with a fingernail flake to your right. At the end of the ledge, the right corner is sheer, with a kilometer drop to the base of the mountain. Ahead of you is a meter jump to a large flat rock a meter below. You ask for slack & jump. A few meters up the flat rock, to your right is a rotten chimney. Some number of portable handholds later, you emerge in the fresh air & continue to the summit of Whitney.
That is my recollection of leading Fresh Air. Now that was before my son was born, & now I'm Gramps. It differs from photos posted on this board.
The start was to the left of Shaky Leg, at about the same level as the floor. I remember a roof above, and a wall to the left, & a really big hole at the end of the ledge, with the acrophilic jump.
A bit later, (same summer) I led Shaky Leg, and checked out the previous route. The flake had uh, fallen off. Third time in my life that geography had changed just after I climbed it.
So, getting to the point. Is this the real Fresh Air Traverse? Is it a different, 3rd., East Face route?.
So I would like to hear from the experts, & would especially like to see photos. Really, really like to see some photos.
