BETA PHOTO: The striking dihedral of the Dragtooth.
Description
"One of the classic climbs in the High Sierra, this route deserves more traffic," writes R.J. Secor of the North Buttress of Dragtooth.
The route ascends a striking left-facing dihedral that is visible from afar. Scramble up a snowfield/glacier and crumbly rock to gain a ledge with a 2-piton anchor. Rope up beneath a chimney at the bottom of the buttress. Climb the chimney (5.7) and continue straight up the face for a full rope length to belay. Traverse right on loose rock (past a hangerless 1/4" bolt) to the base of the prominent left-facing dihedral and a single piton. The next 2 pitches ascend the dihedral, and constitute the best climbing on the route. The first dihedral pitch is 5.9 and ends at a stance with 2 quarter-inch bolts (best to back up). The fourth pitch (100') continues on 5.9 terrain, culminating in a section of 5.10 off-width to gain a belay in a small alcove. BEWARE OF THE LOOSE, STACKED BLOCKS guarding the exit from the clean corner! One final 5.9/9+ pitch ascends a finger-to-hands crack for 140'. From here, 3rd and 4th class scrambling for several pitches lead to the summit.
Descend via the notch between Dragtooth and Matterhorn Peak.
Location
From Mono Village at the west edge of Twin Lakes, hike south along the Horse Creek trail up switchbacks past Horsetail Falls as for Matterhorn Peak. Veer SW at the prominent Horse Creek Tower, crossing a snowfield to the base of Dragtooth. Allow 4 hours for the approach.
Protection
Standard rack with double set of cams to 4" (Two #4 Camalots are particularly useful).
Photos of North Buttress (aka the Dragway) Slideshow
By Mike Morley Administrator From: Oakland, CA Jul 1, 2007
Be prepared for loose rock - this route does not seem to be climbed often (the last summit entry was from 1997). Also, I have kept the original grade III rating, although with approach and descent, count on a grade IV day.
I was flipping through a Climbing mag from spring of 84 and this route was reported there as the Dragrace. Someone mixed up the name, but whether it was Secor or Climbing, I don't know.
This was supposed to be a Fred Beckey, Jack Miller and myself climb but Fred came down with a bad cold and let Jack and I do it. Fred met us at the top. The only aid was on the 5.10 off-width as there was no gear at the time to protect it. We were able to aid on small cracks on either side of the dihedral. There is a great hand traverse to the left at the end of final real pitch where you could see the glacier way down between your legs. The route down was down an easy snow slope
I hope the George Bell above is not the one who did Yerupaha in 1955; otherwise, he is over 80 years old - Reed Cundiff
RSS Feed
Slideshow
