A Fantastic Introduction to Oregon

Unfortunately, when I'm not traveling, I don't hike a lot. I don't really like where I live. So in the years that have passed since I was traveling full time, I've lost a lot of my strength. So I showed up at Smith Rock State Park expecting to do some easy stuff. There were some trails along the river inside of the canyon, and I hiked down in one direction. I was thinking, this is nice, but those trails going up the mountains look way cooler. So on a whim I decided to go straight for Misery Ridge, the hardest hike in the park...probably.

So it goes, like, straight up, so steep that its a bit difficult to walk back down. I knew it wouldn't be easy but powering through this 1000ft climb from the canyon base to the top of these ridges, in the shape that I'm in now, was absolutely grueling. I was fueled entirely by the sense of achievement I knew I would feel at the very top. And boy did I feel it, what a treat this was. I feel a lot more powerful and confident in my abilities now and I see myself doing some other hikes that are...not easy, but worth it.

The park is great for rock climbers. The sheer, tall rock must make for a wicked climb. I'm not a rock climber, so I don't really know what it feels like, but climbing in this extreme environment must fill them with even more excitement than I felt after hiking to the top. Maybe I should look into climbing....

The park shows clear signs of volcanic activity, with ridges of lava rock and a lot of information in the visitor center that I skimmed about this being a caldera remaining after a huge explosion. I regret not reading the whole panels, or at least taking a picture of them. So I don't really know the geologic history of this park, but I did have the hike of my life here.