3rd Pillar of Dana Descent.

All Locations > California > Sierra Eastside > Lee Vining Cany… > Dana Plateau > Third Pillar, Regular… (5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b)

3rd Pillar of Dana Descent.

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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.)

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

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4.4 from 8 votes

Robert Fielding

Oct 16, 2012

“3rd Pillar of Dana Descent.”

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Nearby Photos

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

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

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

All smiles on the last pitch

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.

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

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

Third Pillar of Dana

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

This is terrible!

Sunrise at the Third Pillar

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

Roberto and Duke on the approach hike.

Top of first pitch

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

Brian crossing the snow gully 7/22/2011.

The pillar from Lake Mono at sunset

Looking straight up the direct start.

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

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

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.

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

Third Pillar

Last pitch!

Looking down the route from the top.

Crossing the snow gully to reach the base.

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

Topping out on the Third Pillar

3rd Pillar

Ginger on Third Pillar of Dana with the route unfolding below

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.

BEAUTIFUL piece of rock

3rd Pillar at Sunrise 7/30/22

Jeremy Freeman on the 1st pitch

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

Eric Collins on 3rd Pillar, circa 1986

Third Pillar.<br>
Photo by Blitzo.

Up up and away!

Taking the stellar view in before the descent

Ginger on p1

Pitch 4 protection, for the section right after the layback flake. It is well protected...there is no ledge fall potential if you do the following:
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1. Brass offset, small-ish
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2. yellow/blue offset BD X4 cam or comparable
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3. Blue 0.3 BD cam & sling

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!

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

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

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

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

Finishing the chimney on P3.

the traverse that starts P2

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.

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.

Around the crux of P4

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

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

Having fun on the Third Pillar, Regular Route

Tristan on the final pitch

Kurt on top after leading the amazing final pitch.

Roberto on the 4th class approach gully.

Eric Collins on the summit of 3rd pillar

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