Hello , i am thinking of climbing Mt Gibbs, in the next 3 weeks, maybe around early July. First i wanted to know if anyone knows how much snow is still left in that area over there in Tuolumne Meadows area around Mt Gibbs and M Dana. My plan was to take the Mono Pass Trail, and hike about a 1/2 mile or so up the trail from hwy 120, then go off trail right up the ridge straight to the top of Mt Gibbs. Anyone have thoughts on this? Class 1-2 or tougher? Also how much snow. Info on this would be great, thanks.

Years ago I did Gibbs going up the south ridge and descended the creek between Gibbs and Dana after heading over to Dana. The little ridge down from Gibbs to start over to Dana had a bit of class 3 as I remember, but the route you describe is no more than class 2.

There is no snow in Dana Meadows right now, so you should be snow free all the way to the summit by the time you go.

There ain't gonna be any snow left on Gibbs by July this year.

That route you describe is class 1-2 (and I believe was the first ascent route for Gibbs via horseback)
And the Gibbs/Dana traverse is only class 3 if you want it to be (and even then its mostly class 2)

Wow, that sounds great. I did dana a few years ago, and wondered how bad it is traversing from Dana over to Gibbs, with that very narrow and precarious area leading up to Gibbs. Are there some alternate routes around that to get to Gibbs from Dana?

The traverse is mostly class 1-2, there's a use trail for a good portion of it.

http://www.fedak.net/albums/DanaGibbs.html




The very top of the slope near the summit of Gibbs is the only thing that arguably could be called low class 3. Maybe 50 yards of it.
Probably easier to keep it class 2 on the way up vs the way down.

Hey thanks for those pics, that really gives me a good idea of what to expect. I can't wait to get out there for the climb.I gotta try to acclimate around that time, to prepare for Shasta.

im heading up there next saturday(07/12/14) i assume at this point, there is not any snow left up there... easy walk up, class 2, maybe some minor rock scrambling? i am taking my daughter up there she is 8, but i big and strong....just want to make sure i am safe with her up there. any advice would be appreciated, i was planning on going off trail just after the first ridge, from mono pass trail ...

Its not the closest photo, but here's Dana from Dunderberg in the Hoover Wilderness from yesterday.

Dana is the highpoint in the center horizon of this pic (and you can see the Dana Couloir off to its left)
I wouldn't worry about snow this year. I would worry about skeeters

http://www.fedak.net/modules/Gallery/al ... G_0522.jpg

Here's Gibbs and Dana from Koip Peak on Saturday:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/California ... -G8j48vz/A

Hey nice pic Kathy! I am actually planning on getting down there july 26/27, hopefully hitting gibbs and dana, maybe mt lewis. These pics really give me a good idea of what terrain i will be dealing with.

I did Gibbs (and Koip) a few weeks back. Photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ethangold ... 372797053/. No snow to worry about at all.

Hey Edg: awesome pics. i noticed that some of those pics, indicate most of the way up to Gibbs, does not look that steep, just a walk up the ridge over dirt and talus. Did you go straight up the ridge from the trail or did you hike a bit further towards lewis, then head up towards the ridge? I was just curious. I also wanted to know how far it was to koip, from the mono pass trailhead. isnt koip a bit past lewis and parsons, or no?

I went straight up the west ridge on Gibbs. http://www.strava.com/activities/157030010

There's a use trail on the top of the ridge through the forest up to treeline. Above that, the trail fades, but you can still pick up some faint traces on the way up. The west ridge is basically three big steps. The steps are steep, but short stretches of class 2 talus, maybe a few hundred feet each. Between each step is a flatter section of smaller talus and dirt.

Koip is a little more than 9 miles from Mono Pass TH. http://www.strava.com/activities/157029846

wow, that is awesome.. This really helps me. I am looking forward to getting down there. Thanks a lot.