Huffing and puffing, we reached the final stretch, only to encounter a patch of ice. But once we crested what appeared to be the top, we saw only more ascent. From the bottom, we didn’t think the trail looked too intimidating. Ice on Misery Ridge See that faint zig-zag near the bottom? That’s the trail!This section of the trail is aptly named, as it ascends without mercy. So much to my disappointment, we backtracked and opted instead for the more typical Misery Ridge. Unfortunately, this proved too much for most of our group (a lot of us had large camera bags, and one pair had a little one in tow). This route is not advised for those who aren’t comfortable with some moderate bouldering and some tight spaces, but it’s a good way to mix up the standard hike. I like this path because it caters to my adventurous side and lets me climb stuff. We initially started clockwise around the tuff ridge (most go counter-clockwise up Misery Ridge and around the backside), to find the spot where we knew we could clamber through some boulders and pop out on the far side. It took us four hours to drive out to Redmond from Portland, so we had only half a day to scamper around Smith Rock. Smith Rock was easy to include in our recent winter trip to Central Oregon, though the day didn’t turn out the way we planned. With the river, lofty vantages, plentiful wildlife, and the rock climbers, themselves, we wouldn’t be bored. As photographers, we also like to visit as there’s lots to shoot. Smith Rock State Park is a fun playground for hikers, campers, and especially rock climbers.
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