PRINT: Rock Climb Shamu, Smith Rock

Shamu

5.9, Sport,

Avg: 2.1 from 214 votes
FA: Alan Watts, JoAnn Miller-Watts, June 1991
Oregon > Central Oregon > Smith Rock > (j) Rope de Dope Block

Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Raptor Nesting Closures Details

JULY 5 UPDATE FROM PARK MANAGEMENT:

ALL SEASONAL CLIMBING CLOSURES FOR CLIMBING AND SLACKLINING WILL BE LIFTED ON FRIDAY, JULY 7TH THIS WEEK.
THANKS, EVERYONE FOR YOUR HELP IN OBSERVING RESTRICTIONS DURING THE NESTING SEASON!

There are many seasonal raptor closures with varying dates and specific boundaries. These generally effect The Monument, Kiss of the Lepers, Picnic Lunch Wall and/or Smith Rock group, and possibly elsewhere. These usually run from February to the beginning of August, but each closure is usually shorter than this, and is dependent on the birds' behavior. Check this site for details: smithrock.com/seasonal-clos…

Description

Tricky and strenuous moves highlight this climb. Given 5.8 in the 1992 guide, this route was listed at 5.9 in a posting by Alan Watts on crag.com back in 1999. A fun, short route that I'd give at the low end of 3 stars.

Location

On the north side of the block. It's the first route left of the NW corner

Protection

8 Bolts to anchor.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Ryan Carroll on one of his first leads.

Karen TR-ing Shamu

Reaching for a draw to clip the second and crux bolt of the route. (Note that even with the first bolt clipped a grounder is possible if the belayer is unattentive.)

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Jonathan Ebbing
Vancouver, WA

5.9

5.9 in Watts' 2010 edition Smith Rock book. Jun 13, 2010

Jason Weinstein
Beaverton, Oregon

5.9

starts with a low crux then fun after bolt 2. Jun 19, 2014

EWRAD Weber
boise, Idaho

Fun climb, but seemed a bit easier than a 5.9. First two bolts are the best part, after it turns into a ramp with easy walk up mentality.

Left rap anchor was loose on 9/26/2015. May need to be replaced soon. Be careful. Sep 28, 2015

M P
Somewhere in the desert

The crux is between the first and second clips. Between the three of us climbing it, all of us had different beta. I went for the (not very obvious) side pull on the right, and then relied on that core training to hold it tight while making the second clip. After that, it's a cruiser. Jul 12, 2017

Carl Sampurna
Boulder, CO

Can be approached from the left for a more delicate/balance-y start, or from the right side for a more powerful/dynamic start Jul 18, 2017

Chris Urtz

If you start on the left and get the footwork right the moves at the beginning aren't too strenuous. Didn't find this to be much more difficult than the 5.7 to the left. Fun problem, even though it mellow out pretty quick. Mar 15, 2021

Kevin Patterson
Lower Hutt, NZ

A good step up from the adjacent 5.7 for aspiring leaders. Sep 3, 2021