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Voyage of the Cowdog

5.8+, Sport, 260 ft (79 m), 3 pitches,  Avg: 3.3 from 568 votes
FA: Jon Bates FFA Jon and Heather Bates
Oregon > Central Oregon > Smith Rock > (a) Picnic Lunch Wall
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Description

Pitch one starts at the top of the gully separating the table scraps wall from ship rock. Climb an easy slab that wanders right into a steepening water groove and exit onto the ridge through a shallow chimney (5.8). Pitch two consists of basically moving the belay 60' up the scenic ridge to the base of the final pitch (5.5). Pitch three is the money pitch that justifies the mediocre 1st and 2nd pitch. Climb the airy slab through several steep bulges to a crux high step with entire height of the Picnic lunch wall beneath you (5.8).

Location

This route is located between table scraps wall and ship rock at the top of the gully. Hike up past the shipwreck wall until a faint trail takes off right, under the table scraps wall and then switchbacks up the gully, please try to find this path as the hillside is fragile. Walk off(adventurous/reccomended) to the misery ridge trail or rap the route(difficult) with at least a 60m rope that will BARELY make it down to the base of the third pitch and barely make down to the ground on the first pitch(use knots at the end of the rope). Rapping down the shallow gulley climbers left seems to be the best on the second pitch. This was one of the last routes to make the new guide book and it was quickly rated with only a few ascents before the new book went to print, therefore it got rated harder than it is. That being said, this is not your average 5.8 Smith sport route with manicured rock, avoid if loose rock bothers you...

Protection

Bolts, Helmet, lifestyles

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Photo by Tyler Roemer<br>
[Hide Photo] Photo by Tyler Roemer
 VOTCD. Photo  by Tylerroemer.com
[Hide Photo] VOTCD. Photo by Tylerroemer.com
Walk-off of the Cowdog - close-up
[Hide Photo] Walk-off of the Cowdog - close-up
All pitches visible w/climbers at each pitch
[Hide Photo] All pitches visible w/climbers at each pitch
Taking my mom up VOTC to celebrate the one year anniversary of when she decided to start climbing at 63 years old.
[Hide Photo] Taking my mom up VOTC to celebrate the one year anniversary of when she decided to start climbing at 63 years old.
this is the approach There is a trail the entire way although it is slightly loose gravel From about halfway up so try not to kick rocks down on your friends
[Hide Photo] this is the approach There is a trail the entire way although it is slightly loose gravel From about halfway up so try not to kick rocks down on your friends
The rope clearly marks the 3rd pitch of the route.
[Hide Photo] The rope clearly marks the 3rd pitch of the route.
View from the top of pitch 3.
[Hide Photo] View from the top of pitch 3.
3 pitch
[Hide Photo] 3 pitch
Jay topping out on the last pitch
[Hide Photo] Jay topping out on the last pitch
Leader on the 3rd pitch, as viewed from the smith rock bivouac area
[Hide Photo] Leader on the 3rd pitch, as viewed from the smith rock bivouac area
Pitch 2 and 3
[Hide Photo] Pitch 2 and 3

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] Spectacular last pitch, fun climbing with a great position. May 22, 2010
Honeymelon
Crestline Ca.
  5.9-
[Hide Comment] Absolutely, Hands down the best finish to a two and a half pitch 5.9 sport route EVER!!! The exposure is incredible. Super Fun. Jun 27, 2010
BSwett
Bend, Or.
 
[Hide Comment] Whoever took the time to go buy bolts, haul a drill up there, find the line, clean it and put it up for us deserves my most sincere thanks. The position, the views, and the moves of this voyage are phenomenal. All three pitches are lots of fun. I was smiling for three days after I came down from it. That third pitch is as exciting and exposed as the famous 'Panic Point" on the monkey.
I was tempted to rappel all the way down from the anchors atop the 2nd pitch, but I think i would have knocked some huge rocks on top of myself. Instead me and my partner lowered/downclimb belayed each other to the 1st pitch anchors (from the ledge below the 3rd) and then rappeled down. Next time I'll try walking up and around. Sep 17, 2010
Richard Denker
Portland OR
[Hide Comment] This is a reasonable good climb. The start of the climb is at the very end of the walkable part of the gully between Table Scraps and the backside of Picnic Lunch Wall. The upper part of the first pitch appears to be skanky, but despite its appearance it was solid. The first pitch is just short of 35m long. The second pitch is harder then 5.2 (as reported in the guidebook) more like 5.4/5 and it is not on top of the ridge but on the right side, giving it really neat exposer. The third pitch is great. Though the high step near the end of the third pitch is considered the crux, I think the first pitch was harder.

