Mt Dana from the East

[TechSteve]

Hi all!

Welcome to my first post!

I am looking at making a trip from the UK to Yosemite in June/July next year. I was in the valley last year, and cant wait to be back there exploring the wilderness.

At the moment I am in the planing stages of a 6-7 day hike that would hopefully begin at the Eastern entrance, and end up at glacier point, and then down into the valley.

I would like to know if it is feasible to attempt to approach Mt Dana from the East. I would hopefully start out at the Tioga Gas Mart, then trek to Walker Lake, up bloody Canyon, and to Summit Lake. What is the route like from Summit Lake, across Mt Gibbs, and then on to Mt Dana? It looks like a bit of a scramble, and quite scary in places, but is it doable?

Many thanks for any help you can offer!

Steve

[balzaccom]

I think you are really asking about the SOUTH approach to Dana. I've only climbed Dana from the West, and it was a slow but sure calmber straight up the slope. Nothing dangerous or technical. If you look at the topo, the slope on Gibbs to the South is about the same, and I don't remember any insurmountable cliffs or obstacles there.

But what I don't understand is you ultimate route. First night at Summit Lake or thereabouts? And then? There is no real source of water on the route over Mts. Gibbs and Dana--and from Dana, where would you go? The EAST sides of both of those peaks are very steep, and I would not suggest doing them with a backpack and without safety ropes unless you really know what you are doing.

If it were me, I would explore the area of Helen Lake, Kuna Lake, etc. And if you can get over to the west side of Kuna Crest (might be possible above Helen Lake?) you have some wonderful territory to explore. IN fact, I think it would be a wonderful trip to cross Kuna Crest above Helen Lake, traverse the Crest to Mammoth Peak, and then back down to Kuna Lake...

Hope that helps?

[Grzldvt]

What balzacomm said, I love the fact that he really knows this park and gives solid advice and alternatives!!! Pay attention to him. Your route might look good on a map and Google earth, but the reality of it is not so good, especially for an inexperienced Yosemite hiker. This is not putting you down, but for us of those that know the area have a very good understanding of the perils of a cross country trip like your proposal.
If it were my second trip to Yosemite I would stick to high country maintained trails of an area you are interested in, maybe day hike Dana and Gibbs, get a feel for the territory, then come back and try a cross country trip.
If you absolutely want to do a cross country trip, then you can cross country up to the Dan Plateau from the parking lot south of Tioga Lake, camp on the plateau and day hike Dana and Gibbs.
balzacomm put up an outstanding post called Perfection - http://www.yosemite.ca.us/forum/viewtopic/f=7&t=2077. read it, read it again, memorize it, respect it, and plan your trip based on that post.

[AlmostThere]

Starting high and going low makes no sense. You need to acclimate before heading to the top of Dana.

You will also need a wilderness permit - and you will not be able to get one that says "entry: Tioga Gas Mart". Plus, 6-7 days through that much territory? When are you going to slow down to look at anything?

Try something else that makes sense. I suspect from your plans that you have not yet backpacked in this manner. I suggest two short backpacking trips, going down Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne for four days - climbing out early morning on the last day - to White Wolf, then catch the bus back to Tuolumne Meadows and going out Cathedral Lakes, over to Clouds Rest, back through Sunrise Lakes, catch the shuttle back to Tuolumne Meadows. spend a night between in the backpacker camp and talk to the other backpackers there.

You'll want to time this adventure correctly, as well. It's critical if you expect to be able to travel without skis or snowshoes.You will NOT be able to get to the top of Dana in June in a normal snow year. Nor would you be able to do any high passes - not recommended for snow travel newbies. Last year, you would not have been able to do anything on your route in July - too much snow. This varies from year to year, so when you travel all the way over here, I suggest having some alternate plans, like, going to San Francisco, Point Reyes, the redwoods on the coast....

[bill-e-g]

Gibbs and Dana are class 1 from Mono Pass.
Loads of people come up Bloody Canyon to Mono Pass. (there's a trail)
Be aware you cannot camp anywhere in the Dana Fork basin including
Helen and Kuna Lakes. You also cannot camp at Gaylor or Granite Lakes
if that is what you are thinking.

[TechSteve]

Thanks for the great words of advice everyone, its a great help.

My trip is still in the very, very early planning a feasibility stages.

Basicaly, last year as part of a road trip, I drove from the Tioga gas mart, to the valley. I was amazed by the scenery, but wondered what I may have been missing from the road and what it would look like it I were to walk it. Hence why I wanted to try and start there if possible. Also, a trip with a definite start point , and end goal appeals to me.

I did think that it may not be possible to get a permit for that kind of route. What I was looking at doing was bloody canyon -mono pass, overnight stay, then pushing on to Dana, and descending dana to the Tioga pass entrance and then onto an overnight near Young Lakes. Before visiting Waterwheel falls area. Maybe it would be a better idea to start at Tuolumne Meadows and hit Dana from there, like most people do, and then off to Young lakes after descending Dana.

However, going back to my fisrt route, is it possible to stay overnight, just outside of the park boundry (in what I assume is the Inyo National Forrest) near walker lake, then hike dana the next day?

Thank you for the link to the perfection post. It is certianly a warning worth heeding. However, from that link I then followed a link to the story of "The Death Valley Germans", and that ended up taking up my whole morning, and several coffees! A great read.

Steve

[AlmostThere]

Most people day hike Dana from the Tioga gate. There's this matter of no camping inside the park boundary there... Starting from Tuolumne is a route finding challenge since the trails prolly connect eventually but the most direct route is the road. Which isn't wilderness. You can't camp inside the park if you take mono pass - you have to be outside the park boundary. Same with parker pass. Due to the rules of wilderness permits, you will have to be in the wilderness for the duration of your trip with a single permit, so if you try to make road travel part of your route, you've exited the wilderness and (technically) need another permit to start again. You can cross the road, but can't turn and walk down it either direction, or get on a shuttle. Hence my suggestion of making it a couple of trips. If you want to cover all that area it might be easier to hike through the pass, day hike Dana, spend a night in the backpacker camp in Tuolumne Meadows, get a permit the next morning and start backpacking for the valley from there.

Go to Glacier Point or not - it's an easier drive than it is to end a long backpack with climbing up that exposed (ugh) section of trail from Illilouette. There is no camping after Little Yosemite Valley along the route to Glacier Point - if you wanted to break that section in two, you'd have to head up Illouette creek a couple miles, then backtrack. Which is possible, but likely a bit busy since that's the fallback starting point for the JMT after the Happy Isles permits are all taken.

Pick a trailhead - if it's outside the park you get a permit from Inyo NF, if inside, from Tuolumne Wilderness office. Start there. Take a bear can if you're going to be in the park for whatever duration.