Smith Rock Climbing & Yoga | Women's Rock Climbing Retreat

Chock full of thousands of routes at every grade, there’s no better place to learn to climb or to hone your craft than Smith Rock. Whether you’re looking to try rock climbing for the very first time, explore some classic routes, or gain the skills to take your climbing to the next level.

With sport, traditional, and even aid-climbing classics of all shapes and sizes, there’s a wealth of climbing opportunities just a short walk from the parking lot. (Hint: with over 200 days of sun a year, there’s always dry rock to be found at Smith.)

Rugged cliffs, deep canyons, and the winding Crooked River make this iconic destination a diverse playground of climbing experiences—from low angle routes for beginners to challenging overhangs for seasoned climbers. The combination of classic single-pitch and multi-pitch routes, not to mention the striking scenery, makes climbing at Smith Rock an absolute must.

Save your spot now—join She Moves Mountains for a long weekend of climbing at Smith Rock!

Climbing

Guided climbing and instruction are available for climbers of all skill levels, from first-time beginners to intermediate and advanced climbers. All of our guides are trained through the American Mountain Guide Association and are experts at finding the right climbs for you. In order to make sure everyone gets exactly what they need, we will have three guides who will take small climbing groups out to focus on intro instruction designed for those who have never climbed before, intermediate instruction for climbers wanting to climb in the 5.5-5.9 range (best for those who have some experience, but perhaps have never climbed outside), and advanced (for climbers wanting to join our guides on more difficult routes).

Lodging & Camping

We will be hosting our retreat at a private home located 10 minutes from Smith Rock State Park and 30 minutes from Bend, Oregon. Participants can choose from private rooms, shared rooms, glamping, or camping options.

Climbing & Yoga Retreats

Yoga is one of the most accessible ways to improve at rock climbing. It increases flexibility, builds strength, promotes balance, and helps calm the mind. We will be offering a 60-75 minute yoga class after climbing Friday and Saturday. All yoga instructors we partner with are familiar with climbing and will focus on a practice designed to restore and bring balance to the body after a full day on rock.

Meals

We love to eat! And we love supporting local businesses. At each retreat we work with local restaurants to offer the best tasting food Bend has to offer - and Bend has a whole lot to offer. From Indian food from Taj Palace, pizza from Jackson's corner, or tacos from El Sancho we will make sure you're well fed with our city's best. And don't worry, we can accommodate those with food restrictions. We provide a simple breakfast of bagels and cream cheese (GF and vegan options provided), eggs, grain free granola, yogurt, fruit, and nuts. For lunch we will be making sandwiches and provide a variety of snacks and bars.

Weather

Located in the high desert of Central Oregon, Smith Rock is a great place to climb year round. It has it's own micro-climate and will often be a few degrees warmer than the surrounding area. It can be 30 degrees out and you'll find locals climbing in sports bras and tank tops. We joke that it's a solarium. Winter can be perfect if the sun is shining, but spring and fall is when Smith shines. Early April we may get some opportunities to climb in the sun, but by late April/early May we will most likely be chasing the shade. April and May each average three days of rain. So unless we are unlucky you can expect temperatures from 60 to 70 degrees and climbing in morning sun and afternoon shade.

She Moves Mountains at Smith Rock

Iconic Climbs, River Sits & Sun

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Example Schedule

Day 1

Check in begins at 6pm, and then we will relax with drinks and appetizers while we get to know each other.

Day 2

Enjoy a healthy breakfast before leaving the lodge to go climb at Smith. Climb alll day, stretch out the body and mind with some yoga, then relax into dinner and a campfire

Day 3

Similar to yesterday, we'll enjoy a nice breakfast before heading out for another beautiful day of climbing. We'll cap things off with another yoga session and a healthy dinner around the campfire.

Day 4

Our last day together includes yet another healthy breakfast and a full day of sweet Smith Rock climbing. We will wrap up around 3:30pm at the park, where you can head back to the lodge to pack up, or straight on to your travels plans.

FAQs

Age & Physical Requirements

Physical Requirements:

Hike up to 3 miles over uneven terrain while carrying a 10–15 lb daypack
Move comfortably on rocky trails, uneven footing, and short uphill approaches
Climb for multiple hours in a day with breaks between routes
Perform 20 controlled bodyweight squats
Step up onto a knee-high ledge or stair repeatedly with good balance

Travel Information

We recommend flying into the Redmond Airport. It's a small airport located 20 minutes from Smith Rock and about 15 minutes from our accommodations.
Grab an Uber or carpool with another participant to the house.
You can also fly in to Portland- located about 3.5 hours away, and rent a car to drive to Redmond.

How many participants come by themselves?

The majority of women come to our clinics alone - somewhere around 95%. If you are hesitating to join because you would be coming solo, please know that we expect a majority of our participants to be joining by themselves, seeking community.

I'm an advanced climber. Will I be able to lead climb?

We have very specific standards for letting guests lead, and aren't able to do it at a larger group event such as this one.

What is the average age of the women who attend?

We generally have a wide range of ages at our retreats. The average tends to fall anywhere between the ages of 26 to 45. But we have had quite a few women in their 60's join as well. It really is up to the attitude and physical ability of the participant.

I've never climbed before, can I come?

ABSOLUTELY. We can accommodate a wide range of abilities. In fact, teaching people the basics of rock climbing is what we do best. The entire ethos of She Moves Mountains guiding is to remember what it felt like to try climbing for the first time. It's intimidating, but we will be with you ever step of the way.

What happens if it rains or the weather is poor?

All of our retreats are rain or snow or smoke or shine. We do our best to choose dates where this won't be an issue, but it's always a possibility. Even more so with the changing climate. If poor weather occurs we will propose alternative activities such as movement skills at the climbing gym, technical skills lessons such as anchor building or multi-pitch clinics, or hiking.

If poor weather will ruin your experience we suggest that you purchase "cancel for any reason" trip protection as we will not be providing any refunds due to weather related issues.

I am plus sized. Am I able to climb?

If you can:

• Hike up to 3 miles over uneven terrain while carrying a 10–15 lb daypack

Move comfortably on rocky trails, uneven footing, and short uphill approaches
Climb for multiple hours in a day with breaks between routes
Perform 20 controlled bodyweight squats
Step up onto a knee-high ledge or stair repeatedly with good balance

CLIMBING IS FOR YOU!

Can I bring my pet?

We know you love your fur babies but unfortunately, we cannot allow pets on any of our group trips or clinics.

Can people with food allergies join?

People with food allergies are absolutely welcome to join us at our program! We have food options that are vegan, gluten free, lactose free. Of course, if it would make you more comfortable, you are also welcome to pack your own meals.

Are payment plans available?

Yes we have 2 types of payment options: Please visit our Payment Plans page for more information.

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