Getting off it is a bit of an adventure. At the top are two sets of anchors. The best-located anchor to rap off has a bad bolt. The other does not have chains and the biners left on it pinches the rope so it can not be pulled (I know, I had to prusik up the rope, realizing that unless we leave more biners there was no way we felt conformable in rapping, besides rapping the second pitch would also have been problematic, considering it is a low angle ridge, so we walked off in our rock shoes). Note we had a 70m rope, so I was not concern in rappelling the first pitch, but it appears that it would be a close call with a 60m rope. The walk off has an easy but exposed move (bolt protected), an unprotected, but not exposed 8’ down climb (or lower to a point where you drop the last few feet) and a long round about path to Aggro Gully. Apr 11, 2011
[Hide Comment]
  • ***The second rappel bolt is gone on the final pitch****

Today I pulled the bolt out with my hand. I removed it so no one would haphazardly clip it. Once replaced, a 60 meter rope barely makes it back to anchors. From there down climb the second pitch. A final rappel just makes it to the ground at the highest point - tie knots! May 16, 2011
[Hide Comment] The right anchor bolt at the top of the third pitch is blown again, and needs replacing, as it is very loose in the hole and ready to go. Oct 14, 2011
Toby Butterfield
Portland, OR
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Thanks for putting this up, Jon. Really a great route with outrageous position considering the difficulty. I ran up this with a friend of mine at the end of a beautiful winter day, and it was just a blast. Definitely a memory I'll hold onto for a while!

The exposure on the third pitch is great. I would recommend folks be a bit careful on this route as it is fairly new and some of the rock is still loose; I kicked off a softball sized chunk on P3 and watched it free fall a few hundred feet and land perilously close to the trail.

As of yesterday (14 Jan 2012) I did not notice anything wrong with the rap bolts on top of P3, nor any of the other anchor bolts on the route. I did not use the "normal" bolts on top of P3 so I can't speak to their quality. Jan 16, 2012
Derrick Peppers
Terrebonne, OR
 
[Hide Comment] Did this route two days ago. The left fat bolt moves. Not just the hanger but the bolt itself moved about a sixteenth of an inch in every direction. Great third pitch. worth the trudge up the first two pitches for sure. Apr 5, 2012
Nate Ball

  5.8
[Hide Comment] Wowzers is this an epic! First pitch is relatively clean, straightforward, and nothing short of awesome vertical 5.8. Second pitch is nicely protected, short, and 5-easy. Third pitch... well, it still needs some cleaning. A whopper-sized chunk came off in my hand, which had obviously been a primary hold, but was amongst a plethora of other big holds. This may have set the tone for the higher climbing, but my heart was in my throat as I pulled the final bulge. All hardware is solid... just hope the rock is too. The grade in the guidebook is inflated due to the exposure, in my opinion.

Just uphill from the top-out is a really nice picnic spot.

Now, the walk-off... well, it would have been nice if Watts' had mentioned that it included a bolt-aid pull over a hump 30 yards beyond the anchors, and a rappel from a single generously-placed nut and locker down to a ledge with a memorial plaque (someone tried to downclimb this and died?) and another hundred yards of meandering above sheer cliffs before joining the main hiker's trail. So now I'm mentioning it in case you think the "...or walk off" bit sounds casual enough to follow without consideration. May 1, 2012
JonBates
cody, wy
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] More concerning the walk-off: I haven't been back to smittys in quite awhile so I'm living vicariously through the internet and drawing off foggy memories but, the walk off can be done without rappelling. It is exposed almost all the way to the trail but the really sketchy areas can be belayed off of bolts (if they're still there). There is the obvious bolt on the boulder problem move to exit the perch at the top of the p-lunch wall and if you walk up and to the left after this move there is a bolt hidden above the slab which can be used to belay a second on the boulder problem and while they down climb the 4th class slab which should be down-climbed before traversing towards the trail. I'm pretty sure if you don't go down the slab you'll end up cliffed out above the memorial plaque. After the slab traverse by a tree and traverse the ledge that is level with the plaque and then 4th class to the right up a ramp to another slab that cuts back left towards the trail. I'm pretty sure this is how it goes, I'd hate to see someone get hurt up there. May 3, 2012
[Hide Comment] Fantastic climb with a spectacular 3rd pitch! The rock is also way more solid than you would think just by looking at it, especially on the first pitch.

