Fred Beckey and Reed Cundiff climbed the first route on the north side of the Ericsson Crags in 1972. In July, I returned with Fred to do a direct line on the face he had climbed 15 years previously. Our route followed the most obvious cracks just right of a prow in the center of the face. The original line was in bowls and depressions left of the prow although the High Sierra Guide mistakenly lists that route as being right of the prow. While there was no evidence of a previous ascent, a climb in 1982 recorded in the summit register telling of repeating the original route may have ascended sections of our route. In any case, we climbed cracks and chimneys right of the prow until we were led left to a prominent ledge right on the prow itself. A 5.8 thin crack above was the classic pitch of the route, which gave way to much easier climbing. (11 pitches. IV, 5.9.)

Alan Bartlett