Mount Dana – Dana Couloir

The Dana Couloir is an excellent introduction to Sierra alpine ice climbing. Although some may require 2-3 days, we recommend climbing it in one big day from the road if you have winter waterfall ice climbing experience, some mileage on summer snow with crampons, and good fitness and acclimatization. Because of this variability and the dependency on conditions, we only offer this climb on a custom private basis.

A strenuous and challenging day outing.

Mount Dana (13,061 feet)
Dana Couloir
Mt. Dana is located in the Tioga Pass area off of highway 120 near the gateway to Yosemite National Park.  Originally climbed in 1863 by the Whitney Survey Party Mt. Dana was thought for a short time to be the highest peak in the Sierra.  It didn’t take long for the team to realize that there were many peaks to the south that were higher.   Coming into shape as an ice climb in the late summer, the Dana Couloir is an excellent introduction to Sierra alpine ice climbing. Earlier in the summer it makes a nice snow climb and a nice way to summit and traverse this mountain. We travel up Glacier Canyon to the foot of the couloir, then summit and traverse the peak back down toward Tioga Pass. A strenuous and challenging day outing.

We can also schedule this climb as a multiday climb and for some this is recommended.