Direct North Ridge

Ortenburger and Jackson list this route among their recommended climbs in the Tetons.  The attraction is using the straightforward East Face approach trail to access some high quality technical pitches to a tremendous summit.  This route follows more or less the north ridge following steep cracks in a cold shady environment, making for quite the atmospheric climb, emerging onto the sunny Northeast Ridge to finish.

Follow the East Face approach until the trail reaches the rock slabs of the upper East Face. A grassy ledge traverse to the right will bring you around the corner of the NE Ridge at the elevation of the base of the Crooked Thumb's North Ridge.  Cross over to the base of the North Ridge and surmount a block called the Grandstand.  Start climbing just right of the ridge in a right-facing corner system that is easy to follow.  6-8 pitches up the ridge lead to a dome-like feature intersecting with the Direct East Ridge route.  Follow this genderme over and down to a fixed rappel crossing a small divide.  Moderate climbing leads past the Emerson Chimney and to the summit.

Descend the East Face route.

Traverse from the East Face as if going to the Crooked Thumb but trend up to the ridge base.  Start on its right side above the Grandstand block in steep cracks.

Alpine rack