Kurt on top after leading the amazing final pitch.

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

Kurt on top after leading the amazing final pitch.

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Ginger on p1

Jeremy Freeman on the 1st pitch

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Tyler Logan

Oct 4, 2009

“Kurt on top after leading the amazing final pitch.”

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Nearby Photos

The utterly striking Third Pillar of Mt. Dana.

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

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.)

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

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

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

3rd Pillar of Dana Descent.

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

Roberto and Duke on the approach hike.

All smiles on the last pitch

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

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

Third Pillar of Dana

Top of first pitch

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.

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

Brian crossing the snow gully 7/22/2011.

Crossing the snow gully to reach the base.

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

Third Pillar

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

Looking down the route from the top.

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.

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

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

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

Up up and away!

Summit, with Mono lake

Eric Burt leading just above the first crux on P.5.

About halfway down the descent.

Ginger on Third Pillar of Dana with the route unfolding below

Ginger following the final pitch of the Third Pillar of Dana

Third Pillar of Dana looking mighty impressive on the approach

Ginger on p1

Kurt on top after leading the amazing final pitch.

Jeremy Freeman on the 1st pitch

3rd Pillar

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

View of Mono Lake from the summit.

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

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!

Eric Collins on 3rd Pillar, circa 1986

Eric Collins on the summit of 3rd pillar

Last Pitch on Third Pillar. <br>
<br>
**flake being climbed is kinda loose/scary. Finger crack to climber's right harder but safer.

Looking straight up the direct start.

Nadia crossing the gully snowfield on June 30, 2019 (a high snow year)

Roberto on the 4th class approach gully.

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

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

BEAUTIFUL piece of rock

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.

Finishing the chimney on P3.

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

Third Pillar June 3rd 2018

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

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.

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

Jeff at the spectacular P3 belay!

Tristan on the final pitch

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