Has anyone been to Mt. Dana recently?

Looking for info on the Dana Couloir (hopefully for the ascent) and the standard route (possibly for the descent, which one TR recommended).

Snowshoes and crampons, or just crampons? Icy on the couloir?

Thanks!

When driving by there over the weekend, the couloir appeared as snow (no ice...nor would you normally expect ice this early); the approach gully to the plateau looked fairly dry. Will post a pic later!

deungsan wrote:Has anyone been to Mt. Dana recently?

Looking for info on the Dana Couloir (hopefully for the ascent) and the standard route (possibly for the descent, which one TR recommended).

Snowshoes and crampons, or just crampons? Icy on the couloir?

Thanks!

People are skiing and riding the crap out of that couloir these days, so you will have lots of company coming down on you. Skiable conditions means that it is softening around noon, but that is THIS week. Watch the weather, it is really warming up. Crampons and trekking axe is all you need.

Thanks for the info, pjc30943 and Deb.

Quick follow-up ...

After scouring the Web for specifics on the best trailhead for the Dana Couloir route, I've seen people say they park just outside the Tioga Pass gate to YNP, near Tioga Lake and near Ellery Lake.

Which is best for the couloir? Thanks.

deungsan wrote:Thanks for the info, pjc30943 and Deb.

Quick follow-up ...

After scouring the Web for specifics on the best trailhead for the Dana Couloir route, I've seen people say they park just outside the Tioga Pass gate to YNP, near Tioga Lake and near Ellery Lake.

Which is best for the couloir? Thanks.

Park at the shitter just before the park entry gate and take off down the slope into Glacier Canyon...the rest is pretty clear.

Skied Dana on 5/29 - up the West Ridge, down Dana couloir. If you are climbing the couloir, you will have firm conditions before 10 am or so. Skiers/boarders descend the couloir after noon, so coming down the West Ridge is safer at that time. Solstice couloir probably has a lot less traffic. No snow shoes are needed, just crampons and axe.

Summitted 6/4/16 via west ridge. Below timberline, snow is spotty but the trail does disappear under snow as well as snow melt. Above timberline it was super warm with super soft snow. Steeper slopes were more consolidated. Flatter slopes where snow had been deposited deeper we were post holing from knee to hip deep and decided to try to keep to the rocks. We carried mountaineering axes but no crampons. On steeper slopes we were able to glissade but the afternoon snow was slow and wet. I honestly wished for snowshoes, skis or a split board.

If temperatures stay where they've been, the west side won't hold snow long.

Dana Couloir was all wet snow on 6/13, with signs of recent wet slides from the 6/12 storm. About 6'' of fresh snow on top of the old layer. Big cornices at the exit, with a gap near the middle that you can get through. Summit part snow and part rubble. No need for snowshoes, just crampons and ice axe.