| Steve Dougherty ~ May 4, 2005 |
| The sixth annual Intro to Smith Rock weekend was held the last weekend of April. This two day event is billed as the next step after climb school. Participants were introduced to top roped climbing ranging in difficulty from 5.4 (easy) to 5.9 (very difficult). All participants mastered the art of belaying by the end of the second day. As is our custom, Saturday was spent at Staender Ridge and Sunday at Rope De Dope Block. Both were picked to avoid the crowded more popular areas of the park. Participants camped at the Smith Rock Bivouac Area and enjoyed a pizza and salad bar buffet at the Papas Pizza Parlor in Redmond Saturday night. The trip leader was Steve Dougherty. A huge thank you the guys who set all of the top ropes: Mike Rudy, Scott Kelley and Aaron Cousins. Thanks also to the following climb assistants: JP Petrin, Tim Smith, Robyn Smith, Jennifer Truax, Ryan Good and Greg Tedrow. Participants were members: Erin Abler, Cynde Alt (belay coach), Chris Bell, Anthony Gabba, Guadalupe Gabba, Joe Gabba, Tyler Gates, Debbie Levy, Michelle Lynott, Spencer McCoy, Michael McHugh, Kenneth Prowse, Michael Slater, Shannon Tennant, Susan Watkins, Kari Wattenbarger, Aelfric Wolf and Mary Wood and guest Beth Dougherty. |