On a trip with Chris and Barb (former students) we ran into Loren, my instructor in the Basic Climbing Course. He was doing some climbs with a student of his. Loren told me of his attempt on the High Priest and described a difficult move that he had not been able to do. “I'm sure you could do it,” he said. I offered to climb it with him the following day and told him where our camp was and when we would be up.

Loren did not show up the next day and Barb decided to do some hiking so I was left with Chris as a climbing partner. The climb seemed relatively straightforward until I came to a wide ledge ending with a 2-foot gap before a large block. Stepping across the gap to climb the large block did not appear feasible and I realized this must be the place Loren was talking about. After some thought I solved the problem with a layback that got me up far enough to use a crack to jam up to a niche in the large block. From the niche was a short easy scramble to the top and the end of the rope. I went off belay and set up a belay to bring Chris up, yelling down that the so-called “difficult move” was easy. He did not want me to reveal the solution so he could solve the problem himself. He finally gave up and asked for a hint. When I yelled “layback” he was soon with me on the summit.

We found many notes in the register at top describing the difficulties encountered by those who had not solved the problem, with many people rating the move as 5.8, 5.9 or aid. Chris and I agreed it was 5.3 or 5.4 at best and wrote the secret to the move in the register with a suggestion that those who did not agree should rappel down and try it themselves. Beckey's later guide rates the climb appropriately.

This picture shows what the difficult section looked like once one made the transition from the layback to climb up to the niche. Note the nuts slung off my left side. At the time, these were the latest thing in climbing. They have since replaced by friends.