I've added the campground info. you provided as well as a link to the Asterisk Pass photo you uploaded. I have an almost exactly the same photo which I was going to upload today - you saved me the hassle :). thanks.
Oops, sorry I took your photo away from you. :- ) I've been going thru my Smith ones trying to find a good one of Monkey Face but I don't think I have any on disk. We'll see. (of course this means I'll have to try to get some more this coming weekend!)
When you go to Smith do you stay at the campground right there? I have always gone to Skull Hollow (formerly called the Grasslands). It's just around the back side of Gray Butte.
You ever think about putting up a Smith Rock page? There are lots of routes to the summit and it is considered the western end of the Blues. Might want to think about it.......................... ;- )
Actually have another small batch of Monkey photos taken from the Springboard that show a better route overview (just need to scan them in - ran out of time yesterday). I'll be looking for photos from your climb of Monkey after this weekend!
I think a Smith page would be great. Just not sure about the best way of doing it. One could think of taking the approach used for Red Rocks, where instead of submitting a climbing area ("Red Rocks"), people submit individual formations ("Black Velvet Peak" etc.). One could think of taking a similar approach with Smith (this way it would be consistent with what was done for RR - though it's not necessarily clear which way is better) - adding formations like "Smith Group" or "Staender's Ridge" etc. instead of having a "Smith Rock" page. My personal feeling is that the former is more consistent with how things have been added to SP up to now and I think it's also easier on whoever is making additions (I think it would take a lot of work to put together a starting page for "Smith Rock"). Just a humble opinion.
Site is great. Just one comment though.... wouldn't most folks consider Monkey Face a route within the Smith Rock cragging area, rather than as a stand alone mountain? What to you think about renaming the mountain as Smith Rock State Park, putting up Monkey Face as a route and inviting others to submit classic routes at Smith? Just a thought.
I did give it some thought as to what format I should post Monkey Face in. I decided to follow the format that people have been using for other 'cragging' areas such as Red Rocks, NV where individual formations are submitted rather than the area as a whole (had similar discussion with Brian Jenkins below this message). I believe this "fits" the current format of SP more than a submission of the area as a whole --- but that obviously is just my humble opinion (many others feel differently - example being the Zoraster Temple being submitted as a route within GCNP). Others who wish to submit Smith routes can do so by adding the crag that the route of interest is on, example being The Smith Group or Misery Ridge etc.. There's a three level hierarchy here as I see it: SMith Rock the Crag Area; individual crags and routes. I chose to break it up at the crag level rather than area level. I think this page cannot be simply renamed to Smith Rock State Park just because it's way too narrow to do justice to the park as a whole and it would take a LOT of work for me to do a park overview page. I think it's better to divide up that task among those who will add other Smith crags in the future :).
Great thoughts. The three level hierarchy is a problem and I think you've come up with a good solution that is consistent with other pages on SP.
However, one problem that isn't solved by this approach is that someone looking for a mountain called "Smith Rock" would come up empty handed. They would have to see the Monkey Face page and know enough to realize that this is part of Smith Rock and the information they are seeking is probably here.
I agree that creating a page at the Smith Rock Area level would be a daunting task. Maybe someone could create a general Smith Rock page with camping and directions information. Then include a section with links to the pages for the individual crags. I think this would work for other climbing areas like Red Rocks as well.
In my opinion, this would solve the three level hierarchy problem:
Thanks for the good ideas. Actually I think it's an excellent idea that has been nicely applied by others in other areas as well in the form of a "Logistical Center" page (ex. Cirque of Towers and Yosemite). I think once there are more (at least one or two more I would think) Smith crags on SP this would be a perfect way of providing a center branch off point for Smith listings on SP. Red Rocks could also benefit from such a page I think.
...not sure if my reponse got through or not last time, but thanks for the good vote. As for the resemblence, you have to view it from the south and use some imagination to see a grinning monkey face atop the pillar!
Great page Radek! I've had a few friends visit Smith Rock - nice to have some info on SP. Now someone just needs to bring up a GPS to get the lat/lon ;-)
Even before the "x,y" coordinates for Monkey Face, it would be nice to have an accurate elevation. I took my altimeter up there but like a tool I forgot to check it at the summit (the excitement of Panic Point must have been the cause!). Checked it at the base and I think it was around 3400' (hence my guesstimated value). If you haven't yet visited Smith, we highly recommend it (esp. Monkey!).
Great page! The photos are really nice as well. Last Sunday was a beautiful day out there. I was over doing my first sport lead on the Dihedrals that same day. Keep the great work and photography.
many thanks for the good vote and the nice comments! When you have some time to kill, check out the links I added on this page for some truly amazing Pioneer Route climbing shots.
Dihedrals is a great area as well - esp. in the winter when it's the warmest spot in the park for most of the day I think.
gacland - Feb 12, 2003 10:53 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGreat Job.
You've really put some time into this page.
Thanks
rpc - Feb 12, 2003 11:21 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThank you very much for the nice vote!
Brian Jenkins - Feb 12, 2003 12:44 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentNice, Radek!
rpc - Feb 12, 2003 1:07 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThanks a lot Brian!
I've added the campground info. you provided as well as a link to the Asterisk Pass photo you uploaded. I have an almost exactly the same photo which I was going to upload today - you saved me the hassle :). thanks.
Brian Jenkins - Feb 12, 2003 4:08 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentOops, sorry I took your photo away from you. :- ) I've been going thru my Smith ones trying to find a good one of Monkey Face but I don't think I have any on disk. We'll see. (of course this means I'll have to try to get some more this coming weekend!)
