Avg: 4 from 21
votes
Four pitches of stellar climbing and two pitches of fun moderate climbing. This route finishes on the NE arete proper of the Third Pillar of Dana. It climbs half a pitch of the Lenticular Limbo on P3 and the 4th crux pitch is part of the old aid climb/ presumably abandoned free project The One That Got Away.
P1: Climb up the right side of the Texas Block to a bolt protecting the start of the corner. Continue up the corner to a belay out left on the arete about 20' before the corner ends. 35m,10d.
P2: Step right back into the corner or kneebar up the sick flake above the belay to a ledge. Continue up 5.8 double hand crack flakes to moderate blocky climbing to the bolted belay at the bottom of the shield. 60m, 5.10.
P3: Move left off the ledge to the nearest (furthest right) of the right facing corners (overlaps with Lenticular Limbo). Layback over the bulge to an overhanging perfect hands corner. Above the corner continue up and right along a moderate ramp to the bolted belay in the middle of the shield. 40m, 5.10.
P4: Climb the splitter up the headwall with a thin and sustained double cracks crux at the top. This pitch ends on a massive talus-covered ledge, AKA "Tallboy Terrace." Four bolts and gear from green c3 to 0.5 camalot. 30m,11d.
P5: Start on the left side of the massive ledge under the arete. Crisp fingers lead to a crack switch at a bolt. Continue up the arete past 3 more bolts following a fingers splitter to a bolted belay. Four bolts plus gear to 0.75 camalot. 30m, 5.11.
P6: The glory pitch. Climb straight up the arete past a bolt protecting with micro cams in stellar cracks out right. Save a couple green c3's/ purple Metolius for the compression crux up high and a 0.4 camalot fits well after the crux. Top out on the summit about 15' right of the Regular Route. 000 c3 to 0. 4 camalot with doubles in 00-blue Metolius. 20m, 5.11+.
The entire route is to the right of the Regular Route. It climbs the upper half of the stunning shield and the NE arete. Start about 30' right of a massive RFC at the Texas Block.
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Yosemite
Upon exploring this route we found several generations of bolts in interesting places. Some bolts were noted by Alois Smrz and Miguel Carmona on the FA of The One That Almost Got Away (5.10c, A2+; 1990) as having arrived shortly before their ascent. Some appear to have been added sometime after as part of an abandoned project, seeming to be at least ten years old but in excellent condition (we whipped on em). Pitch 3 skirts around what would be the obvious first pitch of the imposing headwall, which does sport several bolts from this abandoned project. We were very unable to free this hard slab/seam, and encourage anyone to give it a go. Aug 1, 2022
Burbank, CA
Pitch 5 is terrifying - I fell at the 3rd bolt moving right to the arete. fell into space and the rope ran over the very sharp edge. As I was falling I instinctively grabbed the lower end (below the bolt) which slowed me down. The rope was fine but left some fuzzies on the edge. In hindsight this pitch would be a good one to tie in half way/double rope. Not sure if moving the bolt line a little left would solve the issue as the natural line is on the arete.
Really awesome route. Aug 31, 2023
This is a great route! It should get a lot more traffic, and don’t skip the first three 5.10 pitches, they’re very fun! Feb 8, 2024
St. George, UT
While rapping in its nice to pre-clip the last 2 bolts on the slab crux and some of bolts on the arete pitch. As of yesterday 6/30/2024 there is a lot of snow at the base so we had to build a hanging belay 20ft off the ground at the Texas block. Jun 30, 2024
California
Salt Lake City
Definitely recommend offset cams (or maybe totems) for p1. The corner is flaring and wouldn’t take nuts as an alternative. Also on P2 be sure to climb past the first bolted rap station, there will be a second anchor 60m up. Jul 18, 2024
Bishop CA
The upper three pitches were fantastic, and the lower three 5.10 were defiantly worth doing as well. the pitch4 crux is very tenuous, just keep bumping up till the bolt is at your chest. Pitch 5 was a tad reachy for a move or two, but not a show stopper. And pitch 6 was just fantastic the whole way.
A .3/.4 and .4/.5 offset cam was useful on a few of the pitches, particularly to enhance the protect-ability of the flared crack on the first pitch. Aug 4, 2024