely. however, i don't know a single person that regularly swims in it no matter how oppressive the heat may be.
just read the mt. hood article in bend living. pretty good, just wish it could have been longer.
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mattyp
Feb 6, 2007, 12:21 PM
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Well, Smith isn't a swimming destination. It's just like swimming in the Deschutes down at Mirror Pond. We did it all the time when I ran cross country in high school. Back flips off the bridge were the most fun.
I don't understand why people are so picky about what they will swim in. They won't touch it if the water isn't crystal clear. A bunch of water snobs if you ask me.
Davey, maybe your rash was from fish poop or some kind of algae. I've gotten rashes from swimming in chlorinated pools. You just never know what can react with your skin like that.
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vaness
Feb 6, 2007, 11:48 PM
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i went to smith rock in august this summer. yes climbing in the sun was hot but we did it. when it got to hot we went to the other side. there is always shade somewhere. there was this one little gorge we went to at smith rock. i forget the name but there were mostly trad climbs and when it got too hot you just crossed the river to the other side and it was cooler.
as for swimming: someone at one of the gear shops in town gave un directions to a little swimming place where there were rocks to jump off and stuff like that. it was maybe a half mile hike but there were alot of people swimming there so i dont think it was gross water or anything.
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lollipopchic
Feb 10, 2007, 3:17 PM
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Thanks for all the replies guys.
herbaltee wrote: Too hot. Climb in Squamish.
I'll actually be flying in to Vancouver at the end of May and will go climbing at Squamish for a bit, who knows maybe I'll never make it to the US and end up staying the whole time in Canada.
bent_gate wrote: You can definitely climb then but my opinion is that it can sometimes be uncomfortably hot June - August. The average daily high temperature in the local town is 28 degrees celcius. Up at Smith Rock State park it always seems 3-4 degrees C warmer. (and that's the average high, it can be 4 degrees up or down from there) Spring and Fall are the more temperate times to go. But it depends on what level of heat you can tolerate. If it is the only time that you can make it there, then do it. I wouldn't let it deter you from going climbing. You can find something in the shade. The place is great, don't miss out.
Thanks for that - having climbed a bit in the hot Australian summer, I know the heat doesn't make for the most ideal conditions, but I reckon as you said since this will probably be the only chance in a while I'll be in the US I think I'll just sweat it out and climb.
As for the river, well I guess I'll have to see it when I get down there and decide for myself whether I want to swim in it!
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