Eastern Sierra, CA Backcountry Report: Mini-Spine & Tight-Choke Fun On Mt. Dana & Ellery Bowl | Tioga Pass

Miles Clark | Post Tag for BackcountryBackcountry | Post Tag for Conditions ReportConditions Report

Report from June 19th, 2019

Brought to you by Scott Sports

Skis Used:  Scott Super Guide 105

Yesterday morning Greggy, Aaron Fox, & I headed back to Tioga Pass, CA for more horribly fun skiing and hiking.

Tioga Pass is still closed at the pass from the east but Cal Trans is doing a weird semi-opening starting tomorrow…

We went up to slide a chute next to the Solstice Couloir on Mt. Dana, but I got us lost and we skied a different, very fun chute called “Choke It” by accident.

Our line in the famous “Choke It” chute on Mt. Dana. Fox and Greggy and Mt. Dana and my ski strap… image: snowbrains

Choke It was a blast with some narrow spots and a sneaky side-door exit.

We then crossed the Dana Plateau and slipped into Chute Out Alternate as we did the previous day and the snow was great.

The mini spine to tight chute combo of upper Chute Out Alternate is crazy fun.

Greggy dropping into Choke It off Mt. Dana. image: snowbrains

Ellery Bowl is still dropping huge cornice chunks at all times of the day – heads up.

The cornices are coming down off Mt. Dana as well.

Once done skiing, we immediately went from Ellery Lake to Mobile Mart and got the “World Famous Fish Tacos” and they were amazing.

Dana Plateau, Mono Lake, and the entrance to Cocaine Chute. image: snowbrains

Next time though I’m asking to have both of the tacos come with mango salsa.

That mango salsa is pallet changing.

Can’t wait to go back to Tioga and MoMart.

It’s been one helluva month, huh!?

Greggy deep in Choke It. image: snowbrains

RECENT EASTERN SIERRA REPORTS:

June 18th:  Eastern Sierra, CA Backcountry Report: Ellery Bowl’s “Chute Out” | Tioga Pass

June 15th:  Eastern Sierra, CA Backcountry Report: Sluff-Race Down Ripper Chute + Banana Chute | Tioga Pass

June 13th: Eastern Sierra, CA Backcountry Report: Huge Cornice, Unknown Chute Off Mt. Dana Is Steep & Scary… | Tioga Pass

June 11th: Eastern Sierra, CA Backcountry Report: Mt. Dana’s Solstice Couloir + Powerhouse Chutes | Tioga Pass

June 6th:  Eastern Sierra, CA Backcountry Report: Mt. Dana → Dana Couloir → Power House Chutes | Tioga Pass

June 5th: Eastern Sierra, CA Backcountry Report: Power House Chutes | Tioga Pass, CA

June 4th: Eastern Sierra, CA Backcountry Report: 12,500′ North Couloir of Mt. Emerson

June 2nd: Eastern Sierra, CA Backcountry Report: The Third Pillar Chute | Tioga Pass, CA

June 1st: Eastern Sierra, CA Backcountry Report: 1″ of Snow in 20-Minutes at 12,300′ in Zebra Chute

PHOTOS:

Greggy on break. Fox and Greggy and Mt. Dana and my ski strap… image: snowbrains
Fox and Greggy and Mt. Dana and my ski strap… image: snowbrains
Fox scoping out Chute Out Alternate. Fox and Greggy and Mt. Dana and my ski strap… image: snowbrains
Fox up top. image: snowbrains
So many flowers right now on Dana Plateau. Fox and Greggy and Mt. Dana and my ski strap… image: snowbrains
Up! Greggy and Fox. image: snowbrains
Fox and Greggy up with Yosemite in the back. image: snowbrains
Fox and Mt. Dana. image: snowbrains
Greggy happy up. image: snowbrains
The pastel blues of Dana Lake. image: snowbrains
Mobile Mart World Famous Fish Tacos. Fox and Greggy and Mt. Dana and my ski strap… image: snowbrains

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