This is one of THE classic ski descents in the High Sierra. Mount Dana towers above Tioga Pass, at the border of Yosemite National Park. The road opens late in the season, so you have to hit it right away. The trick is to start from Tioga Pass, go up to the summit of Mount Dana via the gentle west slopes, and from there drop towards the Dana Plateau via the north couloir. Then you have to cross the north couloir to reach the top of the Ellery Bowl, which provides another 2000' of excellent skiing. Of course you don't arrive at the same point where you started from, but you can hitch a ride or use two cars to go back to Tioga Pass. This trip requires 3000' of vertical ascent and offers you 5000' of descent in a scenic background. We skied it in winterlike conditions, with hardpacked snow at the top but a sweet powder in the north couloir. The Ellery Bowl was corniced at the top but we managed to drop in on the steep upper slopes. The rest is just pure fun... 

    Me at the summit of Mount Dana with great views of Mono Lake 

    Fred getting ready to go down! 

    Fred and Eric taking the first turns below the summit 

    Fred and Eric skiing towards the North Couloir that drops on the left further down 

   Me taking some sweet turns in the north couloir of Mount Dana 

    Eric and I having a high in the sweet windblown powder of the couloir 

     Eric skiing the powder in the north couloir 

    Eric didn't want to stop... 

    I was ready for some more! 

    Me after skiing the Ellery Bowl and the sketchy drop in at the corniced top