As of June 29th, the right bolt of the lower, beefier bolts (I assume intended to allow a 60m rap) was loose, with the bolt itself wiggling in the hole. Upper set of bolts were solid though, and someone left some pretty fresh-looking 7mm cord with a couple of quick links that could probably be used to rappel for the next few months. Could use actual rappel chains on top. That being said, we climbed with our packs and did the walk off.

A few notes on the walk off:

The bolt protecting the first boulder move out of the perch (great lunch spot) is still there and takes the sketchiness out of what would otherwise be a very precarious move (not hard, just exposed). We initially stayed high as we traversed after the boulder move only to run up against the 10' unprotected down climb. Instead of down climbing we backtracked and scrambled down an easy low-angle slab (fine without a belay although we would have used it if we'd known there was a bolt) and then traversed below the down climb and scrambled back up to where the plaque is located. From here we continued traversing, following a faint use-trail along the top of Picnic Lunch Wall. After the plaque we went high over another jut of rock and did a short scramble down the back side to a wide sandy area full of sagebrush. From here it was a short hike up to the Misery Ridge Trail following a much more distinct use trail. Overall the walk off was fine, but it really does merit more than Alan Watt's one sentence.

Final Note: If you do rap with a 60m rope, tie knots! We met another group as we started the walk off and they said the rope just barely reached the 2nd anchor station from the top. Jul 2, 2012
Nate Ball

  5.8
[Hide Comment] We climbed it yesterday before the wicked storm hit. The left bolt on both the 1st and 2nd pitch anchors are loose; hole is blown out a bit, and the bolts themselves wiggle a bit.

Lots of crispy rock up there still. The spice adds to the overall flavor.

Confirmed the slabby walk off, which is now marked by cairns. Aug 26, 2013
marmot marmot
Eugene, OR
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Whether climbing this route on a busy or slow day, I recommend walking off. It is a bit exposed, but if you rappel down, you're guaranteed to shower the Picnic Lunch Wall with loose rock from your ropes. That aside, the rope drag is horrendous, especially if you try to do it in two rappels. May 27, 2014
Aaron Nash
North Bend, WA
  5.9
[Hide Comment] As of SEP2014, all bolts were fine, all anchors had nice rap rings on them. The raps are fine and easier than the walk-off. Not sure how you'd "shower" PLW with rocks unless you really tried...

Bring two extra draws and link the first two pitches together to save on time. It'll go with a 60 and a bit of drag.

Great route. Thanks for putting it up. Sep 2, 2014
Tony Litke
La Crosse, WI
  5.9 PG13
[Hide Comment] This was my go-to multi-pitch at Smith with newish climbers. I gave it a PG-13 rating just because I've seen rocks fall on two occasions (you might want a helmet if you're belaying the first pitch). Lots of exposure and a very memorable climb! Top-notch. Mar 4, 2015
Jrd311
 
[Hide Comment] fun route Pretty easy climbing overall. second pitch felt like very easy fifth class kind of funky Bolting I used one 24 inch sling on the entire route. third pitch wAs is super cool with great exposure.my only real suggestion is towards the top of the third pitch I was a little too far left the last bolts or two and The Rock quality definitely not as good and one of the jugs I grabbed fairly large block shifted stay straight up or right of The bolt line and it's smooth sailing to the top. we rAppelled the route with a 70 meter In three raps 2nd pitch was a little interesting but two people new to multi pitch had no problem with the whole route and had a blast. you can walk off which is kind of a long trip back around or rAppel which wasn't the greatest but no problem really. go with your gut on the descent. the views are absolutely worth the climb Great for the grade. Apr 16, 2015
Obi
Portland, OR
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Just going to re-iterate most of the comments about the loose holds on P1 and P3. Getting small pebbles rained upon ye ole brain bucket seems to be the thing for P1. P3 has some soft ball to head sized blocks that are loose / hollow and ready to come off - too bad too since they're the obvious jugs for the route.

