Three days later on August 16, Eichorn, Clyde, Underhill and Dawson completed the first ascent of the East Face of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. The route was extremely exposed, especially the famous Fresh Air Traverse. Steve Roper called this route one of the classic routes of the Sierra, partly because of its spectacular location and partly because it was the first really big wall to be climbed in the range. Porcella & Burns wrote that the climb heralded a new standard of technical competence in Californian rock climbing... These events led to a lifelong friendship between Clyde and Jules Eichorn.