Up up and away!

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

Up up and away!

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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.

Eric Collins on 3rd Pillar, circa 1986

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Dark Bird

May 23, 2013

“Up up and away!”

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Nearby Photos

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.

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

All smiles on the last pitch

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

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

Brian crossing the snow gully 7/22/2011.

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

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.

Third Pillar of Dana

Top of first pitch

Crossing the snow gully to reach the base.

Roberto and Duke on the approach hike.

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

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

Third Pillar

Looking down the route from the top.

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.

Eric Collins on the summit of 3rd pillar

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.

Looking straight up the direct start.

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

Topping out on the Third Pillar

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

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

Having fun on the Third Pillar, Regular Route

Roberto on the 4th class approach gully.

Ginger on Third Pillar of Dana with the route unfolding below

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

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

Last pitch!

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

Summit, with Mono lake

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.

Up up and away!

Eric Collins on 3rd Pillar, circa 1986

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

Eric Collins on 3rd Pillar, circa 1986

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

the traverse that starts P2

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

Around the crux of P4

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

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

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

Jeff at the spectacular P3 belay!

About halfway down the descent.

BEAUTIFUL piece of rock

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!

Finishing the chimney on P3.

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

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