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Does any one have updates on Dana Couloir, will it be suitable at this time of the year?
We were looking at alpine ice options in CA - I know its a low snow year but just hoping

From the road last weekend (13-14 July) looks very ugly and sandy; not worth the investment in time.

Options:

weekend of 29/30 June showed excellent blue water ice on Mount Tom Ross both couloirs;

also showed white water ice on Mendel, both sides - a surprising lot of it; not blue, but definitely climbable; beware of plenty of crater impacts under those ones due to non-overnight freezing conds....cannot rec

Lamarck: snow slog right now; rec dropping in from immediate climbers left of summit rather than slog thru the talus to get there in another month

Cats Ears (Mount Dade): does not exist. at all.

North Couloir Direct Mount Abbot: 25% white water ice as of 13 July - fun climb; scary loose top

Mount Darwin N.Face; snowfield is pretty high; seriously doubt any ice, but even prime its never above AI2, but always a great fun climb under almost any condition.

Sharperblue many thanks for this update.

3Deserts wrote:Two weeks ago, from the vantage point of Bear Creek Spire, Feather Couloir was looking very clean, and interesting.

Anyone by any chance gotten a better look at it?

yes; from Dade summit last weekend (13July) : rockfall from the very top of the couloir on Feather; it's quite a mess at the moment; definitely would skip that one until legitimate fall season.

sharperblue wrote:

3Deserts wrote:Two weeks ago, from the vantage point of Bear Creek Spire, Feather Couloir was looking very clean, and interesting.

Anyone by any chance gotten a better look at it?

yes; from Dade summit last weekend (13July) : rockfall from the very top of the couloir on Feather; it's quite a mess at the moment; definitely would skip that one until legitimate fall season.

How did the Hourglass look?

"How did the Hourglass look?"

You mean that giant scree field with a bit of dirty snow at the bottom? it's out

rounding them out; ditto Bloody Couloir. Parachute on Pyramid (Mammoth) looked snow filled at least to near the top, but won't be anything but a slog in these temps. Couloirs on North Peak just maybe might barely be neve by now; ditto Red Slate. NE Couloir on Red and White is probably a fine neve climb in early hours right now; wish that turned to legit ice; that's one of the most aesthetic the northern part of the range has to offer

yeah - but we're not in season yet; there's some nice stuff out there right now though, just not on the usual seasonal suspects

North Couloir Direct on Humphreys has neve near the top-out; have no idea what it looks like below that.

Does anybody know the current condition of Dana couloirs?

Looked pretty fat here in a recent TR...

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/When-is-the ... 2175n.html

Has anyone seen Dana Couloir lately? Is it good climbing yet?

Yes climbed it last weekend. One could climb it as a snow or ice route now. one could ski it if they stayed far lookers right, but the snow is melting fast. The top was snow, lower down before the sun hit it hard snow. Man... The couloir is feeling steeper this year. I wonder if the melt off is actually making the couloir steeper. Smooth ice few places to rest your feet. I actually have a photo but I can't seem to post it, I'll try later.