Elephants’ Perch, West Face. In July my brother Greg and I climbed the first lead of Beckey’s original route. Then, rather than traverse left to continue that route, we headed straight up, basically free, until after seven pitches we diagonaled left toward the Beckey line, which we followed essentially to the top. We avoided a short bolt ladder on that route by climbing a chimney a few yards to the right. NCCS IV, F8, A2, 11 pitches, 8 hours.

Jeff Lowe