All in all a good route with a view at the end of P3 that is hard to beat. That being said I would have given it more stars if I didn't have to think about breaking holds off and raining death and destruction on my belayer and/or hikers on the trail below. Apr 27, 2015
Lan Dogan
Portland, OR
  5.9
[Hide Comment] We did not link pitches 1 and 2, but looked easily doable with minimal drag if you used long slings for pitch 2. Pitch 3 is money. Jun 3, 2015
nicktucker
Portland, OR
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] Third pitch is definitely the money pitch! It's also home to the most loose rock on the route, and some of the loose jugs probably affect the grade. You can rap the 2nd pitch, but you'll take a big swing to climber's left if you're not careful. We did it in about 3 hours, 2 weeks ago for my friend's first multi-pitch. Great route to top out to watch the sunset! Jun 30, 2015
[Hide Comment] No. Just no to everything everyone has said about this climb. The only 3 star part of this route is the top out and the exposure you are climbing with. First of all, almost every hold on the first pitch is ready to blow if you were to crank on them. At no point on the first pitch did I or my partner feel secure. At the belay station for the second pitch, be careful because there are copious amounts of small pebbles and rocks that are ready to fall on your partner. Helmets are not suggested they are an absolute must. The second pitch is not easy either, with heavy exposure, it will get the blood pumping for any confident climber. While the third pitch is cool, it is not something to be taken lightly. Many huge portions of rock sound like they will break and most of the bolts are far apart. Do not be fooled by the rating, this climb will freak you out. Someone said they would give it a PG-13 rating, I would agree in the sense that if you were to take a fall while clipping any of the number of bolts it would surely suck. Be very careful and take note of other potential climbers on the crags below. Would I climb this route again? No. Would I suggest it? Sure. Should you climb it? Not if it is your first multi-pitch, it will scare you into single pitch crags for the rest of your days. The number one thing I would say is be VERY careful of rock fall, which seems to kind of be the theme at smith rock. There are many other quality routes to hop on, but if you insist on getting after this one, make sure it's sooner rather than later, I don't know how long that rock will hold for before this route becomes harder. Sep 2, 2015
Ben Stabley
Portland, OR
  5.9-
[Hide Comment] On 8/29/2015 (and again on 10/25 when climbing it again) the left bolt of the P1 anchor was loose. The bolt actually wiggled a bit.

It was really windy that day, and some small gravel was being blown down P1 from the dirty ledge above. On normal days, I don't think it would be a problem with a little care. Only other major rockfall concern I experienced would be when rapping P2 back to P1 anchors. Staying rapper's left of the P2 route is a more direct line to the P1 anchors, but has some loose stuff that could be knocked down by feet or when pulling the rope. I didn't notice any terribly loose holds, however.

Cool route, and I would certainly climb it again.

I think considering all the traffic this route sees now, it would be beneficial to explore the possibility of making a separate rappel route--down the gulley for example. Sep 19, 2015
Gavin Echterling
Austin, TX
[Hide Comment] Warning against two rope rappel. Don't do it. Not worth it. We had ours get stuck twice before just going with the single rope way. A single 60m rope will get you to a slanted bolder next to the belay anchors a couple feet off the base of pitch 3. It's a little more precarious, but still fairly safe and won't have knots to get stuck at the top. Sep 20, 2015
Carson Baker
Portland, OR
  5.8
[Hide Comment] I disagree in every way with C. Jake. This was a fun, mellow, and well-protected route with little danger. All the bolts were good and the raps were easy. I also recommend linking pitch 1 and 2 to speed things along. We rapped with a 70m rope from the top to the pitch 2 anchors, and then to pitch 1 anchors, and then down to the ground. We kicked off a few tiny pebbles, but nothing serious. I was careful when grabbing holds, but everything seemed pretty solid -- I wasn't really concerned with breaking anything. Thanks Jon! Nov 10, 2015
[Hide Comment] Lots of hollow scary holds on the final pitch, but overall the climbing doesn't seem as scary or intense as some are making it out to be. You can avoid the worst holds and use other ones, as there are normally plentiful options. I would agree that helmets are mandatory, something big is bound to pop off this climb occasionally. Got our rope stuck on the 2nd pitch while rappeling. It would probably be better to downclimb it on belay, as someone else suggested. Mar 28, 2016
Tim Sherry
Portland, OR
 
[Hide Comment] Based on what C.jake wrote, I'm wondering if he was on the right climb.

