On December 17, Christian Black, Chris Koppl, Josef Maier, and I completed a project that I had originally envisioned in 2016. After multiple trips over several years, including a three-pitch false start that dead-ended at unclimbable terrain, we established the first free route up the imposing left side of the east face of Moro Rock.

While the right side of Moro’s east face has easily accessible and mostly moderate routes, the left is home to dramatic overhangs that, until now, had only allowed for impressive aid lines. Our climb, Mother of Pearl (1,200’, 10 pitches, 5.12-), is predominantly on knobs, which are ubiquitous on Moro Rock and part of what makes the formation so special.

Mother of Pearl starts left of Pièce de Renaissance (1,400’, 8 pitches, IV 5.10 A1), first climbed by Jon Gatti, E.C. Joe, and John Vargas in 1989. The upper pitches climb through a spectacular headwall, which holds the crux. The line mostly follows new terrain, but we commandeered two pitches in the middle from an old, abandoned route simply labeled “incomplete” in the out-of-print Southern Sierra Rock Climbing: Sequoia/Kings Canyon. Christian, Chris, Josef, and I completed a team-free ascent.

— Brian Prince