Walking Among Giants—An Appreciation of Some of Smith’s Rock Stars

Chris Hatzai has been featured several times on SmithRock.com, both in a eulogy to friend and fellow route developer, Alex Reed, as well as updates on route development at in the Monument and Marsupials areas of Smith Rock State Park. On a recent trip to the Monument, he was humbled by those who put Smith Rock on the map as a world-class climbing destination.

January 30, 2020

Walking Among Giants
by Chris Hatzai
banner image by Tara Powers

Yesterday was a magical day of climbing. I got to climb with a great crew of friends, old and new. Since aggravating an old back injury a few weeks ago, yesterday was my first time in 23 days I was able to climb, pain-free. Eureka!

The real icing on the cake though was getting the chance to climb with one of my climbing idols at the end of the day, Alan Watts.

Alan Watts on Close Shave on Monkey Face in 1985 — Alan Watts on *Close Shave* on Monkey Face in 1985

Edelrid rep tells Alan Watts about new their new ropes, as Alan comes out to check out new routes on the Monument.

Watts came out sometime midday just as I was apprehensively tying into my project. Stopping and saying hi, he saw I was getting ready climb so kept the greeting short and sweet. He cruised on past as I watched him stroll along the length of the Little Three Finger Jack formation. As he was walking by he was staring up at all of the newly bolted routes now peppered along the length of the wall. Once he rounded the corner and was out of sight, I started to climb.

Grabbing the first handhold and stepping onto the rock, my apprehension immediately turned to excitement. Still a little weary and curious as to if pulling on was going to aggravate my freshly healed back, I told myself there was only one way to find out.

Starting out the climb, you’re met with a bouldery section down low. A good benchmark to see how my back was fairing. Carefully setting up, I stabbed up and stuck the first hard move. To my pleasant surprise after doing the boulder problem and mantling up with no pain, I pushed onward to the next hard section above. As I was making moves through the beginning sequence, everything felt really good. Setting up on a sharp side pull and opposite thumber-cling, I stabbed to the next hold high above my head. After momentarily sticking the move, I fell without feeling any unwarranted pain. Sweet, I’m back! After trying the lower crux sections a few times, I pulled through them to try my hand on the exposed slab above. I climbed through the unnerving sections with eager excitement managing to get to the anchors of my near 40-meter project; even learning some new beta along the way.

After lowering down and convincing my buddy Peter Botero to give the route a go, I had the pleasure to watch him climb it on top rope. Sitting on a large rock jutting out of the hillside positioned perfectly to provide a front row seat, I had the pleasure to sit back and enjoy the show. Not only did I get to see Peter climb, I was able to crane my neck to watch Alan Collins trying his 5.13+ mega arete project sitting atop of Puddy’s Tower 150 feet in the air! The smooth side of the glassy overhanging corner glistened in the last rays of light peering over the Red Wall onto Alan and the striking arete.

By the time Peter lowered off of my project route, the day was coming to an end. We decided to climb one more route and wanted to give Kevin Piarulli’s new 5.11’s a go. We hiked over to Puddy’s Tower and I was stoked to see the whole crew, including Alan Watts, there climbing and hanging out.

Chris climbing on Kevin Piarulli’s route Pure Sugar 5.11b. — Chris climbing on Kevin Piarulli’s route *Pure Sugar* 5.11b.

Falling in line and waiting for the route I wanted to try, Peter went ahead of me. He decided to hop on Kevin’s new 5.11b route called Pure Sugar. A brilliant line climbing up perfect volcanic tuff, the route is pumpy, consistent and very thought-provoking. An instant classic for sure.

Peter tied in, not sure if he wanted to try and onsight the route or climb it bolt to bolt. After convincing him to just go for it, Peter mustered up the effort and sent the route clean for the onsight. Watts then hopped on afterward and cleaned the route up with ease. After Alan got down, he was telling everyone what he loved about Kevin’s new route. During that time, I set up a top rope on the other route Kevin established, Meow Mix 5.11c. With it getting dark but still eager to climb, Watts set off with a headlamp and easily dispatched this route as well. Lowering down in the dark after his second ascent up the wall, Alan Watts only had good things to say about all the effort being put into the Monument area.

As the group packed up together, we stood around shooting the shit and all bearing grins. Alan Collins was telling Alan Watts what the climbing up high on the arete was like. “The left side is completely smooth. Featureless.” ... “Incredible, just incredible.” After our ceremonious cypher ended, we filed in line one by one and started the short hike out. Ending up as the caboose of the group, I slowed my stride a bit walking down the narrow trail leaving the area.

Star struck in a sense, I had just climbed with one of the groundbreakers of our sport. That’s like the equivalent of playing a pick up game with Michael Jordan, at least for me it is. Not only did I get to climb with one of my idols, I get to climb with some of the strongest and most motivated climbers who live here on a regular basis.

I’m merely a man walking among giants.

Appreciation overload in the fullest, I fell back a few meters from the pack and momentarily basked in it all.

Once we reached the wider main trail where we could walk side by side, I ended up chatting with Alan Watts the whole way out. I gave him some beta on what new routes are where. He gave me a bit more insight of how things were back when he was putting up routes and he commended how cool it was to see us all work together to develop the Monument area. I must say there’s nothing sweeter than talking shop with someone you really admire.

After we reached the top of the trail and got back to our cars, we all gave one final goodbye and headed back home.

The great thing about this little tale is that it doesn’t really have an ending. Tomorrow I’m going to wake up, head to Smith Rock and do it all again. I’ll be out there forever trying, but never even coming close, to filling the shoes of those who’ve come before. I’m simply left flushed with appreciation having the chance to climb in this magical place, at this perfect time, among these giants of climbing.