Definitely wear a helmet as top of pitch 1 has a lot of loose dirt and pebbles. Pitch 1 was solid face climbing. Didn't feel like anything was hollow. Also, I\if you're needing to "crank" on any holds, maybe you aren't paying attention to your footwork. Pitch 2 is just kinda a dirty short scramble. Pitch 3 is solid and money. Jun 1, 2016
Max Tepfer
Bend, OR
[Hide Comment] I'd agree that C.jake's concerns about rock quality are largely unfounded/their reaction is out of proportion to reality. That being said, many of the holds on the first and third pitches are a little creaky and/or have hairline fractures all around them.

More importantly, I feel like this route merits an R rating. The run outs are on super-easy climbing, but there are certainly points on the (slabby) first and third pitches that the leader could take huge rides. (at one point on the third, you could easily hit the belay ledge if you totally botched it) Regardless, not for the budding 5.8 leader. Jun 18, 2016
Steven Higdon
Rhododendron, OR
[Hide Comment] I agree with anyone who claims the quality of the route is anything less than stellar. There is one softball site block on P3 that's a bit loose, but was chalked and rechalked by myself and my climbing partner on Saturday 9/3/16. The Anchors on top of P1 are a little wobbly, but so long as you don't yank on them straight up, you'll be fine.

P1 (5.8) bomber holds and a fun little finish.

P2 (4th class) safe and fun with good 4th class exposure

P3 (5.9, because of the high-step) Bomber holds and tons of beautiful exposure Sep 6, 2016
Sarah Lydecker
Portland, OR
 
[Hide Comment] Fun climb! I recommend shorter climbers bring something to extend the anchor with at the top of the second pitch. Makes for a kind of uncomfortable almost-hanging belay otherwise. Sep 19, 2016
[Hide Comment]
The obvious bolt that protects the exposed move on the walk off appeared to be missing a hanger yesterday, 10/8/16. Does anyone have info about this? Oct 9, 2016
NickCov
Truckee, CA
 
[Hide Comment] Worth doing for the last pitch alone. Approach following the nice steps all the way up the gully to the black looking slab, the only bolted line in the area.

Link P1 and P2. Pitch 1 seemed mostly cleaned up but still some loose stuff. I only clipped 2 directional bolts on P2 to minimize rope drag.

P3 was fun exposed 5.8. We rappelled the route in 3 rappels with no problem. Rap from the top to the P2 Belay. Rappel from the P2 belay to the top of pitch 1. Be sure to carry both ends of the rope on slings rather than throwing them- this way you can avoid knocking off any loose rock. If you knock off any rocks they will go straight down picnic lunch wall onto the crowded paths that contain hundreds of people so be very careful. Simply walk backwards to the top of P1 belay paying out your rope as you go. If you were to slip and fall here it would be a nasty pendulum so don't slip. From start to being back on the ground we were done in about 90 minutes with a party of 3. Oct 17, 2016
Caleb Berghoff
Helena, MT
[Hide Comment] P1-5.8
P2-5.0 or 4th
P3-5.9 (I thought the hardest part on the third pitch was getting over the bulge right before the chains)

