Oregon · Rock climbing · Terrebonne · Near Sisters

Monkey Face

Monkey FacePhoto: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
20 routes
5.6 – 5.14c
Trad · Sport · Mixed
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Monkey Face is a climbing area within Smith Rock State Park in Oregon, on city-managed land. It sits among a cluster of other climbing spots and trails, with several routes and hikes starting within a tenth of a mile. The area has 20 routes, with 12 in trad and 6 in sport, and grades range from 5.6 to 5.14c. East Face is a trad route at 5.6, and Just Do It is a 5.14c. Path of Totality, a 5.12a, was first climbed by Charlie Egan and Matt Spohn. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Redmond run from highs around 69°F in May to 79°F in September, while July and August average highs near 88°F. Nearby, the Misery Ridge Trail and Mesa Verde Trail are both about 0.1 mile away, and the (rr) Diamonds and Rust Buttress climbing area is also close. Skull Hollow campground is about 4.3 miles off.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Smith Rock Bivouac Area

    Campground

    Campground · 0.7 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Terrebone Depot Food & Drink

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Sisters
  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Monkey Face

    Best months: May–June and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      44° / 25°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      48° / 25°

      7 wet

    3. Mar

      55° / 28°

      8 wet

    4. Apr

      60° / 31°

      8 wet

    5. May

      69° / 38°

      8 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 43°

      5 wet

    7. Jul

      88° / 48°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      87° / 47°

      3 wet

    9. Sep

      79° / 41°

      4 wet

    10. Oct

      65° / 33°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      51° / 28°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      42° / 23°

      9 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Redmond Roberts Fld, OR, 7.9 mi away at 3,043 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (20)

Monkey Farce5.10bRising ExpectationsFA: Unknown. FFA: Chris Jones, Alan Watts, September 13, 19795.11+Monkey Space5.11bAstro MonkeyFA: FFA of entire route A.Watts & C. Grover, 19835.11dMoving in StereoFA: Kent Benesch, 19865.11dNorthwest Passage (Free)5.12Path of TotalityFA: Charlie Egan and Matt Spohn5.12aSpank the MonkeyFA: Alan Watts5.12aThe North FaceFA: Alan Watts5.12aEast Face StartFA: Alan Watts 9/24/19835.12cThe BackboneFA: Alan Watts and Ron Kauk5.13aSpank The Monkey (Full)FA: Tommy Caldwell - 20035.13dJust Do ItFA: J.B. Tribout, 19925.14cEast FaceFA: Kim Schmitz & Gerald Bjorkamn - summer 19645.6Northwest Passage (Aid)FA: Jeff Thomas & Steve Moore - April 28th, 19735.7Pioneer RouteFA: Dave Bohn, Jim Fraser, Vivian Staender Jan 19605.7West Face VariationFA: FA -Tom Bauman, Bob Ashworth 1965, FFA -Tom Bauman, Bob Ashworth 19675.8West Face Variation Direct5.8Monkey Off My BackFA: Ryan Lawson, Thomas Emde February 10, 20025.8+West Face (Aid)FA: Dean Caldwell, Byron Babcock & Bill Lentsch - 1962Easy 5th

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

(rr) Diamonds and Rust ButtressPhoto: Bonnie Moreland from Oregon, United States, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(rr) Diamonds and Rust Buttress

Next door

Diamonds and Rust Buttress in Oregon has 5 sport climbing routes on 3 difficulty grades.

(r) Pleasure PalacePhoto: Bonnie Moreland from Oregon, United States, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(r) Pleasure Palace

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Pleasure Palace in Oregon has 9 sport climbing routes.

(t) Kiss of the Lepers ButtressPhoto: Jordan Beard, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(t) Kiss of the Lepers Buttress

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Kiss of the Lepers Buttress in Oregon has 5 climbing routes on 5 difficulty grades.

Mesa Verde WallPhoto: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mesa Verde Wall

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Mesa Verde Wall in Oregon has 18 climbing routes with 11 difficulty grades, offering sport, top-rope, and trad styles.

Spiderman ButtressPhoto: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Spiderman Buttress

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Spiderman Buttress in Oregon has 13 mixed, sport, and trad routes across 9 grades.

(f) Cocaine GullyPhoto: Dougtone, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(f) Cocaine Gully

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Cocaine Gully in Oregon has 21 climbing routes across 11 grades.

(g) Morning Glory WallPhoto: Dougtone, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(g) Morning Glory Wall

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Morning Glory Wall in Oregon has 41 climbing routes across 19 grades.

(d) Aggro GullyPhoto: Dougtone, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(d) Aggro Gully

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Aggro Gully in Oregon has 34 sport climbing routes.

(a) Picnic Lunch WallPhoto: Dougtone, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(a) Picnic Lunch Wall

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Picnic Lunch Wall in Oregon has 28 climbing routes with 17 difficulty grades.

(e) Western Ship - River FacePhoto: Dougtone, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

(e) Western Ship - River Face

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Western Ship - River Face in Oregon has 11 climbing routes on the River Face.