Nez Perce, South Face. In July, 1957, Robert Toepel, Yvon Chouinard, and John Lowrie climbed a difficult route more or less directly up the south face of Nez Perce, keeping well to the east of the south ridge route of Merriam, Buckingham, and Clark. It is worth noting that the rock was sound, even as it is on the south ridge.