JIM ERICKSON IN
THE CRACK OF FEAR.
Twin Owls, Lumpy Ridge, Estes Park.

This is one of Dudley Chelton’s early climbing shots of his friend Jim Erickson who was just coming into his own as a top climber in Colorado. Jim does not look too thrilled in this picture, as might be expected from a kid who learned to climb at Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin where there’s nothing like this.

This is the first pitch of the Crack of Fear, relatively easy compared to the crux pitch that follows. In the days before big cams, this was a pretty run out lead. Huge bong-bong pitons were the only possible protection but they were pretty marginal and mostly too small for the crack. So, there was really no protection.