PRINT: Rock Climb Friday's Jinx, Smith Rock

Friday's Jinx

5.7+, Trad, 150 ft (45 m),

Avg: 2.5 from 62 votes
FA: Dean and Paul Fry
Oregon > Central Oregon > Smith Rock > (i) The Fourth Horseman

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

With an ominous description in the Watt's guide about decking and hospital trips, this route was not at the top of my to-do list. But after several trips of not being able to find an open bolted route to warm up on, we brought the rack, and found this route. It was better than expected, but not as good as Pack Animal.

I linked the pitches with a 70m rope. What I found was a stiff first pitch (I mistakenly did the Infinity Variation, 10-, the real approach pitch of Friday's Jinx is better.) with poor rock and not great gear. The top pitch, however, was great - a long, fairly technical dihedral. There are actually some moves on this thing! The gear and rock are good on the second pitch. For someone looking to warm up for the dihedral on Zebra Zion, this pitch would be a good way to do it.

Unfortunately, the chains are too high to allow a single rappel with a 70m rope.

Location

Right of Infinity Crack in the Four Horseman, and left of the two 5.10s.

Protection

Set of nuts, cams from yellow alien to #3 camalot. You could bring an extra #2 camalot. Top and middle anchors rebolted by the HDCA on 2022-12-28.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The second pitch is a clean corner that's surprisingly vertical.

The crack on the second pitch

Just below the crux on the first pitch

First move around arete.

First moves on the first pitch. After clipping the only bolt, move up and right to the arete. Crux move just below the anchors.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Shapp

If you use double rope method for leading, which really helps with rope drag on the first pitch, then rapping is not a problem, besides you can walk right around the corner and rap cinamon slab. A second set of anchors at the top would be lame. Actaully, when I first climbed this route in about 1992, there were not bolts at the top. You could get a big stopper in the slot and wedge your body for a body belay in the top slot.

For a 5.8 variation, take the first pitch of Fridays jinx, then climb the straight in crack out left for the second pitch. Oct 28, 2009

DWech
Fort Collins

5.7 PG13

Agree with Shapp, but if you don't use a double-rope method, bring long slings to protect P1, as it wanders from side to side. Also agree that anchors on top would be a bad idea, as a party rapping from the top would land right on top of a party launching up P2... just walk over to C Slab and wait for an opportunity to descend into the horde. Jun 1, 2010

Phillip Tearse
Denver, CO

there are chains at the top of p2 and a 60 will get you down in 2 raps. The p2 dihedral is sweet! May 29, 2012

C h a d

5.7+ R

The first pitch is not a casual 5.7 (is it even 5.7?). P2 is fun, aesthetic and easily protectable. Watch out for some loose rock on the dash to the belay notch at the very top.

Chad Feb 18, 2013

Ashort
Las Vegas, NV

Fun climb, but I don't get the R rating in the book. A bolt protects the traverse then there is decent gear. I suppose you could probably still find a way to deck if you fell at the wrong time and blew some gear. The crux on P1 felt a little stiff for 5.7, but it's all there. P2 is really fun! Apr 3, 2014

Ben Bilbrough
Portland, OR

5.8

Great route. I also don't get the R rating. Link the pitches together for a nice climb. Usually open too, so get on it! Would say this is closer to 5.8 in my opinion. The upper dihedral is so fun. Jun 6, 2019

Roberta Zouain
Portland, OR

Easy first pitch leads to a super fun 2nd pitch. I don't know why this is not a more popular route. Oct 15, 2019

Mark Webster
Tacoma

Pitch one can be sewed up fairly well and the grade stays at 7+ if you take the easiest line. It's not the leg breaker it used to be due to a bolt not far above the start as you traverse right. Regarding the rap and or top roping...just don't. Climb the amazing second pitch...bring a full rack up to a couple fist sized blue cams. Yes it's a little chossy on the last 30 feet...but it's Smith, not Yosemite. I've never kicked anything off. From the top, walk climbers left over to a variety of rap stations including Pack Animal and Cinnamon Slab. 60 meter works fine...tie knots of course. Two rappels to get off. You can also walk across the top and downclimb thru the tunnel to the base of Spiderman. This is a stellar route that is never crowded...even when everything else is packed Nov 24, 2021

Andrew Knight
Portland, OR

5.8

80m rope gets to the ground via lower or rappel. 60m can link both pitches NP. Saddlebag if you're rappelling since there's lots of choss. You can walk off if you keep going past the P2 anchors. There's a single bolt at the top top. You pop out near the Spider-man walk-off, so I usually do this as a carryover and shimmy down the slot and go up that. Feb 5, 2022

Stephen Gladieux
Redmond, OR

The Anchors for this route were rebolted on 2022-12-28 by the HDCA. They were left where they were, other than a slight change to the P1 anchors. The best option for coming off this route is just as Andrew suggested, to continue past the P2 anchors on easy terrain through a slot where there is one bolt and gear. Then it is an easy walk to rappel either at Pack Animal or Cinnamon Slab. Dec 29, 2022