Postmortem

From now on I am committed to improving my route tracking and mapping. This is the first trip report that will include a variety of map and terrain data for a more clear picture of the day. I have chosen to use CalTopo as my navigation tool of choice. There are others out there but CalTopo's ability to overlay crucial backcountry route planning data such as slope angle, sun exposure, and weather forecast is invaluable. You can create custom overlays which transform the day's avalanche forecast into a colored "danger zone" map. There is plenty of documentation and resources out there, I highly recommend playing around. CalTopo appears to be the gold standard for both recreationalists and search and rescue (SAR). I am including the raw terrain profile data which highlights elevation gain, slope angle, aspect, and more as well as route tracking data from CalTopo (2D) and Google Earth (3D).

May 25, 10:16PM: Old Man Winter and I met up in the Bay Area Saturday afternoon and carpooled together over to the parking lot where we would sleep out in my Subaru. Daniel was already in Tahoe and planned to drive down that evening. Route 120 (Tioga Pass) through Yosemite National Park was still closed due to avalanche danger so we were forced to take the longer route via Sonora Pass. The drive was about six hours and we arrived on site right before 10PM, did a quick rearranging of the Subaru and passed out. Well, I did at least. Ronen had a rough night and struggled to sleep. I woke up around 1:30AM to go to the bathroom and did not see Daniel's car. He was supposed to arrive by midnight. Hmmm, that is not good...?

May 26, 6:18AM: We woke up a little after 6AM and starting preparing our packs. Daniel was still nowhere to be seen. We had no cell service and could not contact him. But shortly thereafter he arrived and let us know that he too had a rough night. After realizing halfway through the drive he forget his trekking poles, he tried to stop by a nearby Walmart to buy some only to find out he also forgot his wallet. Ugh! He had to drive all the way back to Truckee where he managed to get a bit of sleep before waking up at 3AM to drive down to us. I made note of his dedication and commitment to the trip - he could have just given up at that point, but instead stuck with it. Note: a simple checklist could probably have prevented such an issue. Even the most experienced forget things from time to time! I have a google doc checklist that I have refined over the years for single day tours. Modifications should be made to fit your own needs of course.

May 26, 7:21AM: Finally departing the trailhead. Ok, I know what you are thinking. Lesson (1) from 2018 was literally start earlier. We talked it over and decided that starting super early did not make much sense for our planned route up Dana Couloir. The challenge with Dana Couloir is that it does not get much sun until around noon so it can see firm ice all morning. A 40 degree solid ice couloir climb is a whole other ballgame. We opted for a bit more sleep and would move quickly in the morning. We started our day with ski boots on our feet and skis on our backs. After about 3 minutes we hit another snag.

Old Man Winter and his infinite wisdom thought he would run a quick physics experiment. The great question that had remained unanswered until that very moment in time - can you walk across thin ice without falling through? Daniel and I advised that we go around the half frozen lake but he was adamant about attempting the ice route. Maybe he watched too many episodes of Ice Road Truckers, I do not know. We split ways and shortly after I heard a kerplunk sound followed by some yelling. The answer turns out to be "no" - you can not walk across thin ice without falling in. Ronen had almost instantly fallen through resulting in two fully soaked socks and boots. He was able to waddle over to a dry spot and mostly drain the water out. I will admit, these kind of issues make my writing job much easier.

Our morning was not ideal. Maybe Mount Dana was trying to tell us something. Remember that if you do not respect the mountains, the mountains will not respect you.

May 26, 9:57AM: Shortly after our unplanned great physics experiment we had to stop and reevaluate as a team. Old Man Winter had gotten something like 1 or 2 hours of sleep and was feeling like complete garbage. Simple maneuvers over rocky and firm terrain were becoming genuinely dangerous. Old Man Winter is technically capable but was not himself. We pumped him full of green tea and food. We rested for a good 20 minutes or so and discussed our options. We decided it would be safest to skip Dana Couloir altogether. We would make our way up to the top of the ridge and gradually ascend from there (which is the normal skinning route). We would descend the same way down unless we were feeling up to the Couloir. I think it is worth pausing here and reinforcing the need for open communication. I think as a team we made the right call to pivot the mission for the sake of everyone. We dramatically reduced our risk level for the day while still being able to have a fun day. Dana Couloir is not going anywhere.

Ronen got a second wind after the break and was probably at about 90% of himself within the next hour. Ascending to the ridge was the steepest part of the climb, tapping out at 44 degrees which is steeper than the couloir but the snow was perfect for climbing which reduced the likelihood of a slip. It was wide which offered plenty of room for line choice and self arresting if needed.

May 26, 11:25AM: Once we reached ridgeline we were able to transition back to skins for the most part but there were times when we had to remove skis and boot pack over rock. That was honestly one of the more dangerous parts of the day in my opinion. Walking over slippery, loose, sharp rocks in ski boots - what could go wrong? We took our time and were making solid progress. Ronen was back at 100% by this point! We were confident in making summit by a reasonable time and moved at a steady pace.

May 26, 12:43PM: Daniel confronts his arch rival - Solstice Couloir! He wants it, I know he does. That shit scares me. The entry is a legit no fall zone. If you tumble right there you are dropping right into some jagged rock and over 1000ft of descent.

May 26, 1:11PM: We were super close to the summit at this point with only another 300ft of vertical. This section is a little sketchy due to the exposed ridgeline. The snow was holding well but you definitely do not want to slide out here. I felt stable on my crampons. The most narrow point was probably something like 15 or 20ft wide. Slow and steady was the name of the game.

May 26, 1:32PM: Summit! We hung out on top for a good 30 minutes or so, taking in the 360 views of Mono Lake and surrounding mountain range. I had not been at this elevation in a while so I was definitely feeling it. Eating bars was hard but I forced myself to intake some sugar and water.

May 26, 2:13PM: We took a close look at Dana Couloir and ultimately decided it was not worth it. We were all feeling good, but the snow quality was firm. Those going down were moving very slowly and we could hear the scraping of the snow's top layer. Plus the exit back to the car would be a slog. We thought the ridgeline descent would offer a more pleasant experience so off we went. We boot packed our way down just a bit to get through the exposed section and then dropped in.

May 26, 2:40PM: Nothing but chill, California springtime vibes as we made our way down the ridge! The weakest skier (me) went first or second so that if I had an issue, others could come in and help quickly from behind. Not completely necessary in low angle terrain but it is a good practice worth following.

May 26, 3:11PM: Wet loose conditions were becoming prevalent as everything warmed up so we descended one by one through the steepest section and were home free. I was still able to cut turns well in the soft snow and my legs were feeling strong.

May 26, 3:49PM: At the bottom, Old Man Winter showed us how John Muir used to cross rivers back in the day. Take note of his perfect technique.

Thank you Mount Dana for granting us access this time. We will surely be back to explore more of the area! There are so many great routes around Dana that are worth exploring. I strongly recommend purchasing this book to get details on Mount Dana and other Eastern Sierra tours. I have found it difficult to find high quality information online, but this book has all the core stuff you need.