Climbing at Smith Day 2

Smith

Aaron on Breakdown in Paradise

Keri on Cosmos

Connor on Zonkers

With a well rested night spent motel'd instead of camped we headed out with renewed vigor and enthusiasm. A little earlier than the day before we arrived at Smith, with Cosmos (5.10a) on our mind.

The first climb of the day came on the Red Wall where Aaron onsighted a 5.10b known as Breakdown in Paradise. With a suprisingly less crowded day we had no trouble getting onto the climb. The rock proved to be a battle ground for Aaron who worked victoriously through the last two bolts and flew through the first two.

After Cosmos we headed through the pass and found our way to the Mesa Verde wall where Aaron's challenge awaited in Cosmos. With a short wait for a couple of climbers who were ascending the crack above his line Aaron suited up and strapped in flashing the route with grace. Fluidly utilizing the small Peanut M&M like nubbins to pull his way through to the top out.

With this being his last climb and inspired on by Aaron's flash of the 10a, Connor set his sights on the climb directly right of Cosmos. With his cold subsiding he onsighted Screaming Yellow Zonkers 5.10b. This route left aprox. 6 ft of rope to spare and helped to end the weekend on an inpsiring note.

Soon after we departed and made the quiet and relaxing drive back through the desert into the Cascades and onto highway 5 back into Portland.