Geography Parents  Loading... Trip Reports
| Mount Dana   | 
| Page Type: Trip Report Location: California, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 37.89970°N / 119.2203°W Date Climbed/Hiked: Jul 7, 2005 | Page By: kalet Created/Edited: Aug 26, 2005 / May 8, 2007 Object ID: 170383 Hits: 931 Loading... Page Score: 0% - 0 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Access from Yosemite National Park, CA:
Drive 0.8 miles east on 120 from Tioga Pass.
Park at first turn off on right (south) side of road (Tioga Lake Overlook).
Run:
I hiked down to Tioga Lake (9638') from the Glacier Canyon Trailhead (~9760') then up Glacier Canyon to Dana Glacier (~11320'). I put on my ski boots and crampons, took out my ice axe and climbed Dana Couloir to the northeast ridge and up to the summit (13057'). I was able to ski from about 10 feet from the summit down the northeast ridge and Dana Couloir past Dana Glacier into Glacier Canyon to about 11040'. The northeast ridge probably doesn't exceed 30 degrees. Dana Couloir maintains a nearly 40 degree slope for 1200 feet and is at least 60 feet wide. The snow on the northeast ridge and in Dana Couloir was great; no runnels, snowcups, rocks or dirt! There is a high rock wall on the east side of the couloir that allows the climber and skier to choose his or her snow firmness by how far east or west in the wide couloir they choose to travel. This is not a technically demanding summer ski, but provided excellent snow conditions. Where else in the contiguous US can one ski nearly from the summit for over 2000 feet in July? Thanks to John Minier for the suggestion.
Photo:
The summit is in the center of the photo. The northeast ridge goes from the summit to the left (east) to the top of Dana Couloir on the left. Note that the couloir is shaded due to the high rock wall on the the left (east) side of the couloir.
Photo
Avalanche Conditions:
Summer conditions; saw loose avalanches.
Total Elevation: ~3541'
Total Skied Elevation: ~2010'
The Backcountry Club Trip Report Link
|
|
Sierra Nevada
