Looking up at the route from the base. Most of the route is just to the right of the left skyline.

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All Locations > California > Sierra Eastside > Lee Vining Cany… > Dana Plateau > Third Pillar, Regular Route (5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a)

Looking up at the route from the base. Most of the route is just to the right of the left skyline.

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Current (as of Sat 15 July 2017) conditions of the snow field traverse to get to the base of Third Pillar.

Not a bad view from the summit of the 3rd! -photo by Tim Klein

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4.8 from 4 votes

Eric Burt

Apr 19, 2006

“Looking up at the route from the base. Most of the route is just to the right of the left skyline.”

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Nearby Photos

The utterly striking Third Pillar of Mt. Dana.

Atop the huge, scary-looking-but-solid flake with great 10a fingers on pitch 4 (pitch 5 if you do the direct start like we did.)

3rd Pillar of Dana Descent.

Alone on the Third Pillar of Dana photo by Drew Smith.

Current (as of Sat 15 July 2017) conditions of the snow field traverse to get to the base of Third Pillar.

Looking up at the route from the base. Most of the route is just to the right of the left skyline.

Not a bad view from the summit of the 3rd! -photo by Tim Klein

Roberto and Duke on the approach hike.

Third Pillar of Dana

Evan looking down at Mono Lake from the Third Pillar of Dana

Top of first pitch

The regular route as viewed form the approach. The red line closely follows the route.

Starting up the first pitch of the Regular Route, Third Pillar of Mt. Dana.

Linda finishes up the last moves on the stellar final pitch of Third Pillar.<br>
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photo by danafelthauser.com

Crossing the snow gully to reach the base.

Brian crossing the snow gully 7/22/2011.

Summit shot, topping out on 3rd Pillar of Dana. Photo by Ryan. Sun 4 Aug 2013.

Jeff on the final pitch, dubbed by some as the "best 5.9 pitch in the universe"!

Looking down the route from the top.

All smiles on the last pitch

Calvin Kilcrease leading above the 10a finger crack on P.4.

Found this towards the end of P4 after the crux. Not really needed as there were options for other placements. We ended up making an anchor here.

Third Pillar

Rita on the last pitch.<br>
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Photo by S. Cox

Summit, with Mono lake

Up up and away!

Looking across the gully to the ledges that mark the normal start of the route, which is just below the large detached flake on the left ridge line.

Low down, I think it's pitch 1

Third Pillar of Dana looking mighty impressive on the approach

Eric Collins on 3rd Pillar, circa 1986

Kurt on top after leading the amazing final pitch.

Ginger on p1

Jeremy Freeman on the 1st pitch

3rd Pillar

Eric Collins on the summit of 3rd pillar

Pouring over Mono Lake and the Pillar. Took this picture real quick before ducking back under the tarp.

Ginger following the final pitch of the Third Pillar of Dana

Topping out the Third Pillar on a perfect Sierra Day!!

Ginger on Third Pillar of Dana with the route unfolding below

Looking up at P5. The first section looked unlikely so I skirted too far left and got into more difficult territory. Aim for a right facing corner with a mini roof to its right instead of doing what I did!

Vincent downclimbing the prow to the right of the gully to reach the base of the route.

Tim Klein leading the .10a crack to the left of the detached flake

Bill Geist following the upper section of the fourth pitch. Nice exposure!

near the top

My recommendation is to taking the left route variation because it lands your belay on this sweet detached flake. Plus it's all-in-all better climbing.

Looking straight up the direct start.

Looking east from the plateau past the top of The Third Pillar. Mono Lake is in the distance and 5,000 ft down.

Jeff at the spectacular P3 belay!

The top of the descent to reach the base of the route.

third pillar on the left. approach/downclimb on the right

Third Pillar June 3rd 2018

An unforgettable climb and views while sitting out a few storms. Clear sunny skies in the morning got ugly real fast. Curtains of rain passed us and over Tioga Pass Road.

Third Pillar.<br>
Photo by Blitzo.

Jeff past the crux section of pitch 2, getting into the wide 5.7 stretch.

About halfway down the descent.

Tim Klein finishes the last pitch on the 3rd (summer, 2001?)

Eric Collins on 3rd Pillar, circa 1986

Downclimbing to bypass the snowy gully. Up high is some exposed 4th class but it gets gets easier and more obvious lower down

Rob just finishing the 10b fingers section on the gorgeous last pitch.

View of Mono Lake from the summit.