North Buttress (aka the Dragrace aka the Dragway)

"One of the classic climbs in the High Sierra, this route deserves more traffic."

Pitch 1 (130', 5.8): after scrambling up some sandy 3rd /4th class ramps to a ledge at the base of a wide steep chimney, rope up at the 2 ring pitons nailed into the horizontal crack.  Climb up and into the chimney, after about 30-40ft the steep wide chimney ends, continue up easier terrain to another steep block, surmount this and build a belay on the various ledges below where a crack heads up the head wall to the climbers left.  if you reach the bushes you went to high.

Pitch 2 (100', 5.7): climb up the obvious featured crack and build a belay where the crack almost reaches the arete to the left of the main corner.

Pitch 3 (160', 5.9): from the belay traverse straight across the face to the obvious corner.  climb the corner using a variety of techniques, and keep your eyes on the right wall for small gear options.  belay at the small ledge with 2 old 1/4in bolts.  bolts can be backed up with small gear and nuts, or large gear, but you probably want your big pieces for the next pitch.

Pitch 4 (120', 5.10): continue up the obvious corner.  the crux comes at the bulge where the already wide crack widens more.  a #4 can be bumped along the main crack for a while, and smaller gear options are often found on the right wall. Good offwidth skills aren't required for the crux, as stems and face features and liebacks can be used to get past the offwidth section. Build a belay on the ledge above the main corner.

Pitch 5 (100', 5.9): from the belay ledge make an exposed and slightly downward hand traverse to the lightning bolt crack splitting the headwall.  at the top of the crack, build a belay, or continue up another 100ft of 4th class slabs to a series of nice flat bivy areas and belay there instead.

Continue up the 5.easy terrain (300ft vertical) to the summit ridge, and work your way along the exposed ridge to the summit (1000+ft horizontal).

From Mono Village at the west edge of Twin Lakes, hike south along the Horse Creek trail up switchbacks past Horsetail Falls as for

Matterhorn Peak

. Veer SW at the prominent Horse Creek Tower, crossing a snowfield to the base of Dragtooth. Allow 4 hours for the approach.

Standard rack with double set of cams to 4" (Two #4 Camalots are particularly useful).