Third Pillar, East Edge of Mount Dana Plateau, Tuolumne, 1990. In September, 1988, Miguel Carmona and Eric Klosterman climbed the first three pitches of this line on the pillar, which is drawn on page 47 of Reid and Falkenstein’s Rock Climbs of Tuolumne Meadows. There were no signs of other climbers on these pitches and no bolts at the base of the headwall, where they turned back, not having enough gear or time to attempt the headwall. Carmona, a Spaniard living in Los Angeles, came back with me in September, 1990 and we reclimbed the three pitches. Upon arriving at the headwall, we found two anchor bolts at its base and another bolt 30 feet higher. The bolts were close to a good crack and not necessary. The line up a thin knifeblade crack showed no signs of having been climbed. At the top of the fourth pitch, we found two more anchor bolts close to a good piton crack. There is a drilled hole higher up the pitch. We continued up the line and completed the pitch to the base of the summit tower. Two more pitches of 5.9 mixed with aid got us to the top. (IV, 5.10b, A2+.) The route starts up a right-slanting ramp just right of the obvious dihedral at the base of the pillar. We are not sure if the first ascent was done previously. We don’t claim ours to be the first and we don’t know who placed the five bolts. The line is very esthetic and worth doing.

Alois Smrz