Overall it was a great route with good protection and exposure and an amazing summit. The rock quality was good overall, however there was some loose stuff on the first pitch. P3 felt solid though. Rapping down P2 is a bit of a hassle because its such a low angle. I carried the rope down the first half and then threw it after the angle got steeper. Mar 11, 2017
Byron Igoe
  5.8 PG13
[Hide Comment] There are multiple loose flakes, each with a chalk X on them, but the bolts seem secure. If you do this, I recommend walking off. The position on VOTCD is unique, but Wherever I May Roam and Dirty Pinkos are both much better experiences. Jun 5, 2017
BendB
Bend, OR
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] Enjoyable route with an ending position that justifies the approach and time. I linked P1+P2 like suggested above, but soloed the chossy gully to the left of the normal route. I brought some alpine draws, but even with these it felt like the rope drag wasn't worth it. Next time I would bring a couple of really long (48in+) and clip the two traverse bolts. Note: the anchors on P1 had loose bolts and hangers. Oct 1, 2017
PortlandRob
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Did this route 9/30/2017. The bolts on top of P1 both seem to be slightly loose. This would be concerning enough if everyone walked off this route, but many prefer to rap. I would not trust 2 loose bolts as my only protection for rapping. Better to walk off, which is really not that bad. The very easy (V0)"boulder move" you first encounter is indeed very exposed, but there is a bolt and hanger you can attach personal pro to while you pull over/around it so it feels totally safe. A few moments later there is a ~8 ft drop you have to downclimb/hop down. Not exposed at all - big platform you drop to. Downclimb a few feet of ~V2 then hop the remaining 3 feet or so. Then descend the Misery Ridge trail. Oct 2, 2017
Geordi Alm
Mesa
[Hide Comment] Are the lower bolts at the end of P3 safe? From the photos, it looks like some people choose not to use those. Will be climbing this in a few days... Excited! Oct 19, 2017
Chris Walden
Soldotna, Alaska
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Adding to the comments the bolts at the top of P1 are both loose. On the last pitch trend right and enjoy the 4 star exposure! Nov 9, 2017
[Hide Comment] The bolts on pitch one's anchors are loose and not in good shape. There is a good .5 camalot placement to back up the anchors if you wish to do so. Watch the loose stuff on pitch 3. Overall great route! Nov 27, 2017
Ryan O
Portland, OR
[Hide Comment] +1 on the suggestion to use a BD #0.5 to backup the two very loose anchor bolts on top of pitch 1. The bolts wiggle and spin, not just the hanger. Great route. Walk-off to Misery Ridge is lower risk than previously suggested. Walk back and right from top anchors to an obvious 4 foot ledge to mantle with one bolt on top, you can clip a PAS or sling to the bolt to protect the move if you want. Hug the cliff band to a 8-10f downclimb/jump drop and continues walking along the cloffband untill you can walk uphill to the main trail. Feb 5, 2018
Sarah Schlaefke
Salt Lake City, UT
 
[Hide Comment] Great route, would really like some clear signage, though, if the route is still closed or not. I heard from a few people, plus the Smith Rock website, that the route was closed due to falcons, but then saw at least 10 parties climbing on it the day beforehand. I remember last year they had warning signs posted to keep climbers off closed routes. Would be great if those were reinstated. May 8, 2018
John Sullivan
Eugene, OR
 
[Hide Comment] As of 5/27/2018, there were no dangerous anchors as previously described. The only dangerous aspect of this route, in my opinion, was the rock quality. Nothing broke, but there are plenty of flexing holds that, if broke off, could hit your belayer or hikers hundreds of feet below... Tread lightly and be selective of your choice of holds and this is a really fun climb. May 28, 2018
[Hide Comment] Can you link the 2nd and 1st pitch for the rappel down with double ropes? I'm getting a lot of feedback that the walk off is way sketchier than the rapp Sep 22, 2018
C h a d
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] Catdog, there’s a lot of opportunity for the knot in your double rope to snag when you are pulling.

Chad Sep 22, 2018
Max R
Bend
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] BOTH anchor bolts at P1 are loose, not just the hangars. The angle of pull however is perpendicular, so they weren't at risk of ripping out.

