Members of the Harvard Mountaineering Club had their first big climb of the year last Sunday and yesterday when they ascended one of the vertical cliffs of the Franconian Notch in New Hampshire.

The leader was Kenneth Henderson of West Newton, who has been to the Alps and the Rockies and is recognized as an expert in mountaineering. The expedition first went over an old route which has been ascended several times before, and then explored a new trail at the big buttress near The Old Man of the Mountain.

This trip is part of the Fall program of rock climbing. The last expedition, made a week ago, was a climb up "Rattlesnake Cliff" in Quincy.