Asterick Pass

 

 

 

 

5.7 X

 

 

 

 

 

Free Solo

 

 

To get to the Smith Rock West Side, you either get to take a hike over Misery Ridge and down the back of Monkey Face (about a mile, but pretty leg intensive, especially with a full pack, water and rope) or you walk around the horn, a three mile hike that just takes a while.  The only other way, is to make the short hop, skip,  and a free-solo over Asterick Pass.  You can setup a belay and place gear, but most people just free solo.  Look, it's not a cakewalk, but it's not hard; the real problem is if you fall, on either side, it's gonna suck.  I don't know of anyone who has ever fallen, but I can't imagine your chances of coming out unscathed are very high.  There are plenty of good holds and good feet as I and many others do it regularly in our Chaco's or just flip-flops. 

During the summer, when it is absolutely scorching, so hot the rock heats your shoes up to a temperature that actually hurts, you can summit Asterick Pass and the blast of cold air is like the largest air conditioner hitting your entire body at once.  The temperature differences between 20 feet can sometimes be 20 degrees or more in the shade.  Asterick Pass sits just to the left of that nub in the picture below in between the two large walls.