If the 3rd pitch were on the ground, it would get gang banged harder than Rope De Dope. All in all a pretty meh experience. Rappelling anchor to anchor was easy, just be mindful of where the rope is. Jan 31, 2019
[Hide Comment] Fun climb! There are jugs everywhere but the exposure ups the pucker factor. Pitch 2 isn't really a pitch. More of a "Let's move the belay up 60 ft." A few loose blocks on Pitch 3 with Xs on them, but what else is new. I really wish there were a bolted route going up the entire exposed face of the Picnic Lunch Wall. The approach puts you already halfway up the peak. So while it feels like you just climbed 600 feet, it's only 2.5 pitches. Pitch 3 is great. Probably the best pitch I did while at Smith Rock. Aug 3, 2019
Jean Hautenauve
evanston
[Hide Comment] Loved the two main pitches of this route, with great views from the last one. It can get a little windy up there. The biggest challenge for our party was finding Misery Ridge trail on the way down. We bouldered over and under a couple of scruffy and sometimes exposed ledges before reaching the trail. I think it's only a first timer's issue but don't underestimate the walk down, good approach shoes will make a difference. Sep 9, 2019
[Hide Comment] Warning!! BOTH bolts at top of first pitch are loose. The bolts themselves, not just the hangers!! Left a bail biner because we were sketched out. Otherwise awesome climb!! (Well, awesome third pitch as everyone else says) Feb 15, 2020
JonBates
cody, wy
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] Anyone please feel free to replace these chronically loose ANCHOR bolts with something quality. Jun 19, 2020
[Hide Comment] First and second pitch can be linked with a 60m rope. Bring some long slings...120cm or longer are worthwhile here to reduce rope drag. Let your follower know to traverse more right and not follow the rope line, unless they like a challenge. Jul 10, 2020
Max Tepfer
Bend, OR
[Hide Comment] Jon it's on the todo list. Hopefully we'll get to it next winter. Jul 24, 2020
Artem Vee
Portland, OR
[Hide Comment] Climbed in 18 minutes and 5 seconds as 4th route part of 4 route gate to gate linkup. Would protect this one the most - tons of treacherous holds. Aug 7, 2020
[Hide Comment] Splendid route - definitely felt the "+" in the 5.8 + rating, and the bolts have a spicier spacing than you might like if you're not totally solid at the grade (pro tip: I'm not!). If you're up for Adventure Time, the walk-off is fun as well. I added a few photos that map the walk-off route; they should help after you read all the walk-off beta in the comments - enjoy! Aug 20, 2020
JonBates
cody, wy
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] Thanks max, go billy style on those anchors and that walk off picture is spot on thanks Aug 20, 2020
Max Tepfer
Bend, OR
[Hide Comment] The P1 anchor got rebolted today. Some thoughts: First off, lots of folks would benefit from learning the difference between a spinning hanger and a spinning stud. They were mostly fine. They were mixed SS and PS hangers and studs and had slight corrosion at the inner threads, but nothing crazy or that dangerous, especially for 1/2" studs. Given that we'd hauled everything up there, so many had complained, and that the anchor location was a little low, we decided to bump it up to a better stance a bit higher. We considered the fact that this would change the rap, but felt that it was worth it. Importantly this means that what was already a close rap with a 60 is now even closer. I rappelled it with a 60m rope without issue today, but my ends were barely on the ground. I've since gone back with a different 60 and come up slightly short. (as have others) Given that a 60 is a little short for the rap off the 3rd pitch as well, it's probably best to bring a 70 up there or be prepared for a little weirdness.

I'd also add that I've had better success rapping the line of ascent on P2 as opposed to the gully climber's left of the line described above. Both work, but it's harder to pull the rope if you go down the gully. (easier to rap though) Oct 14, 2020
Alexander Gorobets
Redmond, WA
 
[Hide Comment] As of May 2021 - all bolts on stations are solid. There was one loose bolt on pitch 3 I think. We descended the route - rappelled pitches 3 and 1 and downclimbed pitch 2. Because of low angle of pitch 2 and the fact that it basically follows the crest, rappelling it seemed awkward. May 5, 2021
Valessa Spratley
Berkeley
[Hide Comment] Solid bolts. We used a 70m and we’re able to rappel down P3 and P1. Recommend not rappelling down P2 since rope might get caught. We belayed each other down P2. P1 rope pull is a little tricky but doable.
We were advise by locals to not try the hike down since it is a bit sketchy. Oct 4, 2021
Brad W
 
[Hide Comment] Great route to learn multi pitch. You get absolutely stunning views once you make it to the first belay. The second pitch is really a scramble. The third pitch is really amazing getting some great views and exposure. Go right at the last bolt! Feb 3, 2022
Heather Q
Boise, ID
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] Approach is well-developed now. Stairs etc. Not slippery.

Bolts all solid - couple of hangers were spinners but bolts were good.

Third pitch was stunning. Stay right for the good stuff.

