The eastern-most of the four aretes leading up the south flank of Lee Vining Canyon to the broad summit of the Dana Plateau. The arete is over a mile long and ends near the top of the Third Pillar route. It's hard to talk about numbers of individual pitches since you will only rope up at certain crux points along the ridge. Walking, scrambling and the odd roped move here and there according to the confidence level of the climbers involved. The FA party brought a hundred feet of 8mm, but say they never used it.

East Ellery Ridge

Power House Couloir

Ellery Gullies

Northwest Buttress

North Ellery Ridge

The Backbone

Long mixed snow-rock-ice couloir that runs directly up the gully between the North Ellery Ridge and 'The Backbone' route on the north-facing slope of Lee Vining Canyon. Summits on Dana Plateau and returns back down Ellery Bowl to Ellery Lake. According to Dave Custer, in the summer, this same line is a fine rock outing; the final headwall can be avoided by heading to the climber's right into the next gully (IV) which reduces the difficulty to 3rd class.

The four gully systems between Crow’s Foot and Power House Couloir are worthy ventures, especially I, II, & IV (right to left, gully I is closest to the Ellery Lake parking).  Similar to the NE Gully on Laurel Mountain. The gully above Crow’s Foot can be climbed too.

Crow’s Foot Gully: moderate class 5

Gully I: 3rd class/very easy 5th class

Gully II: 3rd class/very easy 5th class

Gully III: moderate class 5; not as clean as I, II, & IV

Gully IV: moderate class 5

Descent as for the ridges: traverse down through the dwarf white pine forest maze toward Speed of Life/Golden Rock or Golden Years; find a way through a steep section down to the scree/moraine; skid & teeter back to your car.

On the right edge of the huge buttress above and behind the Dinosaur Crag and the Sweet Jane area is a broken ridge running up the southern slope of Lee Vining Canyon to the Dana Plateau. This is the Northwest Ellery Ridge. It's got a few more loose spots than the other 3 Ellery ridges, so proceed with caution.

Long ridge leading up the south slope of Lee Vining Canyon to the broad flat highlands of the Dana Plateau.

Most direct, obvious, long arete leading up the south slope of Lee Vining Canyon to the broad flat summit of Dana Plateau. Eric Gabel called it the "Backbone Arete" because of the long causeway walk in the central section that is shaped like dinosaur vertebrae. At the end of the causeway, go to a notch and there is a big block as ways beyond. That's where the 5.7 is, you lie back up the side of the block, the rest of the route is 5.6 or easier.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Ellery Ridges