BLAST FROM THE PAST … 1967 AAJ article

This important article, by Yvon Chouinard, was also reprinted in his seminal book CLIMBING ICE a decade later. It recounts the first American ascent (which he did with Layton Kor) of the Direct North Face on Les Courtes. To get a sense of how much the sport of ice climbing had changed in the decade after their ascent, consider that a dozen years after they did this ascent - a nobody like me - went up to try the route solo!  Now I did not get up it, backing off at the bergshrund, but I did solo the Sentinelle Rouge a week later. 

https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12196730500