Rapped w 70m. Used saddle bag. Don’t throw your rope. Jun 20, 2022
[Hide Comment] Fun fun fun. Last pitch is great, especially at sunset! Jun 25, 2022
[Hide Comment] Amazing route, we enjoyed it more than Wherever I May Roam. Third pitch is a true classic, must do! Rapped third pitch, both lowered on pitch two, rapped pitch 1, all with a 70M. Jul 7, 2022
Jay Fried
Salt Lake City, UT
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] Loved the route, fantastic views, fun moves. The third pitch has some loose holds right near bolts, be careful out there.

Did the walk-off descent after sunset, thank you to the folks who commented details because otherwise it would have been tricky getting down in the dark! Even with headlamps a little spooky. Sep 9, 2022
[Hide Comment] Big loose rock in the 3rd pitch. Couldn’t take it off, but it will come off someday. Oct 15, 2022
[Hide Comment] Climbed today and hiked off. Put X's on two holds on the third pitch. One was bigger, on the upper half of the pitch. The other was smaller and almost pried off in the hands. It was near the last bolt or two of the climb. Oct 31, 2022
Laust Deleuran
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] Solid climb, the last pitch is where it's at. Such amazing views, and pretty fun climbing.
Only saw 2 bolts on P2, but didn't feel too sketchy by Smith standards.

Walk-off was good, don't let the comments here scare you too much. The drop-off can be avoided by following the lower path marked by cairns. Follow the map in this photo: mountainproject.com/photo/1…. Mar 13, 2023
[Hide Comment] A few pieces of beta after doing this route 4 times:

Please don't rappel this route! This route is so popular that you are pretty much guaranteed to cause a huge hang up for everyone coming up behind you. On three of my ascents, parties rappelling above us caused 15+ minute delays. The walk off is not bad at all, especially if you follow the photo that Laust linked to in the photo above mine. Leave all your gear that you aren't bringing on the climb at the bottom of Shipwreck gully, so you don't have to hike up again to get it after coming down Misery Ridge.

Most recently, I was able to do this as a party of 3 with a single 70m rope. One person tied into the middle. We almost ran out of rope on both longer pitches but still had a few feet to spare. For this method, the more people that use a PAS instead of attaching themselves to the anchor with the rope, the better. That said, only one person in our crew used one. Mar 19, 2023
Sabine Scott
San Juan Capistrano, CA
[Hide Comment] The walkoff was straightforward and felt secure! We used the beta photo (so helpful, thank you), but even following the obvious footpath and cairns would have worked well. The rappel would be a pain because of rockfall and traffic jams. Apr 9, 2023
Henry Sheridan
Colorado Springs
 
[Hide Comment] Ran up Voyage of the Cowdog in the evening, great route. It is a little higher up the gully than you might expect, keep hiking until the slabby start. Pitch 1 and 2 should definitely be linked, this is not a 3-pitch climb. The 3rd pitch is airy and epic, wave to Mom in the parking lot and be careful on the descent. Apr 17, 2023
Adam Cutler
Kennebunk, ME
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] Some people are saying you can do this with a 60m rope, and you can get away with it but I'd HIGHLY recommend a 70m. We watched someone rap the 3rd and 1st pitches on their 60 today and it came up like 4-6 feet short of the ground. It was ok with rope stretch and a little finagling but personally I wouldn't want to try it. Otherwise, AMAZING route. Jun 19, 2023
Leon Wright
Portland, OR
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] Walk off is highly recommended on a weekend. Rapping this route on a busy day is a bit of a rodeo.

Climbed this on a busy Saturday (10/14/23). There was a group of three doing top rope laps on the top pitch! 7 groups were backed up behind them for hours. After this, they proceeded to not only rap the whole route but lower each other down every pitch past about 6 parties with no regard to anyone else. This spectacle could even be clearly witnessed from the parking lot (according to other climbers the next day). Having to wait an hour at a ledge while still being on belay (because the anchors were all full) is a drag. It's a good route for a newer multi pitch climber but it is wise to plan ahead and start early. Oct 16, 2023
Serge S
Seattle, WA
[Hide Comment] Walk-off tips: (1) Don't leave stuff at the base - steep hike to retrieve it; (2) don't unrope at the summit - you'll climb around an exposed 2-bolt obstacle in a minute; (3) if you reach an 8-foot drop, backtrack a few steps and go around. Nov 6, 2023