When you go to Smith do you stay at the campground right there? I have always gone to Skull Hollow (formerly called the Grasslands). It's just around the back side of Gray Butte.
You ever think about putting up a Smith Rock page? There are lots of routes to the summit and it is considered the western end of the Blues. Might want to think about it.......................... ;- )
rpc - Feb 12, 2003 5:06 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentBrian,
Actually have another small batch of Monkey photos taken from the Springboard that show a better route overview (just need to scan them in - ran out of time yesterday). I'll be looking for photos from your climb of Monkey after this weekend!
I think a Smith page would be great. Just not sure about the best way of doing it. One could think of taking the approach used for Red Rocks, where instead of submitting a climbing area ("Red Rocks"), people submit individual formations ("Black Velvet Peak" etc.). One could think of taking a similar approach with Smith (this way it would be consistent with what was done for RR - though it's not necessarily clear which way is better) - adding formations like "Smith Group" or "Staender's Ridge" etc. instead of having a "Smith Rock" page. My personal feeling is that the former is more consistent with how things have been added to SP up to now and I think it's also easier on whoever is making additions (I think it would take a lot of work to put together a starting page for "Smith Rock"). Just a humble opinion.
cluck - Feb 12, 2003 7:50 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentSite is great. Just one comment though.... wouldn't most folks consider Monkey Face a route within the Smith Rock cragging area, rather than as a stand alone mountain? What to you think about renaming the mountain as Smith Rock State Park, putting up Monkey Face as a route and inviting others to submit classic routes at Smith? Just a thought.
rpc - Feb 12, 2003 9:22 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentCluck,
Thanks for the good vote.
I did give it some thought as to what format I should post Monkey Face in. I decided to follow the format that people have been using for other 'cragging' areas such as Red Rocks, NV where individual formations are submitted rather than the area as a whole (had similar discussion with Brian Jenkins below this message). I believe this "fits" the current format of SP more than a submission of the area as a whole --- but that obviously is just my humble opinion (many others feel differently - example being the Zoraster Temple being submitted as a route within GCNP). Others who wish to submit Smith routes can do so by adding the crag that the route of interest is on, example being The Smith Group or Misery Ridge etc.. There's a three level hierarchy here as I see it: SMith Rock the Crag Area; individual crags and routes. I chose to break it up at the crag level rather than area level. I think this page cannot be simply renamed to Smith Rock State Park just because it's way too narrow to do justice to the park as a whole and it would take a LOT of work for me to do a park overview page. I think it's better to divide up that task among those who will add other Smith crags in the future :).
cluck - Feb 13, 2003 12:52 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGreat thoughts. The three level hierarchy is a problem and I think you've come up with a good solution that is consistent with other pages on SP.
However, one problem that isn't solved by this approach is that someone looking for a mountain called "Smith Rock" would come up empty handed. They would have to see the Monkey Face page and know enough to realize that this is part of Smith Rock and the information they are seeking is probably here.
I agree that creating a page at the Smith Rock Area level would be a daunting task. Maybe someone could create a general Smith Rock page with camping and directions information. Then include a section with links to the pages for the individual crags. I think this would work for other climbing areas like Red Rocks as well.
In my opinion, this would solve the three level hierarchy problem:
Level 1: Smith Rock overview page
Level 2: Individual crag pages
Level 3: Routes on these crag pages
What do you think?
rpc - Feb 13, 2003 4:27 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentCluck,
Thanks for the good ideas. Actually I think it's an excellent idea that has been nicely applied by others in other areas as well in the form of a "Logistical Center" page (ex. Cirque of Towers and Yosemite). I think once there are more (at least one or two more I would think) Smith crags on SP this would be a perfect way of providing a center branch off point for Smith listings on SP. Red Rocks could also benefit from such a page I think.
radek
Alan Ellis - Feb 13, 2003 6:11 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentI can't see the "monkey face"!
Great page!
rpc - Feb 13, 2003 4:16 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled Comment...not sure if my reponse got through or not last time, but thanks for the good vote. As for the resemblence, you have to view it from the south and use some imagination to see a grinning monkey face atop the pillar!
radek
Alan Ellis - Feb 13, 2003 7:14 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentI see it!!! Look at the monkey!!
kletterwebbi - Feb 13, 2003 8:51 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentThanks for adding the monkey ...
rpc - Feb 13, 2003 9:03 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThank you for the good vote.
John - Feb 13, 2003 11:49 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGreat page Radek! I've had a few friends visit Smith Rock - nice to have some info on SP. Now someone just needs to bring up a GPS to get the lat/lon ;-)
rpc - Feb 13, 2003 4:14 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentJohn,
thank you for the vote.
Even before the "x,y" coordinates for Monkey Face, it would be nice to have an accurate elevation. I took my altimeter up there but like a tool I forgot to check it at the summit (the excitement of Panic Point must have been the cause!). Checked it at the base and I think it was around 3400' (hence my guesstimated value). If you haven't yet visited Smith, we highly recommend it (esp. Monkey!).
radek
jhalz - Feb 13, 2003 3:19 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGreat page! The photos are really nice as well. Last Sunday was a beautiful day out there. I was over doing my first sport lead on the Dihedrals that same day. Keep the great work and photography.
-Jason
rpc - Feb 13, 2003 4:20 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentJason,
many thanks for the good vote and the nice comments! When you have some time to kill, check out the links I added on this page for some truly amazing Pioneer Route climbing shots.
Dihedrals is a great area as well - esp. in the winter when it's the warmest spot in the park for most of the day I think.
radek
Dave Daly - Feb 14, 2003 1:31 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled Commentnice page. Solid work!