Cloud Chasers
Mt. Dana
Climb above Tioga Pass into a world of thin air and Class 2 rock.
Quest challenge 5/10 · Bold Ascent
Quest estimate for the described approach: endurance, altitude, and technical terrain combined. Conditions can change the difficulty. This is not an AllTrails or climbing grade.
Meet the mountain
The approach: Cross-country summit approach from Tioga Pass
Summit finish: Mount Dana’s summit.
A high Sierra summit rising directly above Tioga Pass, with a dramatic change from meadow to rocky alpine terrain. Yosemite Conservancy describes a roughly five-mile return outing with 3,100 feet of climbing and no official trail. Altitude and route finding are central to the day. Check Tioga Road and snow conditions before choosing the hiking approach.
Use a current map and plan the descent through the same rough terrain.
A SUMMIT QUEST TALL TALE · FICTION
The pebble census
A very diligent pebble decided to count its neighbors. Every time it reached a thousand, someone asked how it was going. The census is now closed to public inquiries.
Explore the Field Guide’s peak legends →Before you set out
Every good quest starts with a little map time. Explore these route guides and check the latest updates before setting a date.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-08. Check the links for current conditions. The approach above explains our challenge rating; logging this peak does not assign that route to your outing.
Yosemite Conservancy summit hikes ↗
Park partner’s Mount Dana approach and summit description.
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Search for an approach that matches your plan.
Opens in a new tabFind recent trip reports ↗
Check dates and route choices; reports do not replace current land-manager information.
Opens in a new tab“Find AllTrails routes” opens a Google search restricted to AllTrails trail pages, not a selected route. Completion is tracked in Summit Quest and does not sync with AllTrails.